Author: granellen

Another busy week at school and something new, the Miss High Beauty Contest. I am not a huge fan of beauty contests, but I like to support the learners and I was enlisted as a ‘technology’ backup. Our IT lead, the woman who was so helpful with getting me my own classroom and other teaching support, asked if I would serve in her absence. She prepared a complicated excel workbook with linked sheets and formulas to calculate all the judges’ scores for multiple events. In the past someone may have accidentally deleted a link or did the data entry in the wrong place, so they always have a ‘technology’ person on hand in case something goes wrong. I was on call during the show, but I was not needed. I couldn’t decide if I was relieved or disappointed because I knew I was quite capable of figuring out whatever went wrong.

This beauty contest is different because it includes boys and girls. A boy and a girl are paired together for much of the show with somewhat coordinating outfits or they had planned little gestures or routines as they modeled their clothes. However, the scoring is completely individual, and the final Miss High and Mr. High were not a ‘couple’ at all. The show also leaned toward the girls since they had more segments including an interview segment which the boys did not have.

The parts I liked most were some of the girls made creative outfits from recycled materials such as rolled newspapers, garbage bags, and paper fans. Also, some of the outfits were very casual and they were barefoot.

There was no talent segment. There was some singing by various learners as they transitioned from one segment to another, but these were not performed by contestants. All in all, it was entertaining, but it still makes me uncomfortable to put such an emphasis on looks.

All for now with all my love

Exams at our school start on March 26 which is 2 weeks from Tuesday. How did this happen? How can the term be almost over? My classes are behind, and I am trying to figure out how to get them where they need to be. It just doesn’t seem right to push ahead without most of the class really understanding the content. I know other volunteers are struggling with this since it is a topic of discussion lately on our WhatsApp group chat.

One volunteer makes the following argument. Passing is 40% here, their tests are hard. They follow the Cambridge curriculum and certain grades and terms must take external exams (i.e. Standardized exams) so the internal exams (i.e. created by the school’s teachers) must be tough to prepare them for the external exams. The external exams are also graded externally so there is no preferential treatment. Anyway, his argument is since 40% is passing then having his learners thoroughly understand at least 40% of the syllabus is better than them not really understanding 100% of the syllabus. I agree with this logic, but it is stressful to implement.

I know some of my school’s teachers struggle with this too. One of my counterparts says she never gets through the Term1 syllabus, but we will make it up over the next 2 terms. However, my other counterparts are telling me I must cover the syllabus and if I slow down then I won’t be able to complete it.

All I know is that I will keep trying and I will do the best I can. That’s really all I can do… and of course, pray.

All for now with all my love

• 

Which class are you enjoying the most? Are the learners really engaged? These questions from a dear friend made me really think. I responded something like this and then decided it would be a good blog post.

The kids are starting to engage. Historically, the culture in Namibia was for learners to be seen and not heard, especially black learners during apartheid. Part of our mission is to teach learner-centered lessons. There are national syllabi for every grade and subject which specify a learner-centered approach, development of critical thinking, no corporal punishment. However, many teachers are only used to chalk and talk with minimal interaction with learners, they teach by rote, not developing critical thinking, and use corporal punishment. I witnessed corporal punishment during training such as mild spanking but lots of intimidation with rubber hoses, etc. My school is somewhat better since we stick to the policies and have a discipline system. Some teachers use learner centered techniques, but many don’t. Anyway, the learners don’t readily talk, unless they are misbehaving, but they are coming around.

• 

• 

It’s hard for me to say which class I like best. I like11th grade Math since many are very independent. I gave them the schedule and answer guide, so they work on their own or in small groups and ask for help as needed. If there’s a consistent problem, then I demonstrate it to the class. Music is my classroom management for them. I play it when they behave and turn it off otherwise. I try to be proactive in seeking those who need help but may not ask for it. I ask them to show me their work and it often leads to questions and then I can help them.

