Man, I cannot believe we've only been back in Magulilwa for a week and a half! It feels like a month already.
I'm having a lot of fun with my Form Is, and Emily and I both feel much better prepared for everything this time around. We are being much more imaginative with our lessons, and it's fun being unorthodox. I had another teacher come into my classroom twice last week because he thought there was no teacher and the kids were just being loud. We were playing a game in which they would have to run up to the board and translate something I said.
I also got to play frisbee three times last week with some students, mostly because the soccer ball was broken. But it was really great because then a bunch of girls told me they were interested in sports, they were just intimidated by the boys. So, hopefully we'll get that netball court soon just so they can have their own space to play. Having the frisbee around is also really great because it can't be used for soccer, so the boys can't co-opt it for soccer like they do with netballs. We'll be pestering the person in charge a lot this week to see what needs to be done to get started on that court.
This "rainy season" has so far been really mild. Everything is green, so we know it must've rained a decent amount in December, but it's been dry all week this week. The villagers are worried about their crops because the rains came late this year, and January wasn't very wet. I guess January and March are supposed to be the rainiest, so now it might be a while before it starts to rain regularly again. We hope it won't be too dry.
Anyway, that's the miscellaneous update I have for this week.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
Netball and New Freshmen
Well, Emily and I both started teaching this week, and there are so few students that I now only have one class of Form I and she's teaching one class of Form II. Things will probably change as more students trickle in, but I like teaching Form I by myself. They really don't speak English at all, so I've conducted class mostly in Swahili so far, which is fun for me. I will have to try to remember to use both languages.
Besides finding better ways to teach this semester, I'm also excited about the prospect of getting a netball ground for the girls. Netball is a really weird game that sort of resembles basketball, except there's no contact and no backboards. And you don't dribble, so you can't run with the ball.
Basically, a netball ground is really easy to make because you don't need cement. You just need two poles with hoops on top. I asked the director of the school while I was home about building one and whether there was money, and he said it wouldn't be a problem, and just to ask the TZ staff. As far as I can tell, the only reason the school doesn't have one is because no one's ever asked. Almost all of the staff is male, and it's usually girls and women who play netball, so no one's ever thought of it! I'm guessing. I'm not certain of course, but it seems that way.
So, we're excited to have something stick around here because of us.
Besides finding better ways to teach this semester, I'm also excited about the prospect of getting a netball ground for the girls. Netball is a really weird game that sort of resembles basketball, except there's no contact and no backboards. And you don't dribble, so you can't run with the ball.
Basically, a netball ground is really easy to make because you don't need cement. You just need two poles with hoops on top. I asked the director of the school while I was home about building one and whether there was money, and he said it wouldn't be a problem, and just to ask the TZ staff. As far as I can tell, the only reason the school doesn't have one is because no one's ever asked. Almost all of the staff is male, and it's usually girls and women who play netball, so no one's ever thought of it! I'm guessing. I'm not certain of course, but it seems that way.
So, we're excited to have something stick around here because of us.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
I'm here -- again!
Hello again!
I'm currently in a city called Morogoro visiting my friend Mario. He is studying at a university here, so unfortunately he won't be in Magulilwa anymore. Emily and I will leave for Iringa tomorrow probably, but it's TZ, so making too many plans is just silly.
Morogoro is quite hot and humid, but not as bad as Dar. The mosquitoes seem to like Emily and I better than the Tanzanians for some reason... annoying. But apparently they won't be nearly as bad in Magulilwa. Being here has been great, but I'm looking forward to having my own space and not being sweaty all the time. It's like Minnesota in July right now, with no air conditioning. Except in this lovely internet cafe :)
Emily and I are pretty much ready to get back to Magulilwa, even though unforetold challenges will undoubtedly be waiting. As of Friday, there were 12 form I students and 25 form IIs. So we felt justified in being late, as school technically started last Monday. Hehe. But the whole environment will be different, as it's the rainy season now. Apparently everything is going to be green and muddy. It will definitely be interesting.
We will be two of six teachers that we know of right now, unless the school has been more aggressive in hiring new people than I'm expecting. And the headmaster got fired, so pretty much everything is going to be up in the air. What an adventure, right?? Haha. I would not be handling it like this had I not had a nice long break at home, but Emily and I both feel refreshed enough to handle it right now at least. Anyway, I think that's enough for now. Hope you're still enjoying the snow!
