So, the promised PE story: Put On Your Pants!

The kids change out of their uniforms into PE kit in the classroom. The first time they all walked back into the room and started stripping down to change startled me greatly, but everyone finds it normal, so I'm trying. Part of this trying include helping the kids who get stuck with their shirts caught on their heads or getting their pants turned right ways round to put back on, because, well, they're 5 and not everyone's mastered those skills.

Last week, a little guy who doesn't talk much (he's in the Speech and Language Program) brought me his polo shirt to unbutton so he could put it on after PE. After we got it on him (his head size to collar size ratio was not in his favor), I told him that he needed to go put on his pants. He looked down and pointed at his underwear. I thought that he was showing me that he wasn't wearing pants, so I told him again that, yes, he needed to go put on pants. He walked over to his seat, looked around, and returned with his jumper (sweatshirt). Not what I was expecting, but whatever. After we got the jumper on (it was tough- the kid must have a big head), I repeated my request that he put his pants on. At this point a TA looked over to help, rather alarmed. "Trousers!" she said. "He needs to put on his trousers." Finally, I remembered that I had read that in British English, pants are underwear and trousers are pants. No wonder he was confused, and the teacher concerned, when I asked him to put on his pants...

We had our first meetings with the "tutor," the faculty member who is running our program over here. It went really well- our teachers apparently spoke highly of us and the tutor was pleased with the progress we've made on assembling our professional portfolios and completing performance tasks. Seems like we are off to a good start academically.