A New Horizon

Student teaching has now begun.  The final step of my journey towards becoming a teacher is taking me places I have always dreamed of going.  I am excited to complete this semester, knowing it will be difficult, tiresome, worthwhile, and very rewarding. 

Today, I was able to visit my school and students for the first time.  Being that it was a Friday, the students were very energetic and ecstatic about meeting me.  To begin, I will explain a bit about the school itself. 

Upon entering the gate of the school, there are 5 brick buildings, each long and rectangular consisting of four classrooms and a small office area.  Four of the buildings are arranged in a square shape, while the fifth sticks off the side.  In the center is a courtyard, partly covered with ripping tarps, with a brick water area, with 2 spickets for water.  When students need a drink, they run outside and get one from the spicket.   Now everywhere you look is brown dirt, so dry and dusty since no rain has come to the area since January.  Behind one building there are some tires, and a few toys built.  Behind another is a garden area with many vegetables growing.  The gardener has a fulltime position at the school, as well as a few women who work in the “tack” shop.  This is a little shack where students can come and buy traditional food for lunch, or buy some snacks that are supplied to them.  Behind another building is the cooking hut, where women build fires and cook the traditional food in pots outside.  In this building there are 2 toilets.  The fifth building has some classrooms, but also has a second story build for the library, computer center, and offices.  There are also boys, girls, and staff bathroom on the first floor. 

Inside the classroom, there is a chalkboard, a teacher’s desk, and chairs and tables for the students.  The floor is old tile, and is very slippery to walk on.  I actually on this first day, it caused quite the laughter, but thankfully I was able to laugh, too.

By the end of this first day, I’m tired.  I’m pretty overwhelmed and nervous about what is going to come.  So many things are different here.  The behavior management is nothing like in the US.  In fact almost everything I observed today goes against anything we have been told in class.  Planning seems to be nonexistent, supplies are very limited, and teachers are content if their students are just keeping busy.

I am curious to see how this all plays out in the next few weeks, but I am excited to get to know more about this school and learn more about my students!