Over the past two weeks, we have been practicum teaching at a local primary school. These two weeks have been extremely beneficial and informative but also completely exhausting. I would attend my Afan Oromo language class from 8am-12, go home for lunch with my host family, teach and/or observe teaching from 1:30-3:30, then lesson plan and prepare teaching materials for the following day in the evening. We taught English classes for grades 2-5. It was a lot of fun but very challenging. The students were generally eager to learn and to participate in class. Classroom management and instruction was especially difficult in the lower grades where I could only communicate in English, and these students know very little English. In the beginning, it was difficult to prepare lessons without really knowing the levels of the students in each grade.
As the two weeks went on, I learned that even if I thought I was speaking slowly and clearly, it probably wasn't clear enough for these students for whom English is their second or possibly third language. Speaking slowly is certainly something I can appreciate myself as I struggle to understand people who talk to me in rapid-fire Amharic or Afan Oromo. I also learned the importance of modeling and demonstrating the behaviors I wanted the students to perform. Classrooms in Ethiopia are generally teacher-focused. The teacher stands at the front of the class and lectures for 40 minutes while the students copy from the board into their exercise books. There is also a lot of memorization and not a lot of independent thought. For example, during the first week of practicum, we co-taught. My teaching partner, Joe and I taught a 4th grade class where we brought in a map of Ethiopia, a map of the U.S., and a map of the world. We wanted to teach the students some words to describe directions. We focused on near and far from and some different landmarks in our town of Sagure. Joe and I had each drawn a map of the town, labeling our homes, and our intention was for the students to draw their homes and neighborhoods. Every student in the class ended up copying our maps rather than creating their own. We could not figure out how to communicate to them they were not to copy ours, but make their own.
These two weeks of teaching has absolutely given me a new appreciation for all teachers, especially those who teach in a foreign language and for those who teach with tattered, ineffective textbooks, limited training, and few resources.
So there are some really cool things about this experience so far, learning a new language is exciting and challenging. Observing a new culture is interesting. Meeting really awesome fellow Peace Corps volunteers has been a blessing. There are also a lot of things that really suck about this experience. Missing family and friends is tough. Dreaming about American food that I can't have is a bummer. Being eaten alive by fleas and/or bedbugs is pretty gross. Not being able to leave my house without feeling like a zoo attraction with people calling out to me, stopping what they're doing to just stare as I walk by, kids throwing rocks supposedly to get my attention-- that's all exhausting. All of that being said, one thing that is sure to make any day better is getting mail from home! A simple card, letter or package from home just brings a smile to my face and brightens a tough day. I have new address in Ambo, so you can send things there from now on. P.O. Box 406 Ambo, Ethiopia
Trust me, cards and letters are enough, but if you're so inclined to send a package here are some suggestions:
1. Flat rate boxes from the post office are probably the most cost-effective way to go. The small boxes ship for about $17, the medium for $35, and the large for $60.
2. You can send up to 20 lbs. for the flat rate, so pack those boxes full in order to get your moneys worth!
3. Don't waste space with a lot of paper or bubble wrap unless you are sending something very breakable.
4. Don't send anything too expensive- there is a chance it may not make it to me. So far, though I have been receiving mail without any problems.
5. Make sure the post office stamps 'Airmail'
6. Send post cards in envelopes, otherwise they'll probably be stolen before they make it to me.
Some package suggestions:
Yummy snacks- not all junk food though (just some! :))
Small bottles of hand sanitizer
Baby wipes
Crystal light
Anything that can be cooked by just adding water- pasta, oatmeal, etc
magazines/a new book
cds/ dvds
anything else you think I might like!
I should be able to post some pics once I have my own internet connection in a few weeks, so stay tuned!
As the two weeks went on, I learned that even if I thought I was speaking slowly and clearly, it probably wasn't clear enough for these students for whom English is their second or possibly third language. Speaking slowly is certainly something I can appreciate myself as I struggle to understand people who talk to me in rapid-fire Amharic or Afan Oromo. I also learned the importance of modeling and demonstrating the behaviors I wanted the students to perform. Classrooms in Ethiopia are generally teacher-focused. The teacher stands at the front of the class and lectures for 40 minutes while the students copy from the board into their exercise books. There is also a lot of memorization and not a lot of independent thought. For example, during the first week of practicum, we co-taught. My teaching partner, Joe and I taught a 4th grade class where we brought in a map of Ethiopia, a map of the U.S., and a map of the world. We wanted to teach the students some words to describe directions. We focused on near and far from and some different landmarks in our town of Sagure. Joe and I had each drawn a map of the town, labeling our homes, and our intention was for the students to draw their homes and neighborhoods. Every student in the class ended up copying our maps rather than creating their own. We could not figure out how to communicate to them they were not to copy ours, but make their own.
These two weeks of teaching has absolutely given me a new appreciation for all teachers, especially those who teach in a foreign language and for those who teach with tattered, ineffective textbooks, limited training, and few resources.
So there are some really cool things about this experience so far, learning a new language is exciting and challenging. Observing a new culture is interesting. Meeting really awesome fellow Peace Corps volunteers has been a blessing. There are also a lot of things that really suck about this experience. Missing family and friends is tough. Dreaming about American food that I can't have is a bummer. Being eaten alive by fleas and/or bedbugs is pretty gross. Not being able to leave my house without feeling like a zoo attraction with people calling out to me, stopping what they're doing to just stare as I walk by, kids throwing rocks supposedly to get my attention-- that's all exhausting. All of that being said, one thing that is sure to make any day better is getting mail from home! A simple card, letter or package from home just brings a smile to my face and brightens a tough day. I have new address in Ambo, so you can send things there from now on. P.O. Box 406 Ambo, Ethiopia
Trust me, cards and letters are enough, but if you're so inclined to send a package here are some suggestions:
1. Flat rate boxes from the post office are probably the most cost-effective way to go. The small boxes ship for about $17, the medium for $35, and the large for $60.
2. You can send up to 20 lbs. for the flat rate, so pack those boxes full in order to get your moneys worth!
3. Don't waste space with a lot of paper or bubble wrap unless you are sending something very breakable.
4. Don't send anything too expensive- there is a chance it may not make it to me. So far, though I have been receiving mail without any problems.
5. Make sure the post office stamps 'Airmail'
6. Send post cards in envelopes, otherwise they'll probably be stolen before they make it to me.
Some package suggestions:
Yummy snacks- not all junk food though (just some! :))
Small bottles of hand sanitizer
Baby wipes
Crystal light
Anything that can be cooked by just adding water- pasta, oatmeal, etc
magazines/a new book
cds/ dvds
anything else you think I might like!
I should be able to post some pics once I have my own internet connection in a few weeks, so stay tuned!
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