Great Day

Man today was great. Even though I'm exhausted from teaching 7 out of 8
classes, plus oh about 100 notebooks to mark, I'm just beaming. I did my
first "practical investigation" today in grade 9 math. I put the kids in 6
groups and passed out 6 boxes of various sizes (mostly from empty food
boxes). The assignment was to determine the surface area of your box (given
the formula). Some kids weren't sure how to use a ruler (doh!) so I had to
go around and demonstrate. But pretty much instantly they were all working
together, sometimes squabbling over the correct measurement or order of
operations, really! They were quiet and orderly, and man, did they care!!
I'm glad no one was paying much attention to me because at one point I got a
little choked up. I had one of the mean teachers walk in during one of
those classes, I think to dole out some sort of punishment to some of the
kids, but he walked in and I gave him the "shhh" sign. I went over to see
what he wanted and he said, "mmmm, they look very busy." I said, "yes, they
are doing an investigation, and they are doing a VERY GOOD job!" He said,
"ok, I will get them later." Whew! Tonight during evening study, a few
learners came by to make sure they got the correct measurements, take
measurements for the first time because they missed class, or just to check
their work. PROUD MAMA BEAR!



In my science classes, I think the kids finally get the whole molecular
diagram thing, at least on a very primitive level.



And in my grade 10 math, there was a girl who wasn't doing anything at all.
"Madam, I don't understand." So I sat down with her and we worked through 2
problems together. She got them and got a big ole grin on her face. And
the rest of them are just thrilled to have me review their work. We laugh
together. They teach me some Thimbukushu; I teach them some Spanish.



These kids really are amazing, especially compared to some of the classes
I've seen in the states. But the way they are dealt with here is soooo
disheartening. I don't want this to come across as me slamming the Namibian
teachers. I'm not. I realize that the way they think and act is a product
of how they were raised and taught, and it'll take a long time before the
cycle is broken. But knowing this doesn't make it any easier to see what I
see. It's all about punishment. "They must be punished." Today I walked
into a class to drop off some notebooks and all of the chairs were piled in
the corner. The kids were KNEALING on the concrete floor! I was appalled.
The teacher says to me, "Madam, they must stay this way today because they
were making too much noise with their chairs." (OK, yes, the chairs
scraping on concrete is annoying, but I simply hold up my hand when they do
it and they stop.) Then this afternoon I saw some kids standing outside of
a classroom in the middle of class. I asked what they were doing and they
said they were late to class (and hence prohibited from coming in.) Ok,
hello, if the kid is late then they have missed the material that was
presented and they have to catch up. Why make them miss the entire class?
At least they came right? So I'm totally playing good cop, and it's working
for me so far. I suspect it will continue. When the kids get a little too
talkative in class (when they should be listening or taking notes), I simply
stop talking or writing. It's not 20 seconds before the talkers are shushed
by the rest. I think in any one class I've only had to do that twice in a
row.



Anyway, I'm really loving my darlings. (That's what I call them.) I
suppose it shows.

:-)



I'm giving all my classes tests on Monday though. James warned me that on
test day I'd, how'd he put it? Feel like my legs were cut off at the knees?
We'll see. The tests are pretty straightforward.



Nighty night.