Off to School

Wednesday morning Niecy and I were off to visit an elementary school in the Aerodrom Municipality called Braka Miladinovci.  This school is where Eliza (host teacher Ana's daughter) goes to school.  Tanja dropped me off in the schoolyard at 7:30 and I watched as the school children were driven up and dropped off by parents, or walked in either with or without parents and/or siblings.  The morning was cool and I enjoyed the calm beginning of my day.  At around 7:50 I was pretty sure that I had either missed Niecy, or she was waiting inside for me.  So I approached a security guard and told him my dilemma.  He called over another person and I repeated my story.  And then she called over another person and I repeated my story again.  This lady took me right to the principal, Biljana, who welcomed me warmly.  Niecy arrived a few minutes later, held up as she had to
check in at the police office...(when you enter and leave the city of Skopje, citizens are required to check in their "alien" guests).  The administration at this school had a well planned out day
for us, and it began with breakfast in the cafeteria.  We were treated to bread with sweet chocolate-like spread, and a warm mug of milk.  We then went to classrooms.  We started in Eliza's first grade classroom, then on to two second grade classrooms, one third grade class and one fourth grade class.  The teachers and students were so amazingly warm and hospitable.  The use of music and song was very prevalent in all classes, and the students were avid participants and confidant performers. The school has only one Smartboard and the classes have to schedule a time for its use.  Niecy and I watched a Smartboard lesson where the students were learning about animals and what they do, and what they are used for.  The class LOVED using the Smartboard and the students were very enthusiastic about being chosen to be the one who went up and got to use the board.  It reminds me
exactly of when we first got our Smartboards.  After that  we were again guests for lunch with our third grade class, and had spaghetti and cheese. Yum!  After that we were back in classes and even accompanied them to their rhythmic class (half PE, half music).  Niecy and I watched the students for a while as they performed, but when they started a type of folk dance where the students would make a bridge with their arms, and the other students would (in partners) go underneath, Niecy grabbed me and we joined right in!  It was a fun time to be had by all.  Our day was very busy and we saw many students loving to learn, and teachers still dedicated to teaching.  We finished our day in the same first grade classroom that we began in, and at 3:00 our school day ended.  What a wonderful school - we were presented with gifts from the principal, and the students made us cards, flowers, notes, along with tons of hugs and smiles.