So its Sunday here and also the first day of classes since I arrived. I guess their Saturday is our Sunday or something? I don't know, but I was thrown for a serious loop this morning when I discovered that. After 3 lightly toasted and heavily buttered rolls and some chai I walked over to the school to see what exactly goes on there. It was homeroom still when I got there and just trying to be kind I asked if there was anything I could do to help. Little did I know that a teacher was missing and they needed a substitute. Whoops! With zero experience teaching under my belt and no clue what any of the kids were currently learning I had little choice but to dive in head first. They literally showed me the door and left me standing, probably wide eyed and ghost white (not that the kids would have noticed that kind of change in color), in front of a room full of kids who only wanted to see my chimpanzee face. I learned at the Jemez pueblo that kids love that face and I made the mistake of using it here in a game called zoo. Now thats all any of them ask me to do.
Anyway, with a little perseverance and a lot of patience, I think (emphasis on the think) I managed to teach a few classes a few things. First I had to teach social (short for social studies) so I basically found a map of the states and did some trivia pointing out various things in America. Where I live, Maggie lives and Jeff sir live didn't really cover too much. I showed them our inferior mountain ranges, the great Mississippi, and where the Statue of Liberty was. I explained that only 48 of the 50 states were part of the mainland. Then they started asking about Osama bin Laden and the towers. I quickly explained that it was a bad thing then tried to change the subject. The kid was too eager to stay on the topic. He was only as old as I was when it happened and I really didn't want to be responsible for saying too much. Then the bell rung, "Om Namah Shivaya" (what the guy chants in Temple of Doom as he is being lowered into the lava pit as a sacrifice. Translation: adoration to Shiva).
Then it was english class, much more my style. I got to sit back and let the kids take turns reading which came as a welcome relief. A more advanced english class for 8th graders was next. I had to explain the difference between words like except and accept which was a little more challenging but fun. Also explaining the different uses of modifiers of words like come and go became quite fun. I just had the students put them into different sentences. They got very clever with that game. "May I go out of this class," "Please go away sir," things like that. I did not expect to ever be thanked for making class fun. That pretty much made my day. Then another social class came in. They were learning about Nepali history, clearly not my bag. I was at a loss so we played some heads up seven up, some murderer/detective game that involved secretive winking, and hangman for the duration of that class. I don't know if I will have to teach again tomorrow but soon I will be tutoring 7th graders in english and math. It sounds like it will be a real challenge but then again I did say the other day that I wish I had more to do. I know I'll get something out of it, I only hope that I can manage to have these kids get more out of it than I do.
Maggie is leaving soon for about a month to go to a conference and is bringing one of the girls with her who will be delivering a very personal speech. She is only 12 years old and is so extremely brave. It will be about a 20 minute speech in front of a large crowd of strangers in an extremely foreign place. I can't say that I've ever done anything like that. She is so great. I wish I could be there to see it. As a matter of fact, all of the kids here are great. They make mistakes and get in trouble as all kids do and should but they really are something special. I'm learning names here quicker than I thought I would and retaining them better than I did at BC.
Theres something about this place and I'm still trying to put a finger on it but one thing is for sure, the kids here are happy. And that has a very distinct way of rubbing off on you.
Anyway, with a little perseverance and a lot of patience, I think (emphasis on the think) I managed to teach a few classes a few things. First I had to teach social (short for social studies) so I basically found a map of the states and did some trivia pointing out various things in America. Where I live, Maggie lives and Jeff sir live didn't really cover too much. I showed them our inferior mountain ranges, the great Mississippi, and where the Statue of Liberty was. I explained that only 48 of the 50 states were part of the mainland. Then they started asking about Osama bin Laden and the towers. I quickly explained that it was a bad thing then tried to change the subject. The kid was too eager to stay on the topic. He was only as old as I was when it happened and I really didn't want to be responsible for saying too much. Then the bell rung, "Om Namah Shivaya" (what the guy chants in Temple of Doom as he is being lowered into the lava pit as a sacrifice. Translation: adoration to Shiva).
Then it was english class, much more my style. I got to sit back and let the kids take turns reading which came as a welcome relief. A more advanced english class for 8th graders was next. I had to explain the difference between words like except and accept which was a little more challenging but fun. Also explaining the different uses of modifiers of words like come and go became quite fun. I just had the students put them into different sentences. They got very clever with that game. "May I go out of this class," "Please go away sir," things like that. I did not expect to ever be thanked for making class fun. That pretty much made my day. Then another social class came in. They were learning about Nepali history, clearly not my bag. I was at a loss so we played some heads up seven up, some murderer/detective game that involved secretive winking, and hangman for the duration of that class. I don't know if I will have to teach again tomorrow but soon I will be tutoring 7th graders in english and math. It sounds like it will be a real challenge but then again I did say the other day that I wish I had more to do. I know I'll get something out of it, I only hope that I can manage to have these kids get more out of it than I do.
Maggie is leaving soon for about a month to go to a conference and is bringing one of the girls with her who will be delivering a very personal speech. She is only 12 years old and is so extremely brave. It will be about a 20 minute speech in front of a large crowd of strangers in an extremely foreign place. I can't say that I've ever done anything like that. She is so great. I wish I could be there to see it. As a matter of fact, all of the kids here are great. They make mistakes and get in trouble as all kids do and should but they really are something special. I'm learning names here quicker than I thought I would and retaining them better than I did at BC.
Theres something about this place and I'm still trying to put a finger on it but one thing is for sure, the kids here are happy. And that has a very distinct way of rubbing off on you.
The postings on this site are my own and do not necessarily represent Blinknow's positions or opinions.
Ian,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the updates. It sounds wonderful! Be well. -Steve G.
Fantastic Ian, I've enjoyed reading your posts, keep'em coming! ~Pat Gallagher
ReplyDelete