Hey we have posted more pictures on Picassa. Some explanation- the two girls posing are our sisters that live on our compound. Some are from our our garden. The big rocks are from a village nearby that we went hiking in one day. The kids with their drawings are from last Saturday night. They go over to our friends house on Saturdays and have craft days. The kids walking with Annie Rose are from our English class on Saturday. The girl in the green is our friend Annie Rose. We are taking her to Cape Town with us. She reminds me alot of Emily Caito.
http://picasaweb.google.com/mattandlaurabots
24 September 2009
Challenged and Excited
So I taught my first class this week, it was so much fun. I taught a Form 1 (equivalent to grade 7) Guidance and Counseling class. Their spoken English is limited, they can read well but do not comprehend much of what they read. These were problems that I was aware and fairly sure I could apply my knowledge to successfully. I was all prepared to teach a great lesson on what domestic violence was, how to be safe and what you can do to get help. I was armed with role-plays (I can not believe I force kids to do activities that I personally hate doing myself- such a hypocrite) and group work. People who I have taught with will also appreciate how I was ready to tell a story about my personal experience with domestic violence in order to make personal connections- I mean NYC youth think I have a gay brother so they stop saying gay slurs! ( I am from a family of all girls and my dad.)
Anyhow, the lesson started well, I explained all the definitions, and they listened and looked interested. Then when it came time for the interactive part, the whole lesson fell apart. Getting these kids to talk, work in groups and then present to the class was a complete disaster. They are shy and have no experience learning in this manner. Lack of English and especially my American accent can account for some of the problems, but as teacher I knew it was more about the lesson simply falling on it’s face due to this very American teaching method.
This is the second time this happened to me in a week. We were teaching an English class this Saturday and they were great when were sitting and talking about the rules of English but once they had to get up and practice, the shyness over took and the lesson flopped.
Even though we, too, introduced this new style of learning in the South Bronx, it went very well because in the USA we create a space in which children are allowed to freely express themselves and learn through making mistakes. Here, children are so scared of failure and expressing themselves; however, there is a sense of discipline that we lack in States.
So from this past weeks experience, I am challenged and excited to find the delicate balance between what have done so well in the states, create places were children can freely express themselves; and here where they have a level of discipline that I yearned for so often in the States. (I will not get into all the inherent problems with how discipline is achieved here- but it has to be more then a stick that creates this kind of discipline and self control in youth.) I am eager to work more in the classroom and see what I can do to help these children become more expressive and to see what I can learn from the Batswana children to take back to my classroom in NYC. It feels really good to be challenged by teaching again. It has been a while. What would John Dewey say about this Mish?
Anyhow, the lesson started well, I explained all the definitions, and they listened and looked interested. Then when it came time for the interactive part, the whole lesson fell apart. Getting these kids to talk, work in groups and then present to the class was a complete disaster. They are shy and have no experience learning in this manner. Lack of English and especially my American accent can account for some of the problems, but as teacher I knew it was more about the lesson simply falling on it’s face due to this very American teaching method.
This is the second time this happened to me in a week. We were teaching an English class this Saturday and they were great when were sitting and talking about the rules of English but once they had to get up and practice, the shyness over took and the lesson flopped.
Even though we, too, introduced this new style of learning in the South Bronx, it went very well because in the USA we create a space in which children are allowed to freely express themselves and learn through making mistakes. Here, children are so scared of failure and expressing themselves; however, there is a sense of discipline that we lack in States.
So from this past weeks experience, I am challenged and excited to find the delicate balance between what have done so well in the states, create places were children can freely express themselves; and here where they have a level of discipline that I yearned for so often in the States. (I will not get into all the inherent problems with how discipline is achieved here- but it has to be more then a stick that creates this kind of discipline and self control in youth.) I am eager to work more in the classroom and see what I can do to help these children become more expressive and to see what I can learn from the Batswana children to take back to my classroom in NYC. It feels really good to be challenged by teaching again. It has been a while. What would John Dewey say about this Mish?
Laura’s Book Recommendation
The Wisdom of Whores
by Elizabeth Pisani
After not reading for a long time I am back on the wagon and it feels good. Today I actually stayed home all day to read 150 pages of this great book. Also, because workmen busted our toilet pipe and I need to supervise by flushing the toilet every so often. I love valid excuses to stay in all day and read. This is book is for anyone that wants to learn about the HIV/AIDS epidemic worldwide. It is very honest and entertaining look at the development world and all declarations that come from years of research and are never acted upon at the expense of many lives. She does an incredible job of unraveling the layers upon layers of complicated issues associated with treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS. Though I do not always agree with her, she is one of the few that is willing to speak her mind regardless of who she offends. This book has some of my favorite qualities of any book, leaves you with a lot to think about and gives you even more to talk about. HIV/AIDS is complicated shit.
God I wish we could order in tonight. No breaks from cooking ever, if you want dinner. Eish!!!!
by Elizabeth Pisani
After not reading for a long time I am back on the wagon and it feels good. Today I actually stayed home all day to read 150 pages of this great book. Also, because workmen busted our toilet pipe and I need to supervise by flushing the toilet every so often. I love valid excuses to stay in all day and read. This is book is for anyone that wants to learn about the HIV/AIDS epidemic worldwide. It is very honest and entertaining look at the development world and all declarations that come from years of research and are never acted upon at the expense of many lives. She does an incredible job of unraveling the layers upon layers of complicated issues associated with treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS. Though I do not always agree with her, she is one of the few that is willing to speak her mind regardless of who she offends. This book has some of my favorite qualities of any book, leaves you with a lot to think about and gives you even more to talk about. HIV/AIDS is complicated shit.
God I wish we could order in tonight. No breaks from cooking ever, if you want dinner. Eish!!!!
Everybody Say Yah!
Props to School Specialty Science who works with FOSS science kits. We wrote to have them donate science kits here in Botswana. We did this on a whim and they are willing to donate. They are awesome. Now we just need to find a donor to help ship them over. Does anyone know a good rotary club?
Movie Recommendation of the Week
Catch a Fire
We don’t even know if it was really good or just interesting to us because we are living in Southern Africa. Being neighbors to South Africa and learning first hands about events they have gone through in our lifetime is a fascinating new thing to study. It was a movie that showed the importance and need for a strong civil society that makes a stand and demands change. Even though, we don’t agree with non-peaceful ways of demanding change, South Africa is case and point of the need for people to stand up and fight for their rights. Civil society is an even more essential element of fighting injustice, when the powers that be do not care enough about the plight of the oppressed. Net Flix it.
We don’t even know if it was really good or just interesting to us because we are living in Southern Africa. Being neighbors to South Africa and learning first hands about events they have gone through in our lifetime is a fascinating new thing to study. It was a movie that showed the importance and need for a strong civil society that makes a stand and demands change. Even though, we don’t agree with non-peaceful ways of demanding change, South Africa is case and point of the need for people to stand up and fight for their rights. Civil society is an even more essential element of fighting injustice, when the powers that be do not care enough about the plight of the oppressed. Net Flix it.
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