Sunday, June 19, 2005
It's about schools
Hi everyone,
School has started here, for me on Tuesday 6/14, and for the kids on Mon 6/6.
Tuesday morning I arrived bright and early at 7:00 and most of the kids were already there and busy cleaning the school! They were washing, sweeping, watering, and dusting, and they seemed to be enjoying themselves all the while. At about 7:15 the whole student body assembled in the courtyard for some patriotic singing, pledge, songs of exercise/dance. Even though it was early it was already hot and I was hoping they would let everyone get out of the sun. Kids and teachers did not seem to mind, but I was dripping. There is something about seeing all those kids in their blue and white uniforms singing the national anthem that really is stirring. I think all schools should do it.
All the teachers are conducting preliminary testing for these first two or three weeks, then they will administer the same test in March a few weeks before the end of the year to see if they have made progress. The tests come in a variety of forms, some were teacher made, some looked like some form of standarized test. There are no answer sheets the kids just number their paper and list the letter of their selection. Then they grade them together and read out their score to the teacher. Since students sit 2 or 3 to a desk it is pretty clear that they help each other, but no one seems to mind. Teachers put a lot of stock in these tests. And there are the same kind of standards and such that we have, only it is on a national scale. The president says education is a priority, but, like our wonderful president, doesn't fund it. Teachers are spending their own money, and they don't make that much, on supplies and snacks for the poorest kids. All sounds too familiar.
I have been observing in different levels, so far 3rd, 4th, 5th. There are anywhere from 45 to 52 kids in the class. They must provide all their own materials, and some kids can't afford them, so they have nothing to write on or with. The materials of choice are stacks of small notebooks, about 5x7 and ball point pens. Some kids have crayons, ruler, scissor, most do not. They fill the note books with copying from the board and they don't waste any paper, writing on both sides and on every line. There are 5 classes at each level with section 1 being the high achievers and section 5 the lowest. Teachers make no bones about it when they talk to me - in front of the kids - that this is the lowest section, the kids who can't learn. Age range can be pretty significant with some 11 and 12 year olds in 4th grade. I was watching the 4th grade, section 5 yesterday. They are not in a classroom, but in a room that used to be an auditorium, so at least it is big. But they don't have desks and about 15 kids were still working on the test so she had given a spelling lesson in English to the rest of the class. One kid had been segregated from the group because 'he is different from the rest and he fights with his classmates.' Naturally I tried talking to him and he clearly struggles, unfortunately he doesn't stand a snowballs chance in hell of learning anything. They were looking for words with 'ze' as the final sound and could use their dictionary. There were only a few dictionaries so they worked together, and they worked quietly. When she had kids come up and list the words they had found, the first one was cheeze. Then another child put up squeeze, but he made the q backward and was reprimanded for having a word that was not in the dictionary. So I can see why they want help with English instruction.
Today I observed a Science lesson in 5th grade, 'The Human Reproductive System' We would never be allowed to teach such a graphic lesson without a huge parent outcry - and it was graphic. The kids had to share books and there was a smallish chart on the board for reference. For the most part the kids were on task, and there were 47 in there with only two fans, the teacher had them repeat things many times, they used very explicit vocabulary: circumcision, penis, semen, etc - it was only the male today - but there was a minimal amount of reaction from the kids and boys were seated next to girls sharing books. Couldn't help but compare it to our sex education and the caution we use.
The kids get a big kick out of having an American on campus, I go out at recess time and talk to them. The boys are bolder than the girls, coming up and telling me the name of their friend, not their name.
Still don't know exactly what I am doing, but PC says to observe for the first 3 months. I think I want to begin a story hour and read aloud though, figure it will help with their English which is a big focus.
One thing is nice to see and that is that kids are kids everywhere. They are a little bit more respectful here - a good thing given the size of the classes - but I see kids all the time that remind me of one or another of the kids at home. One little boy is the spitting image of a kid I had in intersession, same size, shape, vacuous _expression. I smile everytime I see him.
Hoping all of you are well as you wind down the year. Take your well earned break, sleep in, and don't get sick,
Patty
School has started here, for me on Tuesday 6/14, and for the kids on Mon 6/6.