I'm currently in a city called Morogoro visiting my friend Mario. He is studying at a university here, so unfortunately he won't be in Magulilwa anymore. Emily and I will leave for Iringa tomorrow probably, but it's TZ, so making too many plans is just silly.
Morogoro is quite hot and humid, but not as bad as Dar. The mosquitoes seem to like Emily and I better than the Tanzanians for some reason... annoying. But apparently they won't be nearly as bad in Magulilwa. Being here has been great, but I'm looking forward to having my own space and not being sweaty all the time. It's like Minnesota in July right now, with no air conditioning. Except in this lovely internet cafe :)
Emily and I are pretty much ready to get back to Magulilwa, even though unforetold challenges will undoubtedly be waiting. As of Friday, there were 12 form I students and 25 form IIs. So we felt justified in being late, as school technically started last Monday. Hehe. But the whole environment will be different, as it's the rainy season now. Apparently everything is going to be green and muddy. It will definitely be interesting.
We will be two of six teachers that we know of right now, unless the school has been more aggressive in hiring new people than I'm expecting. And the headmaster got fired, so pretty much everything is going to be up in the air. What an adventure, right?? Haha. I would not be handling it like this had I not had a nice long break at home, but Emily and I both feel refreshed enough to handle it right now at least. Anyway, I think that's enough for now. Hope you're still enjoying the snow!
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Brief update
Well, I'm leaving in a week and a half, so I thought I would just give a brief update. Next week our form Is have their exams, so I'm finished teaching except for the villagers. Emily and I both feel like we really know how the school functions (or doesn't) now, so we're really excited to come back next year and improve on things that we didn't do so well this year. Also not being noob teachers will be nice. Alright, I know it's brief even for a brief update, but I've gotta go.
Team of Dodgers
What I tried to post last time...
Sorry it’s been a while. I didn’t really feel like I had much to say
because teaching was going normally and I didn’t have any news. I
don’t really have any news now either, but I figured since I’m leaving
in 3 weeks, I could probably scrounge up some stories for you.
My form IIs have been kind of annoying. I went back and forth with
them all term, sometimes loving them, sometimes hating them. The
class as a whole has a discipline problem, as almost half of them skip
class regularly, so I get frustrated with them a lot. But, other
times I have fun just making fun of the rather big personalities I
have in my class that often skip.
The last two weeks, I was playing soccer with the boys quite regularly because they had a match coming up, so they had to get a lot of practice in. Some days, we had so many boys wanting to play that we had enough for 3 teams, so we would rotate one team out each time one team scored.
One of the days, we started out with just 22 people, so we played a match like normal. Then, a bunch of boys (11 to be exact) came super late, and when my team got scored on, they all ran onto the field shouting for my team to get off because now we had three teams. Well, I was already annoyed at them because at least 3 of them had not been in class that day, so I started shouting back at them (in Swahili of course) that they were too late.
One of them (nicknamed Crazy Charlie by Emily and I, and one of the “dodgers” in my class) engaged me personally, telling me to leave, laughing. I repeated again that he was late and that he should leave. We argued for a bit, and then I told him (loudly enough for everyone to hear) that when he comes to class, then he can play. All of his friends started laughing because he’s sort of notorious, and he told
me that class was another matter. I said “not to me,” and mustered my most teacher-like voice and said emphatically, “get out.” And they did. :) It was so funny, and I was really happy that my Swahili didn’t fail me. Usually when I get mad or fired up, my brain refuses to think in another language, but that interaction was pretty successful.
At the end of the game), I made a side comment to Mario about the “dodgers’ team,” and he started laughing and asking the students on our team whether they had heard me, and repeated what I said. Then they all started laughing and yelling to their friends on that team.
As we were leaving, the ones I accused of being dodgers were all coming up to me and saying “I’m not a dodger, he is!” “No, I’m not. You are!” It was really amusing. Mario ended the arguments by saying “OK, we have attendance. We will see tomorrow.” And Crazy Charlie came to class the next day :)
Sorry it’s been a while. I didn’t really feel like I had much to say
because teaching was going normally and I didn’t have any news. I
don’t really have any news now either, but I figured since I’m leaving
in 3 weeks, I could probably scrounge up some stories for you.
