28/30 The number of people who say hello as I walk by on my way to the store
14/15 The number of people under the age of 18 who yell “Miss” or “Jefrau” (pronounced yefro) as I walk by, only occasionally accompanied by other words
5/15 The number of adults who do the same
3/42 The number of learners in my 5th grade class it takes to get the whole class out of control
7/42 The number of kids I can count on 100% to cause problems in my grade 5 class every single period
2 to 23 The number of kids in the library on any given afternoon
2 to 15 The number of kids actually reading in the library on any given afternoon
5/5 The number of times I have enjoyed the rain here during the rainy season
0/5 The number of times I have enjoyed the humidity after the rain
99/100 The number of times the answer to the question “how are you?” posed to a Namibian is “Fine”.
8 to 30 The number of times a day I am greeted with “so” or “so, Miss” as a complete sentence, not followed by any other thought and not used as a conversation opener.
1 The number of new students in my grade 7 class as of last Thursday.
1 The number of new students it takes to send the entire grade 7 class into an uproar.
1 to 9 The number of notes I get to intercept every day in my classes.
98 The percentage of those notes that are love notes
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Queen
Another one, just because I feel like I’ve been giving too many profiles of the boys.
Queen is one of my grade 6 learners (well, this queen, there is one in grade 5 too… I will save her for another day). She is one of those girls that I definitely wanted to be when I was younger; she is smart, pretty, fun, caring, and popular. She gets teased like everyone else (middle school is brutal) but is usually very happy. I met her mother who is a teacher in another town and seems very supportive. Queen currently lives with a grandmother or aunt, like many of my kids.
She had a really rough week about a month ago where something was very clearly wrong. She didn’t bring her books to class, never did her work, and would just stare at her desk or the wall all during class. It was terrifying to see, given how good of a student she usually is. I tried to talk to her about it, which just made her burst into tears that I could tell something was wrong, and so I backed up to just being supportive. Eventually she got better and things went back to normal, much to my relief, but it was scary for a while.
Usually she and mclean are the ones I can count on to shout out answers during class, and she can also be counted on to laugh when her fellow classmates are acting out in some amusing fashion. She has a fantastic smile that always feels incredibly sincere. She is one of the learners who balances out kids like Delvin, and makes teaching fun and feel worthwhile.
Queen is one of my grade 6 learners (well, this queen, there is one in grade 5 too… I will save her for another day). She is one of those girls that I definitely wanted to be when I was younger; she is smart, pretty, fun, caring, and popular. She gets teased like everyone else (middle school is brutal) but is usually very happy. I met her mother who is a teacher in another town and seems very supportive. Queen currently lives with a grandmother or aunt, like many of my kids.
She had a really rough week about a month ago where something was very clearly wrong. She didn’t bring her books to class, never did her work, and would just stare at her desk or the wall all during class. It was terrifying to see, given how good of a student she usually is. I tried to talk to her about it, which just made her burst into tears that I could tell something was wrong, and so I backed up to just being supportive. Eventually she got better and things went back to normal, much to my relief, but it was scary for a while.
Usually she and mclean are the ones I can count on to shout out answers during class, and she can also be counted on to laugh when her fellow classmates are acting out in some amusing fashion. She has a fantastic smile that always feels incredibly sincere. She is one of the learners who balances out kids like Delvin, and makes teaching fun and feel worthwhile.
Delvin
Time for another profile! Delvin is one of my 5th grade boys, and is very much one of the ones who makes teaching them absolutely awful sometimes. He is what we call “difficult” or “bad” or “obnoxious as all get out”. But he is also one of those boys who acts out to get attention. I can count on him to be talking, singing, drawing, fighting, throwing things, or any number of other disruptive behaviors any time I look over. He’s one of those problem kids because if I give in and yell at him, he gets the attention he wants, and if I ignore it he just misbehaves more. Sending him out of the class or to the principal does very little. Fun.
