So I’ve spent the last 10 days or so in Iganga for SESEMAT training. I actually have no clue what SESEMAT stands for, but it’s put on by the Ministry of Sports and Education in partnership with JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) which is the Japanese equivalent of Peace Corps. There were 148 teachers from all over the area that were there for the 3rd in a 6-cycle training. They were kind enough to let me jump in during the 3rd cycle, as the 1st cycle isn’t being offered till the next holiday (August). We split up into subject groups early on and spent most of the time going over various topics in the curriculum. We discussed the material, tried out some hands on activities and then came up with a lesson plan for the material. We got to try out the lessons on some willing volunteers from local schools who came for some experimental lessons on their holidays. We tried the lesson once, then met and critiqued it – discussing what went well, ideas for improvement, etc. Then, another teacher gave the improved lesson to a new group of students in the afternoon.
The two main topics we covered were genetics and support and movement. I learned so much about bones – I’m not sure I’ve ever looked at vertebrae that closely. We looked at the articulating surfaces where the ribs join, and it was a lot of fun trying to piece together the skeletons (mostly goat and chicken, I think). Then we went out and looked at this plant, Mimosa pudica, or sensitive plant. When you touch it, it moves! It folds up its leaves, so it looks like an unappetizing, dried-up plant. Pretty cool.
Genetics was another matter though. It’s not taught until 11th/12th grade here, so it becomes a big challenge to teach DNA structure, Mendelian genetics, and even some non-Mendelian genetics all within about 4 weeks or so. It’s been interesting to see the differences in the structure of biology education here versus the US. A big one is the focus on content opposed to concepts. But sometimes more challenging is how different the structure of the curriculum is. My learning of biology was based on knowing the structure of proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids (DNA), moving from there to cell structure and function, and then onto reproduction, genetics, evolution, ecology. Or something like that. Here there’s more focus on classification, structures of plants and animals, reproduction, nutrition, the bigger picture biology in some ways. Which makes sense in a very agriculturally-based society, it’s just hard for me to adapt and figure out new ways of teaching material. I’ve realized that I default to how I was taught, which isn’t useful when teaching students with completely different educational backgrounds.
It’s not that one system is better than another – they’re just different. Okay, I like the concept-based approach, but I’m really interested to learn more about how the curriculum is organized. It’s just challenging to restructure how biology ideas are organized in my head….
Anyways, I haven’t had much luck with internet due to busy days, and the inadvisability of traveling at night. I’m borrowing another PCV’s computer who is being kind enough to let me use his internet. I’m headed back to site today, and am honestly looking forward to getting home. Which is a nice feeling.
The term starts on Monday, though the students will be in beginning of term exams for a week or so. So, my co-teacher and I will start lesson planning on Monday. Then things should start getting pretty busy. I’m looking forward to having classes to teach. That’s about it for now. Hopefully it won’t be so long until the next post…
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Saturday, May 2, 2009
I have a home!
So, it’s been a long time. I’m finally at site, and loving it! I’m at a large secondary school of over 1,000 students in S.1 through S.6. It’s near the main road and a town, so it’s not far from transport, or food. I have a mango tree in my front yard, a view of the soccer pitch, wonderful neighbors, electricity, a flush toilet, and ‘running’ water. The tank that supplies my water is refilled everyday by three men who bicycle 15+ 20L jerry cans from the bore hole, and then pull them up about 4m using a rope and dump them into the tank. So, I’m trying to avoid using the tap for anything but flushing the toilet and bathing. Though, I’m going to get another jerry can and try to just use the water for the toilet. As I don’t want to do them out of a job, I may just ask them to fill a jerry can a day. Then at least they don’t have to lift it all the way up there.
