An American in an Italian High School: A Day in the Life of an English Teacher

Liceo Isaaco Newton Edition

Alessandra Zanassi

An American in an Italian High School: A Day in the Life of an English Teacher

I wait for the 75 bus at 8 in the morning, rain or shine. Sometimes, the bus does not arrive for 45 minutes!

Once I pass this building, the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, I request a stop on the bus, as the liceo is just around the corner.

This is my stop, on the street , “Cavour.” The street is so long that there are several fermati. I have to pay attention, or I risk staying on the bus until the next stop, at Termini Station!

Santa Maria Maggiore in all its glory! How lucky I am to be able to walk past this every time I have my internship.

The entrance to Liceo Isaaco Newton. The first day at my internship, I had trouble finding the correct building, as the entryway is quite discreet and unlike those of high schools I am used to in America.

This is the reception desk. Now the secretary knows me, and greets me warmly. The first day, however, she was confused as to who I was and would not let me enter the high school until I proved my identity.

This is the main entryway of the school. The children walk under this archway each and every morning and afternoon.

This is the main hallway of the school. At first it was difficult to find the appropriate classroom, as though there are 4 floors, the rooms are labeled, for example, 5C. This refers to the third group of 5th year students, not the fifth floor….which I personally discovered.

When I first arrived, the courtyard of the school was empty, and seemed to be a quiet, peaceful little area for the children to chat or eat their snacks.

Within moments, the courtyard begins to fill with students, yelling, playing soccer, eating pizza, and especially...smoking!! It was strange for me to see these 14 and 15 year olds with cigarettes in a public area, as back home, smoking was not allowed within a particular distance of my high school campus.

Here is a group of 5th years. We are discussing an exam they received on analyzing poetry. I told them to make a funny face for my camera, most of them laughed, but Alessia played along!

I LOVE MY INTERNSHIP!!

This has been a day in the life of an American English Teacher in an

Italian High School! Each and every day brings new insights and challenges, but in the end…