Blog Number 4
January 17, 2008
End of week Two.
This week was a really good week. It was the first week of an actual routine. The timetables were set for classes and the day worked (more or less) on schedule. I was able to have all of my teaching periods as well as the periods that I would have off.

The school has a very different schedule then I have ever seen, however I think it is probably the best set-up EVER! The students all begin school every day at 7:45am with assembly where the students pray, sign a hymn, say the national anthem and sing the national prayer. Classes are from 8 until 2:00 everyday with Monday, and Thursday’s having “extra classes” from 2:30-3:30. The extra classes are just an extra period that they wanted to squeeze in during the week. On Tuesday’s they have “Talent Hunt” from 2:30-3:30, where they offer an array of classes that are meant to explore the students’ talents. These classes include basket weaving, school marching band, cultural drums and dancing, art and bead making, tai Kwan do and creative writing. These classes are mandatory for the whole school to participate in. I think this concept is extremely cool, and shows the students that the school really is working to better the whole person, and help the students grow to become what they should.

The headmistress assigned me to work with the creative writing class for the time that I am here. I arrived on Tuesday and the two other (old and much more experienced) teachers turned to me and plainly said, “all right, they are all yours. What are you going to do.” Since I found out about the class that morning, I hadn’t given it a ton of thought. What is extremely difficult about this class, is that the age range, and talent range are so huge it is difficult to come up with something for the group to do. I have first year students as well as class six students. I decided upon doing acrostic poems, with the class six-ers doing sentences rather then words to fulfill the poem. This ended up working great! And I think that the students really enjoyed it. After the class ended, one of the teachers, the one who has been in charge of the class for the past 3 terms, asked me if I had more strategies that specifically targeted developing writers. I had to tell her that I would get back to her but it still was very cool for her to be asking me for my strategies!

Ok, back to the schedules, on Wednesday they have Activities from 2:30-3:30, which are much like the talent classes but a bit more broad. They have Tennis, Boy and Girl scouts, cadets, salsa and interpretive dance, and debate and drama.

Friday afternoons they have the 2:30-3:30 period for all school games. All the students come to school in the P.E attire and the gym teachers will lead football (soccer) tournaments, or basketball, volleyball or any other sport that they can get the whole school into.

So far things are going really well. I am meeting more of the teachers and getting to know the students better. I am still adjusting my teaching style to this situation, and have not totally been able to transition it yet. My teacher is nice, but he is not great at giving feedback. Today was the third time that a student in class vocally shared with the class that they decided that Mr Bright (my co-op) and I should get married. In fact today the student even added that we have to do it before I leave, which makes for a very rushed wedding. But don’t worry Bola, you stressed that we cannot come home with any new lovers.

Ok so this weekend is the opening of the African Cup of Nations, a HUGE soccer tournament so the city is crazy with people and excitement right now. We can’t wait for it to start, and to hopefully get to some games. We have a pretty exciting weekend a head of us. Our host mother is taking us to an Engagement Party (which are almost more important then the wedding here) as well as the botanical gardens. I am also joining one of the teachers to play volleyball with the students on Sunday after the cup game so that should be very fun as well.

Hope life is GREAT and that everyone is getting ready for the start of another semester (the last for many of us!) I look forward to hearing from you all soon!
☺ Chelsea ☺