I know he just wants attention because of days like today, when he came to the library. He behaved perfectly and in fact spent the entire hour I was there talking to me. He would bring over books and point at pictures or ask questions about me and my life in the U.S. His English isn’t great and he has a tough time differentiating between the English and Afrikaans that he has learned, so a lot of sentences come out with incomprehensible grammar mixed with words I can’t understand, but somehow we manage. He walked me home and wants to come “donderstag” (Thursday, I think) to show me a rap his brother did. I’m thinking that if he and I become friends it might help his behavior in the classroom, since so far the only thing that has made any impact is me pulling him aside for a chat about his behavior (don’t get your hopes up, he got better for maybe one class). At least I have him to keep me on my toes and make sure teaching doesn’t get too easy or routine…
I know he just wants attention because of days like today, when he came to the library. He behaved perfectly and in fact spent the entire hour I was there talking to me. He would bring over books and point at pictures or ask questions about me and my life in the U.S. His English isn’t great and he has a tough time differentiating between the English and Afrikaans that he has learned, so a lot of sentences come out with incomprehensible grammar mixed with words I can’t understand, but somehow we manage. He walked me home and wants to come “donderstag” (Thursday, I think) to show me a rap his brother did. I’m thinking that if he and I become friends it might help his behavior in the classroom, since so far the only thing that has made any impact is me pulling him aside for a chat about his behavior (don’t get your hopes up, he got better for maybe one class). At least I have him to keep me on my toes and make sure teaching doesn’t get too easy or routine…
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Class Updates
I was asked for some updates on my classes so here you go!
Grade 7 arts continues to be student teaching although yesterday I talked to them about mythological creatures like centaurs and griffins and then I had them invent their own creature by mixing two animals and drawing it. They actually had a lot of fun with it, and some of the pictures were pretty incredible. There were a few less creative ones like a “half donkey-half horse” but some really fun ones like a “giraffe lady” who could tie her neck in a knot and a snake woman who had snakes for arms. I’m looking forward to marking those this weekend!
In grade 6 and 7 BIS we are still learning about encyclopedias and I have them doing a scavenger hunt where they have to find the answers to questions by figuring out which volume the answer is in. It took longer than expected because the copy machine broke so they had to copy all the questions from the board, but we got to start answering them this week and now that they get the idea, I think next week will go smoothly.
Grade 5 Religion has been a lot of fun the past couple of weeks. We’re still learning about judiasm and we have been doing the story of Moses. I tell the story and have volunteers come up and act it out while I talk, and they think it’s hilarious when I use learners like puppets. Last week we ended with the 7 plagues and they had to pick one to draw, which was pretty amusing. Next week we will be getting to the 10 commandments and I think I might have them make “false idols”. I use a lot of drawing and art with them because the English comprehension is so low, but they have been doing a good job following the stories.
Grade 6 natural science we are learning about electricity and static electricity. Everyone had fun rubbing rulers on their heads and using the charged rulers to pick up pieces of paper, and we learned about lightning with “happy charged clouds” and “sad clouds with no electrons” who fight to even things out. Grade 6 math is going alright, we’re working on strategies for addition right now, which they are pretty good at. We continue to do the multiplication flash cards, and it is helping some learners, but it’s still kind of lost on others.
Grade 7 Religion this week was pretty intense. We were talking about Jesus, Mary and Joseph as refugees and then comparing it to modern day refugees and talking about those situations around the world. It was kind of scary how little they knew, and the discussion turned into their first exposure ever to WWII and the holocaust. It was scary to me that they hadn’t heard about it, but they could tell from my demeanor how important this was to me, and actually paid a lot of attention and asked good questions. We might talk more about it next term when we learn about Judiasm.
So that’s where we’re at! This coming week is another short week, we have good Friday off and I have friends coming Thursday night who will then go with me down to Swakopmund for the long weekend. I’m already excited, but enjoying having a much slower weekend to relax!
Grade 7 arts continues to be student teaching although yesterday I talked to them about mythological creatures like centaurs and griffins and then I had them invent their own creature by mixing two animals and drawing it. They actually had a lot of fun with it, and some of the pictures were pretty incredible. There were a few less creative ones like a “half donkey-half horse” but some really fun ones like a “giraffe lady” who could tie her neck in a knot and a snake woman who had snakes for arms. I’m looking forward to marking those this weekend!
In grade 6 and 7 BIS we are still learning about encyclopedias and I have them doing a scavenger hunt where they have to find the answers to questions by figuring out which volume the answer is in. It took longer than expected because the copy machine broke so they had to copy all the questions from the board, but we got to start answering them this week and now that they get the idea, I think next week will go smoothly.
Grade 5 Religion has been a lot of fun the past couple of weeks. We’re still learning about judiasm and we have been doing the story of Moses. I tell the story and have volunteers come up and act it out while I talk, and they think it’s hilarious when I use learners like puppets. Last week we ended with the 7 plagues and they had to pick one to draw, which was pretty amusing. Next week we will be getting to the 10 commandments and I think I might have them make “false idols”. I use a lot of drawing and art with them because the English comprehension is so low, but they have been doing a good job following the stories.
