At the end of September, I finally got into the classroom! I’m volunteering at a high school, which is for ages 12-18 in Scotland. Initially, I thought Scotland followed the same schooling system as England, but here grades 7-12 are equivalent to years 1-6 for senior high. Kindergarten to grade 6 is also called years 1-7, so it can get a bit confusing. Usually, people will say “primary” or “secondary” before the year to clarify.
When I was travelling before my placement and told people I would be volunteering in a Scottish high school, I would always get a face that indicated something along the lines of, “oh no, good luck with that.” That is to say, that people here think of teenagers as hooligans or generally up to no good. So, I was a bit nervous going into my first day, but all the staff has been so friendly and the students (or “pupils”) have been very nice for the most part. It seems schools here are a bit stricter on behaviour than back home.
The students have lots of questions about Canada. Many of the students at my placement school have never travelled outside of Scotland or have never been on a plane. I have been asked about bear safety, Crumbl cookie, Canadian slang, and more. Mostly, students want to know what day-to-day life is like in Canada and whether it’s much different than their own. There is definitely a fascination with American culture here as much of the media the students consume comes from the US or Canada.
I am volunteering in school Monday and Tuesday, which leaves me five days free (minus class). I’ve used that time to see castles, visit Loch Ness and the Highlands, and spend time at local art galleries. There’s always something to do or go see in Glasgow and Scotland as a whole.
Until next time,
Bella
