June 30th- Our first full day of school

Happy Birthday Heidi! Its Heidi’s 21st birthday and she gets to celebrate it in Malawi! Today her class sang Happy Birthday! Since it’s a “school” night and we are all exhausted, we decided to postpone her Malawian celebration until Saturday night.

I am writing this Monday night after I briefly checked my email before my Internet failed on me. Who knows when I’ll figure out how to fix it, but I was able to quickly read some of today’s emails from home. THANK YOU SO MUCH! It really means the world to me to read the emails and comments. I honestly didn’t think anyone would have time or care to read my pages and pages of journal. I’m a little embarrassed because I type these entries at night so I’m usually exhausted and just quickly type up my thoughts and events from the day. So I’m surprised anyone can even make sense of it!

Radford students were told not to bring a computer because it would be one less thing to worry about and they were told it often makes students homesick. The computer/internet helps me and I don’t think I would be happy and content here if I didn’t have my computer. It’s comforting to hear from home- especially reading my moms email explaining her “3 weekend cleaning program”! hahaha Good luck with that mom! I’m usually happy after emailing/IMing my friends and family and it doesn’t make me homesick because I’m having a blast here and don’t want to go home. I just wish everyone could come here and experience everything I’m experiencing! I spend so much time trying to blog I’m very behind on my emails but I do read them all. Anyways back to my blog from today:

Krista and I are very happy in our new room. As we left to go down the hill for breakfast, we ran into Tension who will be taking care of our room. He is the elder worker that Liz and Jennifer bought the bike for last summer. I can see why they feel in love with him! What a sweet and gentle man. I’m looking forward to talking with him more.

Brian made it back from his weekend adventure with Peter early this morning. Unfortunately he is still very sick. He isn’t going to the schools today, he has taken Cipro and is resting.

Today was our first full day in the schools- I had a little bit of “first day of school” nerves! We arrived at the school and Macdonald told us there is a change of plans and all the teachers would like to meet us so we are having a meeting outside. We stood in a circle and introduced ourselves. They did their traditional Malawian welcome by greeting us and saying we are “most welcome”. We told them our name and what class we would be working with. Dr. Kelly said it worked out well this summer because 3 girls wanted to teach standard 3 and that was the only class that no one has worked with in the previous years. I am still blown away at how much they value introductions and making sure every person comes to greet us.
Teachers leave their classrooms all the time. Every teacher was outside during the introductions and they knew their students wouldn’t misbehave while they were gone. That amazes me. One of the teachers was very interested in talking with me, so I told her I would be here all week so she can come by standard 6 anytime.

McDonald told us school starts at 7:30am and for standard 6 is ends at 1:05. The younger grades get out earlier. Each day they have two 10 minute breaks. I asked about tests and he said they are tested monthly. I didn’t have very much time to ask questions but I’d like to learn more about the tests.

As we walked into the class they greeted us with “Hello Madam…” I’ll have to video tape it! They were working on English so the teacher gave us a red pen and let us walk around and check their workbooks. They were suppose to complete 10 problems by adding English question tag lines to the sentence. For example one problem was “You are joking,____” and they were suppose to fill in “aren’t you?” At first I just read what the children wrote and was hesitant to actually grade their papers but I saw the examples on the board and even those weren’t in correct English so I knew the teacher didn’t know English that well either. So I wasn’t as concerned that there was only one correct answer. The groups I went up to were so eager for me to grade their papers. The teacher went around and checked everyone’s book but Krista and I helped so I’m sure we cut the time in ½. He must spend the majority of the day checking papers while the children just sit there. It’s not like there are worksheets to collect, everything is done in one notebook.

I didn’t realize how hard it was to teach English to non English speakers. They would try and add “ wasn’t he” or “ aren’t she” when the sentence had nothing to do with a boy or girl. I explained to them you only use “he” or “she” when you’re talking about a boy/girl. Most of them understood. A sentence talked about hippos and elephants so I introduced the word “they”. It’s very hard to come up with examples they will understand. “They will go to the playground” doesn’t make sense because they have no idea what a playground is. I mistakenly used that example and I could see the confusion on their faces so I corrected myself by saying “ They will go to the market” and then they smiled and nodded their heads!

