Micah Sittig
CRIS Elementary School, 2001-2002
In one way I'm writing this to give you a preview of the first grade (and now second grade) classes. I'm not sure if something like this would have helped me when I started: you'll get to know the kids in your own personal way and have different likes/dislikes than me. But in another way, I'm writing it as a summary of the year for myself, so that I'll be able to remember these kids many years down the road. So in any case, here it is.
The teaching staff will be quick to point out that this is the smarter class of the two because most of the kids are "from the city." Overall, you will see this pattern, Class 1 tends to be more sophisticated and learn new concepts quicker, but also be pickier about games and rules. We would often finish the lesson earlier than I expected and play a game to finish the class.
The "smart" group is very large in this class. You can generally group them into two groups: well behaved and rambunctious. Esther, Boris, Brad, Maggie and Peter fall into the first category. They are kids who would not take the marshmallow [1]. You can count on them to hand out papers, supervise/referee games and do other things that require responsibility and brains. The second category would include Oliver, Wendy, Cindy, Nate and possibly Patti. They're quick to learn, but they're a little on the wild side. Wendy has got a great personality; she is very likable. I believe she is getting tutored outside of class, and loves to practice her extra English with me ("Teacher Micah is tall and handsome/short and ugly!").
You've got to watch out for the quiet kids. Make sure you remind yourself every week that they need to be called on. This group includes both smart and average kids. Their common trait is that they often get overlooked due to their quietness. Kids who come to mind are Bridget, Jarrod, Jason, Martin, and maybe Judy and Travis. Travis was one of my special favorites: he liked to carry my box back to the office after class and we would chat for a while. He's one of the slower kids in the class, but he tries so hard and manages to keep up, even looking smart at times. When he answers a question, you can see his whole body put into the answer. He's very cute in a nerdy sort of way.
This class has a couple of great smiles, happy kids who are fun to talk to and will help you out if you need anything. In particular, I would point out Wendy, Kate, Hugo and Jesse. One or more of Hugo's parents are Japanese; if you know any Japanese you could try it out on him.
Who is left? Linus, Pauline and Stu are three little elves. Or perhaps imps is a better word, they always seem to be up to some mischief, usually in a good way. Linus and Pauline were deskmates, and had the habit of pinching me on the rear; I didn't really know what to make of that. Stu's dad was usually late on Fridays, so we often played games together while waiting. Stu was a little slow at first, but wisened up second semester while retaining his sense of playfulness. He's a fun guy.
Chad, Dennis, Jordan are probably the kids who will give you the most trouble. Chad is big and lovable (people tell me he should have been named Teddy), but sometimes frustratingly slow. Dennis is slow and often distracted. Jordan's focus often drifts off and he either just stares into space or plays around with his deskmate, even though he sat in the front of the class! The key to these students is to call on them a lot and try to get a little one-on-one time with them outside of class. The reason they don't pay attention is because they don't understand, so you need to drill them until they do.
This is the class "from the countryside," and so they are a little slower but more laid back and fun to hang out with. I estimate that about once a month we had to spend an evening class on academic activities to catch up with Class 1.
Groups in this class are similar to those in Class 1. The well-behaved smart kids are Daisy, Link, Van and Morgan. Daisy is especially friendly, and a favorite with this year's American teachers. When Teacher Catherine leaves the classroom, she often leaves Daisy in charge. Van is Mr. Studious, Link doesn't speak above a whisper, and Morgan is my favorite because she has the dark country-look and she pouts when I don't call on her, but in a cute way. The non-responsible smart kids in this class aren't as outspoken as Oliver or Wendy, except for Luke. But feel free to call on Anna, Emma, Jay, Robert or Tyler. Special mention goes out to Luke, who is Mr. Know-it-all and loves to be the center of attention. It can be considered cute in 1st grade, but I tried to curb it because it will be a bad habit as he grows older. Also, I would point out Robert as a student who struck me, not only with his above-average English, but as a particularly creative mind and a great artist.
The quiet group in this class encompasses Link, Janet, Noah, Megan, Max and Randy. Max is less and less so every day, but at the beginning of the year he was still very small compared to his classmates. Link is smart, so you don't need to worry about him, and Max can fend for himself now. Janet is like Jason in Class 1, and will only speak grudgingly. Mostly, remember to call on Megan and Randy.
Happy-fun kids include Anthony, Calvin, Lucy, Ruby and Teddy. Anthony is a character that you won't soon forget. He is so excited about learning English that he cannot stay in his seat! He jumps out any chance he can get. In fact, he is the highest jumper in the class; he loves to give me high-fives as high as I can go. Calvin has a great smile. My nickname for Lucy was "Gangsta Lucy" because she wears big clothes and acts tough like a rapper! Her parents really cracked down on her and she improved a lot this year. Ruby's parents own a restaurant that Shirley and I went to a couple of times [2]. Ruby will be there on the weekends and will gladly play the gracious hostess, which she truly is. Teddy has a problem with grabbing stuff, but he is very talkative even if it's just in Chinese.
Two very special kids in this class are Heidi and Dan. I call Heidi a little socialite, and believe she will be Most Likely to Become a Mover-and-Shaker in high society. She's got class, but sometimes she thinks she's above the class and has a little attitude. When she sat next to Robert they were the cutest couple, sometimes I caught them holding hands! Dan is a very unique fellow. Like Hugo, he is at least half Japanese. His brother Wayne is one year older than him, and Dan idolizes his brother [3]. Dan is just weird, I don't know how to explain it. He is also very helpful, and carried my box back to the office for me many times.
Gordon, Noah and Ivan will give you the most trouble in this class. All three of them are very slow to learn: Gordon and Noah are young, and Ivan's mind is not on his work. The most dangerous one is Noah, because he is not only slow but also quiet. I didn't catch on that I was overlooking him until the end of the year, and luckily I had enough time to start calling on him more. Gordon is excited about class and participates well, he just takes longer to nail things than the rest of the class. Ivan seems smart, but his smarts are not classroom-smarts, they are street smarts. He gets excited about games because he is fast and athletic. I've found this is the best way to get him involved.