The grade 8&9 physical science classes are good too. The 8th graders need much guidance on developing study skills since they have been spoon-fed for so long. They were told explicitly what to write and put in their notebooks. I want them to do this independently, but they usually write nothing unless I say “write this down”. The 9th graders seem to enjoy having some independence with me and they especially like math riddles or logic games.

The computer studies learners want to start learning applications or writing programs. This first term is strictly theory, including the history of computing, how binary code is used, computer components, hardware and software, operating system software vs application software. They get antsy, but they are also eager to learn.

Art can be a lot of fun, but each class seems to have someone (or 2 or 3) that could care less. It’s not a promotional subject, meaning they can fail without any penalty, and the bad attitude can influence others. I try to keep it fun and explain how these things can enrich their lives, to make life more fun and enjoyable.

Classroom management and developing engaging lesson plans are the hardest things. I wish I could develop a system that would be effective all the time, with all the grades and with all the subjects. So far, it’s been one thing works with these kids today but not tomorrow or it works for the 8^th graders but not the 9^th graders. I am constantly seeking a solution that works for all which probably does not even exist. It gets exhausting and then I think I am trying too hard. I will keep working on it and by the time my 2 years of service are complete, maybe I will have it all figured out.

All for now with all my love

My town, Otjiwarongo, is the crossroads to those heading to the far North, or
going South to Windhoek, or to those going West, i.e. to the coast, or East. Prior
to Reconnect, the volunteers in Group 48 were not allowed to travel except for
work, to collaborate/train with other volunteers for work, or if we were
traveling with a local national. Now we can travel more freely but we still must
get permission and/or inform Peace Corps of our plans. Peace Corps is very serious
about our safety, so we must inform them of our where-abouts any time our head is
not on our own pillow at our own site.

Back to my town and what the expanded travel means to me. Many Peace Corps visitors come to town and it is fun. Last weekend, a bunch of volunteers from the North came to town for various reasons. One of my Group 48, Alex, who lives in a remote village came to get a key made for her school. Otjiwarongo is the closest town for this so she was able to come for the weekend. Two other volunteers from my
group came because they knew Alex would be in town. There were also volunteers
from Group 46, following a similar pattern where one volunteer came to town so
more came to be able to hang out together. Most everyone wound up staying at
volunteer Will’s place because he has lots of space to accommodate many people
and he lives alone. I stayed there too because I didn’t want to miss all the
fun.

This weekend, Maggie came to town from way up North to check out a puppy that she
wanted to adopt from the SPCA in our town. She went home with Tuna, named for
Big Tuna from The Office. He is adorable, very good tempered, and already
wanting to please his new ‘Mom’. Maggie also enjoyed shopping at our Super Spar
and prepared fish tacos with mango salsa. Yum!

(The regional track meet was this past weekend. Note the barefoot runners)

Maggie, Tuna, and me

After Maggie left, I received a text from another volunteer that she and 3 other
volunteers would be in town for a quick stop on their way to a workshop in Okahandja. Did I want to meet for a quick milkshake and hugs? And today, Sara, who was in town over the holiday break, is here for a workshop all week.

As you can see, Otjiwarongo is a crossroads, at least for Peace Corps volunteers.

All for now with all my love

Friday marked six months since Group 48 arrived in Namibia. My service is almost ¼ complete. I still have to pinch myself to believe I am actually here as a Peace Corps Volunteer.  This day, this hour, life is good.

When I returned from Reconnect, there was a new timetable waiting for me. I knew this might happen while I was away, but I did not receive it until I returned. I had no idea what classes I would teach on Monday, my first day back. Teaching in Namibia is not recommended for anyone who needs to be in control and know everything ahead of time. Hopefully this will be the last change to the timetable, but I am quite certain there will be one-time schedule changes. For example, 4^th period and 6^th period may flipflop on a day or the morning assembly may go long so classes start at 7:45 instead of 7:37 and each of the 8 periods ends a minute earlier. I can handle it but not without some confusion. My learners find my confusion funny and I laugh with them.