I went to about 3 tables and each time they made room for me to sit next to them and they all crowded around waiting for me to teach them- so eager for me to say something. They were all trying so hard to learn and understand me. I would look at one students and talk to the entire group about the sentences and they would all listen and try to repeat words. After I looked at one workbook, they wanted me to look at every student’s workbook even though each of them had the exact same answers. They were so proud of their work and wanted the personal attention. For the most part I could tell each group copied each other. They wanted me to write on their book so I would write the correct answer and cross out the wrong answer. They use pens so we can’t erase. I guess they had never seen that because they would remind me to cross something out or add it if I didn’t do it. They also told me to put checks on the correct answers. Some of the kids talked me into writing “good” and “excellent” next to the problems. They LOVED that. I should have brought positive phrase stickers to put on their work. I briefly looked back at some of the other pages and they simply had check marks on them, no corrections or comments. I didn’t get to very many students but its obvious they can’t get that type of attention all the time because the ratio makes it so difficult. Since there are 3 of us, taking the time to comment on their workbook is something they usually don’t get to do. I felt like I was really getting to know their personalities. I was also impressed with their handwriting-very neat!

Asking questions like “do you understand” is a waste of breath because they will always say “yes” even when they have no idea what you’re talking about.

Macdonald said many of the students in his class are orphans and live with their extended families. Dr. Kelly explained to us later today that children are considered orphans only if their mother dies. Their father can still be living but since he doesn’t care for the child, the child will be considered an orphan and go live with other family.

One of the students had a tin pencil case with a picture of the world. I showed them where Malawi is and where VA is located. I asked them if they had ever seen an airplane and most of them smiled and said yes. I told them I flew in an airplane to come visit them. They understood! They also loved it when I wrote my name on their book. They insisted on my first and last name ☺

After we finished English, it was science time. It worked our perfect because Krista and I had planned a weather lesson. The teacher was thrilled to have a special science lesson for today. Krista knew her stuff and went to the front to show her weather poster and explain the water cycle. She used hand motions to demonstrate precipitation, collection, evaporation and condensation. They were eager to all try it themselves. I passed around moving water cycle diagrams for each group to color and play with. At first coloring didn’t seem to be something they were familiar with, but at each group we talked about what colors they needed for the trees, sun, mountains and water. They all shared and colored together- the pictures turned out very pretty. They put a lot of effort and time into the picture to make sure it was colored neatly. Everyone is so precise with their coloring and handwriting- nothing sloppy! I love these kids- they are just like me!

As we worked with them they would repeat the hand motions and English words on their own. It was beginning to catch on! I don’t know if they understood what the words really meant, but if they can connect the hand motions that should help them understand it. At least they are being exposed to it.

Break time! We grabbed the Frisbees and walked over to the field to play because the yard outside the classrooms was a little crazy with beach balls the other VT girls brought. We separated by boys and girls and I got the group of boys! They were all familiar with Frisbees. First we made a circle and passed it around. Everyone would clap when someone caught it. They are actually pretty good at throwing it-probably better then me! Next we formed two lines and let them catch it, throw it and then let someone else have a turn. A little boy came up to me and asked if we could play like the girls are playing. He said he knew how to play so he organized the boys. I asked him what the game was called and he couldn’t remember. His friend said it was called netball and it’s played by girls but the boys wanted to play it today. Netball is their version of our football. It got very intense, I’m glad I didn’t try to play! Another little boy was playing while he was holding his pencil case (I think that’s the only thing he owns so he brings it with him) and I offered to hold it for him while he played.

I watched the intense game of netball and I could begin to pick out the class clowns because they would dance with the Frisbee when they caught it to try and make everyone laugh. Inside the classroom and outside the classroom there was not a shy kid. Everyone wanted to be involved get some attention and show off.