I love my house and my neighbors. I’m living in the guest house, which has been built through additions over the years. There are two other teachers living in the main section of the house (my section was a later addition, I think). One, Christine, teaches Christian religious education (CRE) and history, and has become my morning running buddy. She is from Teso (Soroti and Kumi area) and speaks 5 languages! The other teacher, Rita, has 3? children at home at the moment, two young boys (Fred and Jerry) and a girl in S.5?, Gladys (sp?). Just across the way is Mr. Okot who lives with his two daughters, Jennifer (S.5?) and Barbara (S.3?), twin sons Michael and Dickens (Dick) and a nephew (who’s name I feel horrible for not remembering, but I think he’s in S.5 or S.6). Oh, and Derek, a boy who’s family lives in town and who goes to school in Jinja, but he’s home for the holiday. He loves books, doesn’t matter what they’re about – history, health, biology, Lusoga - he just sits and reads and asks questions. And he speaks very good English (he said his father got him a dictionary when he was younger and he’s been doing ten words a day since, which made me feel bad about my 5 Lusoga words a day). The catch with there being about 40+ languages/dialects within Uganda and teachers going where they’re put by the government is that most teachers don’t speak Lusoga (Lawrence speaks Luwo, and Christine Ateso). So, Derek has been very helpful in teaching me some Lusoga. As have Rita and Christine, who do speak Lusoga, though not fluently.
The school is on holiday at the moment, though some of the teams – netball, soccer (both girls teams!!!!) and chorus are around practicing. The soccer team left early this morning for a tournament, and the netball girls go sometime in June. Also, the S.4, S.5, and S.6 classes (who are rapidly approaching the national exams given in November of S.4 and S.6) are around for optional study session. At least, some of the students are. So, the school isn’t too quiet, and I’m getting a relaxed introduction to teachers, students, staff, and the town.
The town is relatively decent-sized. There are some gas stations, a small food market,and a large market (think flea-market, with food, clothes, household items, etc.) on Tuesdays. Everyone has been so nice, though I’m much more comfortable talking to the women. The conversations rarely last long (my Lusoga needs a lot more work before I can hold an intelligent conversation), but I’m slowly getting better. The children help a lot – I have a following of 5-25 every time I walk through town, and one of the shop keepers sits me down when I visit and teaches me a few new words. Friday she gave me an avocado. That’s something I’ve noticed here. Even people who don’t have much will give so much. My first night at site I was served a delicious meal, and given tea, coffee, bread and butter – just to start me off. The other night Fred came over with some greens Rita had made. Gladys brought me a chapatti she made one night, and another night Fred brought me mushroom soup he’d made from a mushroom he found (he knows what he’s doing – it was delicious!). Elizabeth, the office assistant, sent me a bag of avocados from her tree and Evely (sp?), the school accountant, is providing me with milk from her cow. Which, after much protestation, I’ve been assured I will not be paying for (it should be about 20 cents/day for the 500mL).
Speaking of which, I made cheese! Okay, so it was completely by accident, but it tasted almost like ricotta and was delicious. The milk come fresh every evening, and I usually boil it, have a cup with some spices (pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, basically Chai, yummy!) and then make oatmeal with the rest the next morning. Well, I wasn’t in the mood for tea, so I left the milk during the day, and then without thinking about it, poured in the new milk and put it on the stove to boil. Not long after starting to cook it had completely separated. I tasted it, and it didn’t taste sour, so I pulled out the PC/U cookbook and looked up how to make cheese – first steps accomplished! I just let it cook a little longer, drained it through cheese cloth (luckily such strainers are common for making passion fruit juice), squished it a bit, and ate it with greens and avocado. Delicious!
That’s about it for now – more later. There’s a SESEMAT training in Iganga in May, so I’ll have a more reliable internet connection, at least for a little bit. I hope everyone is well, and many apologies for not writing more. Oh, and many, many apologies for my horrible grammar...
I have an address!
