Not a whole lot new to report on life in Malawi. We’re beginning to get in to the swing of things at school. It’s an interesting challenge as a teacher to try to figure out daily routines like collecting HW, giving quizzes etc. in a new culture, (and to an extremely large class). For example, I certainly don’t have time to check 50 kids hw during class, but it is also difficult to just collect their work, since they only have one tiny notebook to do all their math work in. Tomorrow I’m going to try a system where the students put their books in a box first thing in the morning, and I give them back later in the day.
The language barrier also makes things difficult. Although all the teaching is done in English (even by the Malawian teachers) kids often struggle to understand what you are saying. The other day I couldn’t get my students to understand how to pass work to the front of their row! Which makes me wonder, how are they learn anything when I’m teaching?!
Despite all these difficulties, I think my students seem to be learning, and I’m definitely enjoying myself. Some of the students sing everyday in an outdoor hallway during lunch (you can watch them in the video). They are amazing. As far as I know they’re still celebrating the new bathrooms. Although, it’s more likely they just enjoy singing.
The language barrier also makes things difficult. Although all the teaching is done in English (even by the Malawian teachers) kids often struggle to understand what you are saying. The other day I couldn’t get my students to understand how to pass work to the front of their row! Which makes me wonder, how are they learn anything when I’m teaching?!
Despite all these difficulties, I think my students seem to be learning, and I’m definitely enjoying myself. Some of the students sing everyday in an outdoor hallway during lunch (you can watch them in the video). They are amazing. As far as I know they’re still celebrating the new bathrooms. Although, it’s more likely they just enjoy singing.
It’s still raining a lot here. But never all day, it will be sunny and hot out one minute, then pouring the next. I went to church with the Sibale girls Saturday, (being 7th day Adventists they go to church on Saturday). The singing was nice, but the long sermon in Chichewa bored the heck out of me, since I only understand about one word in 50. So much for not having a lot to report!
1 comment:
Wow, those do seem really big classes by American standards, especially when you consider that my IB chem class has 4 students. It's great that you were able to rework the scheduling. It sounds like you really are making quite a difference.
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