I was kind of dreading my return, but the learners were happy to see me, and it felt good. I was also pleasantly surprised to find that they actually completed the work I left for them.

A couple girls in my Math 11 class tested me with talking and disruptive behavior. These girls are funny and liked by their peers, I like them too but not that day. I put them both in a classroom ‘timeout’, making them sit on hard stools in opposite corners of the classroom. They were insulted and upset but they were good the rest of the week. One entered the room the next day saying “Miss, I will be quiet today”. A small victory!

Unfortunately, I have not slept well this week. I fall asleep easily but wake up at 3 or 4 and struggle to fall back asleep. I am most vulnerable at these times. My mind races with insecurity about teaching, I miss Steve and wonder if I will ever be as happy as I was with him, I miss my family and friends. I stopped taking my siesta after school and I take a long walk in hopes that will break the cycle. When it happens, I use my mindful breathing, meditation techniques, prayer and reading to fall back to sleep. Last night was better. I woke up at 4 but I quickly fell back to sleep until 7:30 which is sleeping-in for me.

All for now with all my love

This week I was back at our training center in Okahandja with the rest of Group48. We arrived in Namibia with 55 and are now down to 50. It is not unusual for 10-20% of a group to not complete the two years of service for a variety of reasons. It is always sad for our Peace Corps Namily to see them go but they remain in our hearts and minds. Reconnect is a time for groups to get back together after being at site for a couple months. Besides hanging out and catching up with each other, we shared our challenges and successes, we got more training on how Peace Corps can support us and how we can support each other, and we also learned how to create and submit required reports. While not necessarily fun, these reports are critical in monitoring and evaluating Peace Corps’ work to ensure continued funding. The training was necessary and informative while the after-hours were entertaining. We had a volleyball tournament including players of all skill levels, spike ball, an impromptu slip and slide after a rainstorm, yoga, running, walking, hiking, and an assortment of games such as Gin Rummy, Phase 10, Hearts, Magic, and more. There was also time to just chill and hang out under a lapa, talking and listening to music. Our group has its sub-groups, but I hung out with different folks every day and observed many others doing the same. We seem to be a pretty open, inclusive, and caring group of PCVs. As I have expressed before, sometimes I feel good about the progress I am making as a teacher, connecting with my learners and integrating into my community. Other times, I just think teaching is hard, I feel inadequate, and I want to do better for my learners. Apparently, this is a common theme for many PCVs (and probably most teachers) and a good bit of training time was learning strategies to cope with this ambiguity and practical ways to support each other.

All for now with all my love

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

This week my school had Interhouse Athletics, the rough equivalent of Field Day in American schools, but more. The school population, learners, teachers, staff are randomly divided into the Red, Yellow, and Green teams. Throughout January and into February, there are multiple activities and events to generate points such as participation in a fun run (more points if you place), donating blood, and of course the Interhouse Athletics. Points can also be reduced by poor behavior that results in detention. We had no classes on Wednesday, so everyone could participate in the events at the nearby sports park. My team, the Green team, is in the lead but there are more events culminating in a learner concert this week.

Unfortunately, I will be away for the final tally, attending Reconnect training with the rest of Group48. In addition to teaching my classes and helping with the Interhouse, this week was spent preparing worksheets and activities for my learners while I am away. They are basically on their own in my absence, but I am hopeful they will complete the assignments I prepared for them. Wishful thinking??

Friday finally came and a couple volunteers from the North spent the night with me. Another two were also in town on their way to reconnect so we all had dinner together at my place-chicken and dumplings and brownies for dessert. It was a fun evening and I learn so much when I hang out with the younger volunteers. They have more challenges, not just because some of them have very primitive living conditions, but because they have more pressure from locals. Some locals challenge the men to drink more than they should, sometimes they give unwanted and unpleasant attention to the female volunteers, and of course they encourage them to drink as well. This is not true of all locals, most of the volunteers are developing strong relationships within their community, but I don’t have this pressure at all. There are advantages to being an older volunteer.