Rebecca Poore
P.O. Box 136
Busembatia, Uganda
I love my house and my neighbors. I’m living in the guest house, which has been built through additions over the years. There are two other teachers living in the main section of the house (my section was a later addition, I think). One, Christine, teaches Christian religious education (CRE) and history, and has become my morning running buddy. She is from Teso (Soroti and Kumi area) and speaks 5 languages! The other teacher, Rita, has 3? children at home at the moment, two young boys (Fred and Jerry) and a girl in S.5?, Gladys (sp?). Just across the way is Mr. Okot who lives with his two daughters, Jennifer (S.5?) and Barbara (S.3?), twin sons Michael and Dickens (Dick) and a nephew (who’s name I feel horrible for not remembering, but I think he’s in S.5 or S.6). Oh, and Derek, a boy who’s family lives in town and who goes to school in Jinja, but he’s home for the holiday. He loves books, doesn’t matter what they’re about – history, health, biology, Lusoga - he just sits and reads and asks questions. And he speaks very good English (he said his father got him a dictionary when he was younger and he’s been doing ten words a day since, which made me feel bad about my 5 Lusoga words a day). The catch with there being about 40+ languages/dialects within Uganda and teachers going where they’re put by the government is that most teachers don’t speak Lusoga (Lawrence speaks Luwo, and Christine Ateso). So, Derek has been very helpful in teaching me some Lusoga. As have Rita and Christine, who do speak Lusoga, though not fluently.
The school is on holiday at the moment, though some of the teams – netball, soccer (both girls teams!!!!) and chorus are around practicing. The soccer team left early this morning for a tournament, and the netball girls go sometime in June. Also, the S.4, S.5, and S.6 classes (who are rapidly approaching the national exams given in November of S.4 and S.6) are around for optional study session. At least, some of the students are. So, the school isn’t too quiet, and I’m getting a relaxed introduction to teachers, students, staff, and the town.
The town is relatively decent-sized. There are some gas stations, a small food market,and a large market (think flea-market, with food, clothes, household items, etc.) on Tuesdays. Everyone has been so nice, though I’m much more comfortable talking to the women. The conversations rarely last long (my Lusoga needs a lot more work before I can hold an intelligent conversation), but I’m slowly getting better. The children help a lot – I have a following of 5-25 every time I walk through town, and one of the shop keepers sits me down when I visit and teaches me a few new words. Friday she gave me an avocado. That’s something I’ve noticed here. Even people who don’t have much will give so much. My first night at site I was served a delicious meal, and given tea, coffee, bread and butter – just to start me off. The other night Fred came over with some greens Rita had made. Gladys brought me a chapatti she made one night, and another night Fred brought me mushroom soup he’d made from a mushroom he found (he knows what he’s doing – it was delicious!). Elizabeth, the office assistant, sent me a bag of avocados from her tree and Evely (sp?), the school accountant, is providing me with milk from her cow. Which, after much protestation, I’ve been assured I will not be paying for (it should be about 20 cents/day for the 500mL).
Speaking of which, I made cheese! Okay, so it was completely by accident, but it tasted almost like ricotta and was delicious. The milk come fresh every evening, and I usually boil it, have a cup with some spices (pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, basically Chai, yummy!) and then make oatmeal with the rest the next morning. Well, I wasn’t in the mood for tea, so I left the milk during the day, and then without thinking about it, poured in the new milk and put it on the stove to boil. Not long after starting to cook it had completely separated. I tasted it, and it didn’t taste sour, so I pulled out the PC/U cookbook and looked up how to make cheese – first steps accomplished! I just let it cook a little longer, drained it through cheese cloth (luckily such strainers are common for making passion fruit juice), squished it a bit, and ate it with greens and avocado. Delicious!
That’s about it for now – more later. There’s a SESEMAT training in Iganga in May, so I’ll have a more reliable internet connection, at least for a little bit. I hope everyone is well, and many apologies for not writing more. Oh, and many, many apologies for my horrible grammar...
I have an address!
Rebecca Poore
P.O. Box 136
Busembatia, Uganda
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