End of week 1

I can't believe that this time last week we were on the coach from Alicante Airport heading north to the various drop-off points!!!

It's been a mixed week. The CEFIRE project is going well. All the teachers participating in it do so with enthusiasm and a lot of ideas have been shared, which is great for me. The numbers dropped from session 1 to session 2 and then session 3 which is a bit disappointing because it is a fantastic opportunity for them and Oana has put in so much hard work.

I finally attended Las Escuelas San José on Thursday. Though it is an impressive size, my fears of having to cover vast distances to get from one lesson to another were allayed when I found that the building where vocational training takes place is manageable if walking at a decent pace. Dawdling is not an option! I was made to feel very welcome by my tutor Vincente, who has taken every opportunity to introduce me to the other staff members, and everyone is friendly. On Fridays during the pre-lunch recreo, a selection of food and drink (including beer) is put on in the teachers' room and everyone gets together for a chat.

Observing lessons has been an eye-opening (and at times, eye-watering) experience! Though the students are pleasant (I haven't witnessed any attitude being given to the teachers and there is a lot of jovial banter between them), the vast majority have absolutely no interest in learning English. They are doing courses in metalwork, robotics, electronics, energy efficiency, administration, and social integration. It comes across to me that the English classes they have to attend are a bit of an add-on with very little thought put into what they are going to be taught. The lessons have absolutely no structure to them, forget lead-in, receptive skills task, MFPA, controlled practice... Students talk incessantly throughout. Me going silent, raising an arm, light housing etc. in order to get them to quieten down just isn't going to cut it. So far I have witnessed the teacher throwing a stapler to the floor and kicking the side of the wooden platform at the front of the room for attention. I could go on about other issues but I won't.

To end on a positive note, I spent yesterday walking around Valencia with Laura. I like the city; it has a relaxed atmosphere. Perhaps it isn't the most beautiful in Spain, but it does have its highlights. I was impressed by the Mercado Central and the Jardines del Turia, while the architecture around the Ciudad de Las Artes y Las Ciencias is breath taking! I will definitely be going back at night when everything is illuminated.

It is still good to be here ☺