Grade 6 natural science we are learning about electricity and static electricity. Everyone had fun rubbing rulers on their heads and using the charged rulers to pick up pieces of paper, and we learned about lightning with “happy charged clouds” and “sad clouds with no electrons” who fight to even things out. Grade 6 math is going alright, we’re working on strategies for addition right now, which they are pretty good at. We continue to do the multiplication flash cards, and it is helping some learners, but it’s still kind of lost on others.
Grade 7 Religion this week was pretty intense. We were talking about Jesus, Mary and Joseph as refugees and then comparing it to modern day refugees and talking about those situations around the world. It was kind of scary how little they knew, and the discussion turned into their first exposure ever to WWII and the holocaust. It was scary to me that they hadn’t heard about it, but they could tell from my demeanor how important this was to me, and actually paid a lot of attention and asked good questions. We might talk more about it next term when we learn about Judiasm.
So that’s where we’re at! This coming week is another short week, we have good Friday off and I have friends coming Thursday night who will then go with me down to Swakopmund for the long weekend. I’m already excited, but enjoying having a much slower weekend to relax!
Site Visit
This week was my site visit from Jocie, my field director. She has to go watch every volunteer teach and speak with their principal, just to see how things are going and to help come up with ideas for improvement. I was the last volunteer for her to come visit, and was only nervous because she told me all about how amazing the other volunteers are in the classroom.
Jocie arrived Thursday afternoon and we had a good time chatting. She taught me how to make home made macaroni and cheese, which was incredible. She’s always a lot of fun to have around, and we had a good time cooking and eating.
Friday morning she came and saw part of my math class and part of my natural science class (she planned to see the whole thing but got an emergency call from another volunteer part way through and had to handle that situation). My grade 6 learners were really well behaved, so that helped a lot! We then came back to my house for break time and talked about my teaching and what my principal had to say about me. Apparently the principal is pleased with my work and happy I’m at the school (my parents would say I shouldn’t be surprised but she does seem to get annoyed with all my questions a lot). She actually made a comment about how my I am good at keeping my classes disciplined and keeping the other teachers in line. No idea what that refers to, but Jocie and I thought it was amusing.
We mostly agreed that from here on out I need to work on establishing more routines in the classroom, especially with grade 5, because I think that will help with discipline. I also want to continue to work on classroom management, although my grade 5 classes have gotten a lot better over the past few weeks. A lot of this I might focus on more for the second term, however, because apparently exams start soon! No idea when, which is typical, but apparently they are a lot sooner than I expected.
Jocie arrived Thursday afternoon and we had a good time chatting. She taught me how to make home made macaroni and cheese, which was incredible. She’s always a lot of fun to have around, and we had a good time cooking and eating.
Friday morning she came and saw part of my math class and part of my natural science class (she planned to see the whole thing but got an emergency call from another volunteer part way through and had to handle that situation). My grade 6 learners were really well behaved, so that helped a lot! We then came back to my house for break time and talked about my teaching and what my principal had to say about me. Apparently the principal is pleased with my work and happy I’m at the school (my parents would say I shouldn’t be surprised but she does seem to get annoyed with all my questions a lot). She actually made a comment about how my I am good at keeping my classes disciplined and keeping the other teachers in line. No idea what that refers to, but Jocie and I thought it was amusing.
We mostly agreed that from here on out I need to work on establishing more routines in the classroom, especially with grade 5, because I think that will help with discipline. I also want to continue to work on classroom management, although my grade 5 classes have gotten a lot better over the past few weeks. A lot of this I might focus on more for the second term, however, because apparently exams start soon! No idea when, which is typical, but apparently they are a lot sooner than I expected.
Friday, March 26, 2010
quotes
The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it.
- Flannery O'Connor
On the turning away
From the pale and downtrodden
And the words they say
Which we won't understand
Don't accept that what's happening
Is just a case of others' suffering
Or you'll find that you're joining in
The turning away
-Pink Floyd
When twilight drops her curtain down and pins it with a star,
remember that you have a friend though she may wander far.
