If school starts at 8:30, and recess is from 9:30-10:30,then the day ends at noon; when exactly are these kids learning anything?
Truth be told, they are not learning anything. That is why I am working with 14 third graders who don't know their vowels.
Since Monday, the best attendance for teachers in the school has been 2 out of 6 if you include the director. Two teachers showed up. You are suppose to send a substitute when you can't make it, but many teachers do not want to pay a substitute, so they just leave their class without a teacher. The kindergarten teacher sent a 13 year old today to teach her class. Really?
When I showed up they were like monkeys who had just been let out of their cage. They were climbing up the flag pole, walking across the desks, tearing the one poster there is off the wall.
You can imagine how frustrated I feel. I want to freak out and yell at all of the 'adults'. I cannot do a thing though. News would most definitely get around that I am the whistle blower. I would lose any respect they have for me, which is really none if you are a male teacher or the male director.
Ahh! I get so stressed. Luckly, on Sunday I am headed to beach with Laura. My parents and grandma reserved a room for me as a birthday gift. I can't wait to have a drink in hand on the beach, and pretend I am a tourist.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Literacy
ADULTS
The adult literacy class has been in session for around a month. Last night I sat outside city hall with the facilitator waiting for the students. Out of 80 community members, we initially invited 20 we thought to be the most motivated. Six of those twenty have been attending class regularly. Last night two showed up.
I am confused as to what is the problem. Are they not interested? There is nothing else to do here, so they are probably at their houses. How can I motivate them?
It is a bummer they don't regularly attend, because the two teachers are fantastic. They surpass my expectations every time. I am lucky to have them and will do anything to help them get nombrared (given a teaching job, which is competitive and very political).
CHILDREN
Three other volunteers and I had our Todos Leen (children's literacy intervention program) workshop last weekend in San Juan. It went great, and I think the participants, who are children's literacy tutors working with the volunteers, learned about literacy and techniques. The three people I brought from Monte Bonito cannot stop talking about it. I hope we can repeat the workshop again.
The workshop was a kickoff to the literacy program I have at the elementary school here. One other facilitator and I are working with 3rd and 4th graders in small groups. These students are not reading and writing at the level of their peers.
I wanted to run the program during the morning session. On paper it goes from 8-noon. In reality, they start around 8:15/8:30, leave for breakfast around 9:45 to 10:30, and depending on the grade, leave before noon. If you go to the school you will most likely find the teachers gathered in the principals office or outside the gate chatting with each other while the children are running amuck in their classrooms. No wonder these kids can't read!
While I was evaluating the children we work with, one 4th grader sat down with me. I asked him to write his name on the paper. He looks and me and says, I don't know how to write my name. I was astonished, what do you mean you don't know. He explained how he used to know, but he has forgotten since. I assured him he would learn how to read and also write his name.
Today is day two of the program. I was exhausted after day one. It feels good to be busy and making a positive impact though.
The adult literacy class has been in session for around a month. Last night I sat outside city hall with the facilitator waiting for the students. Out of 80 community members, we initially invited 20 we thought to be the most motivated. Six of those twenty have been attending class regularly. Last night two showed up.
I am confused as to what is the problem. Are they not interested? There is nothing else to do here, so they are probably at their houses. How can I motivate them?
It is a bummer they don't regularly attend, because the two teachers are fantastic. They surpass my expectations every time. I am lucky to have them and will do anything to help them get nombrared (given a teaching job, which is competitive and very political).
CHILDREN
Three other volunteers and I had our Todos Leen (children's literacy intervention program) workshop last weekend in San Juan. It went great, and I think the participants, who are children's literacy tutors working with the volunteers, learned about literacy and techniques. The three people I brought from Monte Bonito cannot stop talking about it. I hope we can repeat the workshop again.
The workshop was a kickoff to the literacy program I have at the elementary school here. One other facilitator and I are working with 3rd and 4th graders in small groups. These students are not reading and writing at the level of their peers.
I wanted to run the program during the morning session. On paper it goes from 8-noon. In reality, they start around 8:15/8:30, leave for breakfast around 9:45 to 10:30, and depending on the grade, leave before noon. If you go to the school you will most likely find the teachers gathered in the principals office or outside the gate chatting with each other while the children are running amuck in their classrooms. No wonder these kids can't read!
While I was evaluating the children we work with, one 4th grader sat down with me. I asked him to write his name on the paper. He looks and me and says, I don't know how to write my name. I was astonished, what do you mean you don't know. He explained how he used to know, but he has forgotten since. I assured him he would learn how to read and also write his name.
Today is day two of the program. I was exhausted after day one. It feels good to be busy and making a positive impact though.
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