Yesterday marked my two months as an official volunteer. Twenty-two to go! I went to the market twice. The first time I went with Saumu around noon...town was pretty dead and many vendors were not there. My tomato and onion mama was, so now I have more tomatoes than I know what to do with. She is very generous.
Going to the village center the second time was much more stressful. I needed to get kerosene and pick up my laptop from the charging duka. I also bought a bunch of banans for two hundred shillings. Going into town I got a mix of Jedi and Mzungu calls from the local kids. Then classes let out. I think I went by every primary and secondary school kid that went to school yesterday. Most of them were very excited to see me. Some wanted me to go back to the market with them. Others sort of mockingly greeted me. I wasn't in a mood to be laughed at, so I was very happy to get back home.
Today I finished class with a couple songs, per Form 1 and 2's pleading request. I had already gone over time, but stayed anyway. (I did reading comprehension today to work on expressing routines and habits. Not pretty seeing that some groups didn't know words like "do" and "when".) I showed them the hokey pokey and I have never seen a group get so excited about that song! I worked with three year-olds for months, and never once did I generate so many bright smiles and so much hardy laughter. They also love the five little monkeys/crocodile song. Sometimes teaching here really is like being a preschool teacher again. But without diaper changing or finger paint.
I plan to do more reading today and some lesson planning. I have to write a final examination soon for the Form One kids. They will be taking it in mid-November. I am testing them on Thursday to get an idea about just how much they have retained since we started this semester. Hopefully I won't see too many improper uses of the present simple. I have been drilling that with them, so they should get it by now....hopefully.
All I can say is ROTE MEMORIZATION is a TERRIBLE hinderance to one's ability to think cognitively or form thoughts actively. Getting these kids to do anything but copy and spit back anwers is very difficult. Spoon-feeding answers does not do students any good. It just means when they need to form their own thoughts and sentences, that they are totally lost. They say words without connecting any meanings in their brain to them. It is hard and really makes me appreciate my teachers. They always asked thoughtful questions and demanded we come-up with our own ways of processing information.
Second sunny day here in my vil. I love it. I want to stay in the sun forever. My teva tan is rockin by now.
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