All for now with all my love

Teaching is tough. I spent more than a few hours on Saturday and Sunday preparing lesson plans. I am attending a mandatory Peace Corps training next week, so I must prepare work for the learners during my absence. We don’t have substitute teachers. Someone will check on them and give them assignments, but no one will be teaching them. Ugh, I don’t know how much learning will happen.

I was not happy with my classroom management so last week I implemented some changes. The classes are not out of control but they are noisier and more chaotic than I want. At the suggestion of others, I changed to assigned seating. Now I have a seating chart inside one of those sheet protectors and I can write on the sheet protector with a dry erase marker. If a learner is talking or misbehaving, I don’t disrupt the class, I just walk to the learner, show them their name on the seating chart and mark their behavior. If they get 2 strikes (not 3) in a 7day cycle then they get detention. So far no one has gotten 2 strikes, but the change is still new.

As I am feeling better about classroom management, the learners just don’t seem to understand much of what I am teaching. They say they do but when I ask for answers or for someone to demonstrate an answer, they don’t understand.  Another benefit of the seating chart is that I can use my it to cold call learners, especially the disruptive ones, if no one volunteers. None of this is necessarily surprising but teaching is tough.

On another note, one of the male learners said to me “you call us nigger in America, don’t you?” It was a question, not necessarily aggressive, but kind of passive, aggressive. It felt like a challenge. I said it was very disrespectful to use that word. It is not part of my vocabulary and I never say it. He said others do. I said some do but most don’t. My friends and family do not and then I asked another math question. The next day he came to me and apologized. He said he was being disrespectful and trying to upset me. I admire the care and character he showed in apologizing to me.

“No brainer” has entered the vocabulary of my learners, along with ‘oopsie’ (shout out to Susie P for making that part of my vocabulary). I had them skip a section because I knew they understood it already. When they asked why we were skipping it, I said it’s a no-brainer for this class. They asked if it meant ‘easy’ and I said yes. They got a kick out of that.

I took a short video of my classroom but I can’t seem to include it. I will include photos another day.

My school is on a 7-day cycle not a 5-day cycle. This means that last week was days 1-5 and Monday, Tuesday of this week are days 6 and 7. Learners may be absent several days, usually Fridays and/or Mondays for weddings, funerals, and other family events. With a 5-day cycle they would miss the same day 5 (Friday) classes (or day 1 Mondays) more often. With a 7-day cycle, the missed days are more evenly distributed. Our first cycle was on a provisional timetable and we start a new timetable tomorrow, day 1. It makes sense when it is explained but it is difficult keeping track of the teaching day and class schedules.

Besides trying to learn over 200 learners’ names, I am not exaggerating since there are 35-40 learners in each class and I have four 8^th grade classes (A, B, C, D), one 9^th grade, and one 11^th grade, I am trying to get ahead on lesson plans and fine tune classroom management. I am mostly satisfied with my progress, but it is a steep learning curve. As far as learner names, I have a little advantage because I teach Physical Science to the 8C and 8D classes, then I have the same learners again for Art (only once a week) and then I have some from 8C and 8D for the Computer Studies class. There are 2 days in the cycle when I see those 8^th graders three times in one day. I hope I can keep their interest.

The learners seem to understand me better than I understand them. Unovina says I can call her Uno and Katjikonde says I can call her KK. One young man was trying to tell me a method of recording data. Some had already said “tally sheet”, “filling in a pre-made chart”, “taking photos or video”. All I could understand him saying was something like “raw nose”. After trying over and over, I asked him to write it for me – rough notes. Ah ha! I felt like such an idiot, but they were happy I finally understood.

Today is my last born’s birthday. I cannot believe it has been 37 years since I first saw his smiling face. Happy birthday, Sal!

Here are a couple photos from the Sotte Sokkie, roughly translates as the Fool’s Sock Hop. The video wouldn’t download so this is all I have.

• 

•