As we walked back 2 little boys were walking next to me and one of them was speaking excellent English (better than the teacher) and he was very mature and asked me a lot of questions. He was surprised that I told him I didn’t know Chichewa. He taught me a few words but of course I already forgot them. Two other boys walked in front of us and put their hands around each other shoulders as they walked and they said something about girlfriends. I think they were making fun of the two little boys walking with me because everyone laughed. The boys didn’t seem bothered they said they were just playing around. I didn’t realize the mature little boy was in my class! I’m going to find his name out tomorrow! I want to find a little boy to teach me how to play the drums!

After break it was almost time to leave. We passed out animal stickers to each child. They were more excited to just look at the stickers then they were to actually get one. They enjoyed naming the animals and they only needed help with 2 or 3.

We told them they could keep the Frisbees to play with another day- the class cheered! We told them we would be back tomorrow and taught them how to repeat “see you tomorrow!”

As Krista and I walked back to our classroom at MIE, she told me she talked with Madonald at break and he was thrilled with the weather lesson. He said they had never had any type of lesson like that before. Most days we will be teaching during science, so he said bringing science lessons would be great.

We all met and talked about our day as we ate lunch. Dr. Kelly sits with us and we briefly talk about a chapter or two in the book and relate it to what we have observed. Dr. Kelly told us about a hard drive library she is setting up for the college. While we are teaching each morning she is at the college setting up computers to have access to a research database. From 2-3pm, Radford and NC students join us for a class discussion.

We briefly talked about how impressed we all were with how well the teachers manage such large groups. They have basically no discipline issues. The teacher just has to say “silent” and they repeat “silent” and stop talking. Wow!

Dr. Kelly wanted to make sure everyone was on track with their final paper. We are suppose to be keeping a journal and use it as a guide to write a final paper about a particular aspect of our trip. It’s basically a focused reflection paper. Lauren is going to talk about the gender issues with women, Krista is going to emphasis what she’s observed about communication, Sarah’s going to analysis her lesson plans to find out what worked and what didn’t. After taking my African Studies class and listening to the various comments about the work we are doing in Malawi, I think my paper will focus on collecting those opinions but then forming my own opinion after coming here and interacting with the people.

Today the entire group talked about girls being scolded for attending school. Apparently after initiation most girls don’t come back to school. Initiation is very secretive and even the advisors knew very little about it. Apparently there are different variations but basically once a year the girls who are around the age of puberty leave their village and family for about a week and go with the elders of the village who conduct the initiation. It’s something that is planned and run by each village. They are “brainwashed” to think they need to do other things besides to go school. It’s a very rigid and firm process and no one talks about it. Female circumcision takes place in initiation even though it is illegal. This causes the spread of HIV because the razors are not cleaned. I remember talking about this in my African Studies class but my professor didn’t see anything wrong with it because it’s a part of their customs.

We waited a long time for Charles (hes a busy man) so we decided to skip town for today and worry about our errands tomorrow. Everyone was exhausted and hungry.

Dinner is great at Annie’s Lodge, but we are getting sick of looking at the same thing. They serve fries at every meal. Tonight I ordered vegetable curry and it was great to have some cooked veggies. Everyone is craving some salad but there’s no way we can have that until we get home.

Krista and I turned on the TV for the first time tonight. I haven’t watched any TV in over a week. That is a record for me. Honestly it hasn’t even dawned on us to turn the TV on. If we are in our room we are on the Internet and we usually have other people in the room with us so we are chatting about our day. We also spend a lot of time watching the African dance videos!

Turns out lesson planning is more difficult than we thought. Everyone is running all around Annie’s Lodge trying to plan for the next day. Krista and I are keeping it simple and using what we have brought. We over planned for today, it took a lot longer to explain the water cycle, plus I think a little at a time is better for them.

P.S. What’s going on in the rest of the world? Celebrity updates? I feel so out of the loop!