Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Once upon a time, in a village far far away, there lived a girl by the name of Mzungo. Just kidding, I am not called that anymoreJ School is in full swing now hat baseline is over(baseline is the 6 week crash course in English that the form one students have to take). Let me tell you my enormous frustrations with baseline. First of all, at my school, all the form one students were together in one room. That means that about 180 students are sitting at tables (meant for maybe 6, but at each table there are about 15) in the dining hall, its bloody hot in there and chaos reins. I had the privilege of teaching a few lessons to this class. Now, the first time I went in there(in the first week), it was quiet-mainly because I think all the students were a little overwhelmed by their new school, as well as the fact that I was their first white teacher ever. I again was lucky to teach in the last week of baseline. I absolutely could not teach. I couldnt even get my students to be quiet. Who wants to listen to someone teach about body parts? I tried to make the class as fun as possible by trying to play Simon says.FAILURE! Then to sing head shoulders knees and toes. So, while I am trying to explain to my students how the song goes-literally, I am singing in front of 180 students a childrens song- a group of a 2-3 boys start all out wrestling. Fists swinging, headlocksthe works. I have to go to the back, I bring them to the front and I have them sing Head shoulders Knees and Toes, standing on the table in front of the class. They cant-why?! Because they dont know any English. Ok, one situation diffused. Yet, as soon as those boys go back to their area in the back, they start to wrestle again. Gaah! Then I decided that maybe I should divide the classroom into small groups of 15 or so students. I go around to each group, explain what we are going to dothen go on to the next group only to discover that as soon as I leave one group, they are farting around.playing outside, picking their noses(true! Its a very common thing to witness here!) standing there like I didnt say anything. I tell them to go back to their seats. By this time, I have no ones attention. I am standing on the bench trying to get the class quiet. Maybe half are silent. I stand on the table. Still, no quiet. Then, the shortest teacher in school comes in and the class is silent. I have no idea what the difference is between him and me, but it was very frustrating. There is a school rule, set by the government that there should only be 40 students to one teacher in every classroom, but how is this ever possible in a country that lacks teachers as well as supplies to build classrooms? The school chooses to ignore THIS rule, but not the one regarding corporal punishment. The reason the students are silent is because 1) he is speaking Kiswahili(a privilege I do not have) and 2) he beats them for being bad (a privlegde I CHOOSE not to excercise). Needless to say, He told the class that I was angry, then looked me in the eye and asked me to forgive them. Hah. Not that easy buddy......Went home crying that day. and the next.....it just KILLS me how this school is run somedays! There has been other issues lately with my headmaster and an English class in my home-I sent home and email about it. The trilas and tribulations of working as a teacher......


Love you all, and must run. More later.


6 Comments:

Blogger Tanzaman said...

Hang in there baby, at least you have a break coming up soon :)

1:52 PM  
Blogger Tanzaman said...

Hang in there baby, hard to keep you down for long.

1:53 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Jenny Peck! I didn't see an email link anywhere, so I just decided to post a comment. I'm just now reading up on your African Adventure (although the majority of it will have to wait until after work). Aside from the frustrations with this recent blog, I hope all is well. Well, I just wanted to say hi. I'll read and write more when I have a chance. Take care.

Pookie

10:34 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

P.S. Do you have an address, phone number, email, etc. to contact you?

Pook

12:55 PM  
Blogger GravityThread said...

Pole sana with the form 1s.

Breath in through the nose, out through the mouth. Sometimes its all i can do to not explode myself.

11:02 PM  
Blogger Mom Knight said...

Amazing story. You will be an excellent creative teacher for these experiences! Keep it up!

8:52 PM  

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