Everyday is a new day and this statement proves itself true time and time again as I go and teach the first and second graders of the Yantai Primary School. Every time I walk through the halls of the school I am greeted by children of all grades saying “Hello” to me as I pass through the halls. It generates a very warm and welcoming feeling. They are all genuinely happy and excited to have a ‘westerner’ at their school. I go to the office with the other first grade teachers in the morning before (and in between) my classes; the teachers are all extremely nice. Every time I walk into my classrooms, it feels like the first day again. The children can hardly hold in their enthusiasm and their faces beam with excitement. Sometimes they meet me at the door and hold my hand and wave, other times they bounce around in their seats anticipating the start of class. I have been given the opportunity to teach first and second graders and have loved every minute of it. The children all have English language books, obviously varied between the first and second graders, and that’s what I use when teaching. Sometimes we play games using the books and their activities to engage them more in learning. I use the chalkboard a lot as well, especially when having the second graders practice writing the alphabet or when helping the children to pronounce words. The children are very eager to answer questions. The classes at this school are 35 minutes, which is the perfect amount of time to hold their attention span. When class is over, the children normally come to the front of the class to say goodbye, sometimes they hand me little pieces of paper in which they wrote something for me. Sometimes they come up to just say a little phrase in English that they had been practicing. They often come and give me hugs and hold my hand as well, certain children will also give me hugs in the hallways when I see them at another time of the day. All but one of my classes are in the morning, so when I am finished, I eat lunch with the other teachers then occasionally walk to the park or do some reading outside the school. I also have dinner at the school, but I eat with the students at a separate table for teachers. The children like to walk near where I am seated to say “Hello teacher”. Everywhere I go at the school, I get an overwhelming feeling of appreciation. The children are very excited to have me there and that makes this whole experience worth it.

Yasmeen Ashley Moshiri