School

I have spent the last two days working with a 7th & 8th grade teacher named Daniel at a private school. Daniel has been teaching at this school for about 4 yrs with two years at a previous school. He is 28 yrs old and started teaching after finishing hi school. I have sat in and helped in three of his math classes, and two social studies. He is a very good teacher. Students are very well behaved in his class with a lot of participation. He has a jam packed room with near 50 students. I use the word "room" loosely-otherwise open air classrooms. The room has only one concrete wall about waist high and a thatched grass roof. Students sit in small wooden individual desks but these are all crammed in a small space. It is impossible for students to move around or get up unless really necessary.

Daniel rides his bike to school. When he was 9 yrs old, he moved to his Aunt's house so that he could do chores for her, thereby earning enough money to stay in school. His parents lived in another province. When Daniel teaches, he writes everything on the board. Students all copy the information as only a few have books. During the class, Daniel will write problems on the board, ask students for responses, calling on many different students. Students sit for long periods of time without moving. Different special teachers rotate to the students rather than the students moving. I am impressed with how attentive these students are. There is no disruptive behavior. I mean nothing!

I did notice that none of the students were wearing glasses. Daniel told me that the students with poor eyesight sit near the front. I guess most families here can't afford to buy glasses for their children. Many families here are large by American standards. Often, the parents have 7 or 8 children. The students wear uniforms and the tuition is $110 per year. Students often come to school with no breakfast but maybe buy something in the canteen but you should see the canteen. It is very minimal operation. As volunteers, we often walk to school and sometimes walk home. It takes about 30 minutes. We take a well worn path that meanders through the backyards of many different houses. All of these houses are quite basic but they do have electricity. You can see many cooking outside over a wood or charcoal flame. Everything around looks like red clay, no grass or gardens . You also see chickens and goats everywhere. A few sheep. Today, when I was teaching , a chicken flew across the front of me in the room. I have yet to use the lavatory but we were told we could only use it to "pee". Not sure why this was but didn't want to ask. hehe!


Hot here everyday. I have the A/C running all night. During the day, while at school, my shirt is wringing wet. No amount of deodorant does the job sufficiently. But I feel good and the students are great. They all talk softly but speak English, some better than others. I have met with the principal or headmaster who gave me the whole 12 yr history of the school. Senchi Ferry is a small area that doesn't really have any major markets or stores. You have to drive to the neighboring town to get most everything.

Not sure this that interesting to all of you but for me, even though it is a world apart, I am throughly enjoying it.

Sorry, for not having any photos yet. I brought the wrong adaptor for my iPad to download the photos and I have searched everywhere to no avail. I will add photos later when I get home.




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