Sweet As Bro

I have officially finished my first week of student teaching at Frimley Elementary School. I absolutely love school here. It is so much more relaxed than school in the United States but still creates educated children. It's just a different approach. My favorite difference is how open the schools are to the outside. It's like the big lawn and outdoors are an extension of the classroom. The doors and large windows are often open so the wind can come in and breaks to go outside come multiple times through-out the day. For PE the students dont go to an indoor gym but have all lessons (general teacher run) outside.

Another fun difference is the fact that the kids and sometimes teachers dont have to wear shoes. About half the children in the class are not wearing shoes at any point in the day and while in the classroom shoes are optional for teachers as well. I absolutely love being barefoot so this is great for me but im sure for other americans who are more concerned about germs it would be different. What's interesting about the optional shoes part is how strict the dress code is for the children. They have uniforms (even though it is a public school) that they must wear every day. This includes always having long hair pulled back and no necklaces showing. The students also have to wear a school uniform "sun hat" every time they are outside for recesses, lunch, or other outside activities. The sun is much stronger here because of a hold in the O-zone layer here. Everyone warns me to wear sunscreen but I continue to be a stupid american and avoid it because i love the sun and the color it gives my pale skin.

My cooperating teacher, the principal, and all the other staff are so very friendly (much more than any school I've taught in in Wisconsin) and are so helpful with any and everything I need. They treat me like a real teacher, not a student teacher. I also love the town. It is a small but full of character town that is very fun to explore. I had a bit of a housing change (long story) but I am very happy with where I am living now!! I can walk to school within 5 minutes and not much longer to town. I also am living with the best "flatmate" ever, Katie (also my cooperating teacher). She has been so great to let me live with her while I am here.

Carolyn is another american student teacher who lives a couple minutes walk away and is so great to have near. We get along great and are planning on exploring the country together on weekends! Last night Carolyn, Katie, Laura (another Frimley teacher), and I drank wine, danced to/sang songs, and shared funny YouTube videos we have from our countries. It was a good time. Then we went out to Napier to a bar by a marina. It was fun to get dressed up and meet some locals! Today Carolyn and I walked around the town to explore and tomorrow we are walking up Te Mata Peak which looks beautiful.

So far student teaching in New Zealand has been a great experience. The school is one of the best I've ever been in, my housing situation is perfect, the town is cute, and i LOVE the warm weather :). I feel like i cheated the wisconsin system by skipping out on winter for New Zealand summer but the bad news is that I am going to miss the Superbowl!! :( It will be happening when it will be my Monday afternoon so I will just have to keep my laptop open at school to check the score in between classes!