- Flannery O'Connor
On the turning away
From the pale and downtrodden
And the words they say
Which we won't understand
Don't accept that what's happening
Is just a case of others' suffering
Or you'll find that you're joining in
The turning away
-Pink Floyd
When twilight drops her curtain down and pins it with a star,
remember that you have a friend though she may wander far.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Goodbye to the my little family…
Today I finally talked to my principal about the “lost boys” (as my parents have taken to calling them) and the result was exactly what I expected—I didn’t get in trouble and neither did they, but now that she knows (and I know that she knows) they have to go. The boys are currently seeing if they can beg their way back into the hostel, and seeing their bags packed in their room makes me sad every time I walk by. I guess it will be nice to have privacy (and food!) again, but it is going to be awfully quiet without them around. So, a little too late, here is the promised profile of my boys:
Chester is 16 and LOVES to talk. He hardly ever stops, unless another adult shows up for some reason (at which point he gets super shy and says nothing until they leave). He is a jokester and hangs out around the house the most. He is always dressed immaculately and is definitely a leader. He is an orphan since his mother died two years ago, but he has an older sister who helps pay school fees and such. He loves to talk and McLean loves to ask questions, so the two of them get along really well and have become like brother and sister. He teases her and she pesters him while they sit on my back porch, I love eavesdropping and the sound of them laughing always makes me smile.
Martin is a year younger than the other two. He is the most childlike, not because he is the smallest, but because he attached himself to me very early on in the kind of way you might expect from a younger boy. He is quiet, but not timid. He has no problem waltzing into my room to ask to borrow something or just say hi. He gives off a vibe of just being very considerate, and the girls love him.
Pietrus (I call him peter because it takes a lot less effort) is the most quiet of the group. He is a little more serious, and spends more time doing work than the others. His big distinguishing feature in my eyes is how attached he is to his family. He brought his sister to meet me the second day he came here and they spend a lot of time together. He tells me all about his mother (and apparently has told her all about me!). He is currently OBSESSED with the song “Just be your tear” by Tim McGraw, which he discovered on my computer. Seriously, I have heard the song probably 60 times in the past week. It’s a bizarre contrast to the hip-hop and rap that they usually choose…
I feel like this explanation is completely inadequate. How can I describe the way Martin hangs around near me just in case I want to chat? Or the sneaky smile that Chester has when he’s trying to get me riled up about something? Does it make sense to say he’s winking with his whole face? Sorry if I’m getting over-sentimental, but I’m going to miss the sound of them whispering at night when they’ve gone to bed and the way they always make me an extra plate of food when they cook. It will be so weird to watch a movie uninterrupted (or alone) and to not have their friends dropping by. I hope they come to visit a lot…
Chester is 16 and LOVES to talk. He hardly ever stops, unless another adult shows up for some reason (at which point he gets super shy and says nothing until they leave). He is a jokester and hangs out around the house the most. He is always dressed immaculately and is definitely a leader. He is an orphan since his mother died two years ago, but he has an older sister who helps pay school fees and such. He loves to talk and McLean loves to ask questions, so the two of them get along really well and have become like brother and sister. He teases her and she pesters him while they sit on my back porch, I love eavesdropping and the sound of them laughing always makes me smile.
Martin is a year younger than the other two. He is the most childlike, not because he is the smallest, but because he attached himself to me very early on in the kind of way you might expect from a younger boy. He is quiet, but not timid. He has no problem waltzing into my room to ask to borrow something or just say hi. He gives off a vibe of just being very considerate, and the girls love him.
Pietrus (I call him peter because it takes a lot less effort) is the most quiet of the group. He is a little more serious, and spends more time doing work than the others. His big distinguishing feature in my eyes is how attached he is to his family. He brought his sister to meet me the second day he came here and they spend a lot of time together. He tells me all about his mother (and apparently has told her all about me!). He is currently OBSESSED with the song “Just be your tear” by Tim McGraw, which he discovered on my computer. Seriously, I have heard the song probably 60 times in the past week. It’s a bizarre contrast to the hip-hop and rap that they usually choose…
I feel like this explanation is completely inadequate. How can I describe the way Martin hangs around near me just in case I want to chat? Or the sneaky smile that Chester has when he’s trying to get me riled up about something? Does it make sense to say he’s winking with his whole face? Sorry if I’m getting over-sentimental, but I’m going to miss the sound of them whispering at night when they’ve gone to bed and the way they always make me an extra plate of food when they cook. It will be so weird to watch a movie uninterrupted (or alone) and to not have their friends dropping by. I hope they come to visit a lot…
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