My form IIs have been kind of annoying. I went back and forth with
them all term, sometimes loving them, sometimes hating them. The
class as a whole has a discipline problem, as almost half of them skip
class regularly, so I get frustrated with them a lot. But, other
times I have fun just making fun of the rather big personalities I
have in my class that often skip.
The last two weeks, I was playing soccer with the boys quite regularly because they had a match coming up, so they had to get a lot of practice in. Some days, we had so many boys wanting to play that we had enough for 3 teams, so we would rotate one team out each time one team scored.
One of the days, we started out with just 22 people, so we played a match like normal. Then, a bunch of boys (11 to be exact) came super late, and when my team got scored on, they all ran onto the field shouting for my team to get off because now we had three teams. Well, I was already annoyed at them because at least 3 of them had not been in class that day, so I started shouting back at them (in Swahili of course) that they were too late.
One of them (nicknamed Crazy Charlie by Emily and I, and one of the “dodgers” in my class) engaged me personally, telling me to leave, laughing. I repeated again that he was late and that he should leave. We argued for a bit, and then I told him (loudly enough for everyone to hear) that when he comes to class, then he can play. All of his friends started laughing because he’s sort of notorious, and he told
me that class was another matter. I said “not to me,” and mustered my most teacher-like voice and said emphatically, “get out.” And they did. :) It was so funny, and I was really happy that my Swahili didn’t fail me. Usually when I get mad or fired up, my brain refuses to think in another language, but that interaction was pretty successful.
At the end of the game), I made a side comment to Mario about the “dodgers’ team,” and he started laughing and asking the students on our team whether they had heard me, and repeated what I said. Then they all started laughing and yelling to their friends on that team.
As we were leaving, the ones I accused of being dodgers were all coming up to me and saying “I’m not a dodger, he is!” “No, I’m not. You are!” It was really amusing. Mario ended the arguments by saying “OK, we have attendance. We will see tomorrow.” And Crazy Charlie came to class the next day :)
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Finally teaching again...mostly
Teaching finally did resume last week, although more students were sent home for school fees last week. Efficiency is... defined differently here, or something.
I also just realized that I've never written about our other classes. In August we also started teaching some villagers for an hour 3 times/week. That class is really fun because we can teach whatever we want, and we can go as slow as we want because they aren't preparing for any national exams, and there's no curriculum we have to follow. Plus, the students all come every day just because they WANT to, so they're much more engaged than our other students, generally. And really enthusiastic. I was worried because we have a lot of different ability levels, so we had to start with the beginners, but the more advanced students find their own ways to challenge each other, instead of just sitting there and being bored, like I would be, haha.
My other classes are going well, too. We are teaching the past tense to Form I (they have a test on Monday!) and I'm teaching a whole random smattering to Form II, the funniest of which I think is Question Tags. I bet you've never noticed that you speak in Question Tags, have you? They're a super strange speech pattern, aren't they? And pretty annoying to learn. Poor kids. But, we actually do use them a lot, so at least they might be useful. Plus, since we've gotten to know each other better, I joke around with them more, and I now like to use the names of the notorious "dodgers" (the ones who always skip class) in my examples, which always gets laughs. Hopefully they've learned enough to pass to Form III.
Other than that, nothing else terribly new. I'm coming home to spend the long holiday in Minnesota before heading back in January, so it feels like no time at all left!
I also just realized that I've never written about our other classes. In August we also started teaching some villagers for an hour 3 times/week. That class is really fun because we can teach whatever we want, and we can go as slow as we want because they aren't preparing for any national exams, and there's no curriculum we have to follow. Plus, the students all come every day just because they WANT to, so they're much more engaged than our other students, generally. And really enthusiastic. I was worried because we have a lot of different ability levels, so we had to start with the beginners, but the more advanced students find their own ways to challenge each other, instead of just sitting there and being bored, like I would be, haha.
My other classes are going well, too. We are teaching the past tense to Form I (they have a test on Monday!) and I'm teaching a whole random smattering to Form II, the funniest of which I think is Question Tags. I bet you've never noticed that you speak in Question Tags, have you? They're a super strange speech pattern, aren't they? And pretty annoying to learn. Poor kids. But, we actually do use them a lot, so at least they might be useful. Plus, since we've gotten to know each other better, I joke around with them more, and I now like to use the names of the notorious "dodgers" (the ones who always skip class) in my examples, which always gets laughs. Hopefully they've learned enough to pass to Form III.
