My School

Main entrance

I am loving my new school for all sorts of reasons so this week there will be lots of photos of the school.

The British International School of Shanghai (quite a mouthful but it is no longer known as BISS) is only a 10 minute walk from my apartment.  Each morning as I walk to school, I encounter people riding their bicycles on their way to work.  Nearly all wear a light green uniform and often coolie hats and they are most likely street cleaners.

Security guard checking my temperature

Workers on their way to work

Looking towards the senior school

Looking towards the infant block, where I work

Main reception area

As you come in the building from any entrance, there are security guards.  You can see we have to wear identity badges at all times, as do visitors.  Some mornings the guards check your temperature (yes, that is what he is doing, not shooting me).  If your temp is too high, you are sent home - as simple as that!  I think this has been as a response to bird flu and swine flu.  Also, knives are locked away in stores and you have to sign to buy them.  My understanding is that there have been several incidents of teacher stabbings in this country, so this is a protection measure, too.

One of the play areas

My classroom

It consists of various blocks with the Theatre being closest to the main entrance.  A Sports Hall is just beyond that with a swimming pool.  Main reception is  part of B Block where most of the primary (Years 2 - 6) have classrooms.  Block A is next as you go anti-clockwise and this is where the infants are - including my classroom.  There is an astro playground and an all-wether base playground for the children.  Moving on anti-clockwise is Block C, the senior block.  I think total enrollment is about 1150.  

My classroom is large and looks out at a residential area.  I have a HUGE storage room off the main classroom which has yet to be cleaned and organized.  So I will leave you with lots of photos this week.

From a Yr 1 art class I taught

Learning body parts

xxx,

Shanghaisuz