12th March 2018. Another day at school in Lofoten High School, Norway

12 March 2018.

1.- 1st class: Marianne. SS1A. Vocational English. Service and Transport, 1st year.

Comparing UK vs US
Just 8 students. All boys, some quite old: one is 30, another one is 28. Only two 16 year-old ones. 
She asks them what they prefer to do to introduce the topic: they choose a listening.
She asks them to think of American and British brands.
Then she plays the listening they have on their books: American and British cultures, families, backgrounds, ethnic groups, educational system, health and welfare,
The students are in complete silence following the listening on their books.
Then they have speaking session in pairs.

Marianne is having a day off work tomorrow because her daughter is sick. She has three children so she gets 15 days off a year.

A student is using his computer to look at trailers. He is in silence. He isn’t disrupting. The teacher doesn’t tell him anything. When they have to work in pairs, this boy is a bit louder than the others, but not much. The teacher doesn’t say anything when he’s a bit loud.

There are two teachers, Marianne and Ane Elise, in this group because there are different levels here. Ane Elise has arrived a bit later, talks to Marianne and then she talks to a boy and takes him with her out of the classroom: his level is high so he is not doing what the rest of his mates are, he is doing translation instead.


The students are not doing the speaking in pairs activity, so Marianne tells them politely to do so or to begin doing their homework instead. Some of them begin talking then, the “naughty” boy is browsing the net and pretending to be writing his essay.

Homework: writing.

2.- 2nd lesson. Mariannne. 1st Bac. The same level as Philip’s group. 20 students in class.
Marianne writes the plan for today on the blackboard.
-task 1, page 170
-discuss with partner
-make notes ? ( the question mark means it’s up to you)
-quizlet


More talkative. THERE IS more noise. More naughty boys. One girl is full of make up, fake eye lashes, not working much I think.
Some students are not working in pairs, Marianne is walking around in the classroom, checking subtly they are working,not pushing, offering her help, reminding them they will have a test next week and the contents are rather difficult (USA government, slavery, social rights, etc)

ONE BOY IS WHISTLING. MARIANNE PRETENDES SHE CAN’T HEAR HIM.
SOME OTHERS ARE DRINKING ENERGETIC DRINKS, WHICH ARE NOT ALLOWED, BUT MARIANNE DOESN’T SAY ANYTHING.
THE GIRL WITH MAKE UP LEAVES THE CLASSROOM EARLIER, SHE JUST STANDS UP, TAKES HER PHONE, WAVES GOODBYE TO MARIANNE IN SILENCE AND OUT THE DOOR.
ONE BOY IS PLAYING A COMPUTER GAME. THE TEACHER CANNOT SEE HIM.
OME BOY IS WATCHING A FOOTBALL VIDEO.
ONE BOY IS ALMOST FALLING ASLEEP.
A GIRL IS WATCHING THE NEWS AND CHECKING HER EMAIL.

The teacher can guess what the students are really doing but she just chooses not to interrupt the class, not to bother telling them off(reñir). She prefers letting them feel comfortable, so they are relaxed.
After ten minutes working together (or wasting their time) she asks them to be quiet and pay attention to her explanation of the division of the three powers, check and balance between them etc. THERE IS COMPLETE SILENCE,THOUGH IT’S TRUE NOT EVERYONE IS PAYING ATTENTION TO THE LESSON.
She asks them if there are questions.
No questions.
Then she asked questions. Students put up their hand and answer.
THE TEACHER JUST PAYS ATTENTION TO THE STUDENTS PAYING ATTENTION. SHE TALKS WITHOUT RAISING HER VOICE, JUST SAYING WHAT SHE HAS TO SAY, NOT WASTING HER TIME IN TELLING ANYONE OFF.

One boy has split his drink on the floor, not on purpose, he just stands up and goes out to the toilet to take some paper to clean it. The teacher doesn’t say a word.

They use their phones during breaks, no problem at all.

Another session with the same group.
First, quizlet.
They play four times so all of them know the answers by the end of it.

Now she tells the students to do some tasks, they are left alone in the class while she takes one student at a time for term individual tutoring to ask them how is everything going so far.

They are with their computers doing whatever they choose really.
Some of them put on their headphones and listen to music.
Complete silence, they just laugh from time to time.