Other than that, nothing else terribly new. I'm coming home to spend the long holiday in Minnesota before heading back in January, so it feels like no time at all left!
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
3-week break?
So, amidst all the excitement I neglected to tell you all that Sept. 3-12 (Friday afternoon to the next Sunday) was the "midterm break." I had planned to go to Dar to visit my roommate and other friends, and I was really excited to be in a different environment for a while. However, I had talked to the headmaster a while before that, and he said that he could not allow the Form IIs and Form IVs to go home because of the national examinations at the end of October and beginning of November. So, since I'm teaching a Form II class, it also meant no break for me either... sweet.
Well, then there were some rumblings amongst the staff that maybe the headmaster would be forced to give everyone a break because most of the students had to go home to collect school fees and fees related to graduation. It didn't really give me that much hope because I know the headmaster is quite stubborn, but some teachers were really convinced that he would have no choice. Well, he ended up deciding that the students were to go home for the weekend to collect the fees, but that they should be back for class on Monday. Doomed, right then and there.
Everyone knew he was delusional to think that the students would be back on Monday. Except for those students who live close enough to walk or who live in Iringa, this command was impossible. Plus, even if it WAS possible, they wouldn't be back on Monday anyway because 1.) it is not Tanzanian culture to be on time to anything and 2.) the Form IIs and IVs hadn't had a break since March (they spent the June holiday at school as well).
So I think Emily and I and two other teachers were the only people from who took the bus to Magulilwa on Sunday. Most students, as predicted, stayed home, and most of the teachers did as well because why not? Emily's and my problem is that good old Lutheran guilt. The headmaster told us specifically that we were "not allowed" to go for longer than two days, and he called on Sunday to make sure we got to the bus on time. So, we did a whole lot of nothing that week.
THEN, the next week a bunch of students returned, and then all got chased away for not having collected school fees. Why the administration didn't just have EVERYONE go home for the midterm break and make it clear that they had to bring their school fees on Monday is a complete mystery to me, and to all the other teachers I talked to. Some less-than-nice words were said about him that week, especially since HE was gone to some conference. So that week, Emily and I taught one Form I class with 33/70 students, and I taught one Form II class with 18/40 students. Great plan, your highness.
Now this week we're preparing for graduation, so the students only have two classes every day instead of 5. Really glad they made those Form IIs and IVs stay here during the midterm... Ugh. Most of the staff thinks the administration is very disconnected from the school and that they just like telling people what to do. It does seem that way sometimes. Oh well. Maybe I'll start teaching again next week.
Well, then there were some rumblings amongst the staff that maybe the headmaster would be forced to give everyone a break because most of the students had to go home to collect school fees and fees related to graduation. It didn't really give me that much hope because I know the headmaster is quite stubborn, but some teachers were really convinced that he would have no choice. Well, he ended up deciding that the students were to go home for the weekend to collect the fees, but that they should be back for class on Monday. Doomed, right then and there.
Everyone knew he was delusional to think that the students would be back on Monday. Except for those students who live close enough to walk or who live in Iringa, this command was impossible. Plus, even if it WAS possible, they wouldn't be back on Monday anyway because 1.) it is not Tanzanian culture to be on time to anything and 2.) the Form IIs and IVs hadn't had a break since March (they spent the June holiday at school as well).
So I think Emily and I and two other teachers were the only people from who took the bus to Magulilwa on Sunday. Most students, as predicted, stayed home, and most of the teachers did as well because why not? Emily's and my problem is that good old Lutheran guilt. The headmaster told us specifically that we were "not allowed" to go for longer than two days, and he called on Sunday to make sure we got to the bus on time. So, we did a whole lot of nothing that week.
THEN, the next week a bunch of students returned, and then all got chased away for not having collected school fees. Why the administration didn't just have EVERYONE go home for the midterm break and make it clear that they had to bring their school fees on Monday is a complete mystery to me, and to all the other teachers I talked to. Some less-than-nice words were said about him that week, especially since HE was gone to some conference. So that week, Emily and I taught one Form I class with 33/70 students, and I taught one Form II class with 18/40 students. Great plan, your highness.
Now this week we're preparing for graduation, so the students only have two classes every day instead of 5. Really glad they made those Form IIs and IVs stay here during the midterm... Ugh. Most of the staff thinks the administration is very disconnected from the school and that they just like telling people what to do. It does seem that way sometimes. Oh well. Maybe I'll start teaching again next week.
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