Thursday, March 10, 2011

Let the Teaching Begin

It's the start of a new year which in Namibia also signifies the start of a new school year and the beginning to the reason I came here in the first place. I had many questions and some anxieties on my mind. What will I teach? What will my learners be like? Will they even understand me?

I came back to Sangwali a few days before the teacher's were to report to school to spend time with the host family and hoping to get settled into my new home. I was welcomed back to the homestead by a big hug from both of the boys and a plate of food from the parents. While re-exploring the village, I scoped out the school to see what my housing situation would be. Unfortunately the construction still isn't done so looks like I'll be living at the homestead for another few months. Don't mind too much though. The family is extremely gracious and gives me plenty of personal space.

The first day for teacher's arrived quickly and I headed to school not quite sure what to expect. Is it just meetings? Will I find out my classes? Do I get to plan lessons?  Not quite. Instead it was a mob learners and parents waiting to register for school and none of the school staff seemed even remotely prepared for it. After a brief huddle a plan was formulated and we sprung into action registering. Things proceeded at the a sloths pace getting all 360 learners registered but at least things were getting done. The registering went on well into the first week of classes and I still had no idea what classes I would teach. At last the class assignment meeting came and I got the answer I had been waiting for. Two grade 11 biology, one grade 11 math class, and a couple of PE classes. Math, cool. Older learners, great. But, biology, yikes! I haven't taken a biology classes since my freshman year in high school and it was the only class got a C in, ever!

Once classes were settled upon the teaching could commence. Spent the first few days in the classroom getting to know each other. They were very curious and had many questions about me and America. They were shocked to hear I am only 24 since I'm only a couple years older than most of them! And in this time my fear of there being a language barrier evaporated. These older learners have a far better understanding of English than the younger grades in some of the teaching horror stories I'd heard. Learning their names did prove challenging. Not only was I learning their faces but I was also learning names entirely foreign to me like Litokwandambo, Manyando, and Kanyanso.

I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed those first few days. I had a year to plan, a grading system to devise, and Namibian procedures to adjust to all the while teaching classes! But just took it one day at a time, and once I got through the initial class setup I could step back and take a few breathes. It sure does feel good to be busy
again.