Tuesday morning I arrived bright and early at 7:00 and most of the kids were already there and busy cleaning the school! They were washing, sweeping, watering, and dusting, and they seemed to be enjoying themselves all the while. At about 7:15 the whole student body assembled in the courtyard for some patriotic singing, pledge, songs of exercise/dance. Even though it was early it was already hot and I was hoping they would let everyone get out of the sun. Kids and teachers did not seem to mind, but I was dripping. There is something about seeing all those kids in their blue and white uniforms singing the national anthem that really is stirring. I think all schools should do it.
All the teachers are conducting preliminary testing for these first two or three weeks, then they will administer the same test in March a few weeks before the end of the year to see if they have made progress. The tests come in a variety of forms, some were teacher made, some looked like some form of standarized test. There are no answer sheets the kids just number their paper and list the letter of their selection. Then they grade them together and read out their score to the teacher. Since students sit 2 or 3 to a desk it is pretty clear that they help each other, but no one seems to mind. Teachers put a lot of stock in these tests. And there are the same kind of standards and such that we have, only it is on a national scale. The president says education is a priority, but, like our wonderful president, doesn't fund it. Teachers are spending their own money, and they don't make that much, on supplies and snacks for the poorest kids. All sounds too familiar.
I have been observing in different levels, so far 3rd, 4th, 5th. There are anywhere from 45 to 52 kids in the class. They must provide all their own materials, and some kids can't afford them, so they have nothing to write on or with. The materials of choice are stacks of small notebooks, about 5x7 and ball point pens. Some kids have crayons, ruler, scissor, most do not. They fill the note books with copying from the board and they don't waste any paper, writing on both sides and on every line. There are 5 classes at each level with section 1 being the high achievers and section 5 the lowest. Teachers make no bones about it when they talk to me - in front of the kids - that this is the lowest section, the kids who can't learn. Age range can be pretty significant with some 11 and 12 year olds in 4th grade. I was watching the 4th grade, section 5 yesterday. They are not in a classroom, but in a room that used to be an auditorium, so at least it is big. But they don't have desks and about 15 kids were still working on the test so she had given a spelling lesson in English to the rest of the class. One kid had been segregated from the group because 'he is different from the rest and he fights with his classmates.' Naturally I tried talking to him and he clearly struggles, unfortunately he doesn't stand a snowballs chance in hell of learning anything. They were looking for words with 'ze' as the final sound and could use their dictionary. There were only a few dictionaries so they worked together, and they worked quietly. When she had kids come up and list the words they had found, the first one was cheeze. Then another child put up squeeze, but he made the q backward and was reprimanded for having a word that was not in the dictionary. So I can see why they want help with English instruction.
Today I observed a Science lesson in 5th grade, 'The Human Reproductive System' We would never be allowed to teach such a graphic lesson without a huge parent outcry - and it was graphic. The kids had to share books and there was a smallish chart on the board for reference. For the most part the kids were on task, and there were 47 in there with only two fans, the teacher had them repeat things many times, they used very explicit vocabulary: circumcision, penis, semen, etc - it was only the male today - but there was a minimal amount of reaction from the kids and boys were seated next to girls sharing books. Couldn't help but compare it to our sex education and the caution we use.
The kids get a big kick out of having an American on campus, I go out at recess time and talk to them. The boys are bolder than the girls, coming up and telling me the name of their friend, not their name.
Still don't know exactly what I am doing, but PC says to observe for the first 3 months. I think I want to begin a story hour and read aloud though, figure it will help with their English which is a big focus.
One thing is nice to see and that is that kids are kids everywhere. They are a little bit more respectful here - a good thing given the size of the classes - but I see kids all the time that remind me of one or another of the kids at home. One little boy is the spitting image of a kid I had in intersession, same size, shape, vacuous _expression. I smile everytime I see him.
Hoping all of you are well as you wind down the year. Take your well earned break, sleep in, and don't get sick,
Patty
# posted by pverwiel @ 11:31 PM 
