Model School and such

Alright, model school is in full swing now. I am teaching 4 classes a week of biology at a 7th grade level and Aaron is teaching math to the older kids. I don't remember ever taking biology in school, so I have been learning a lot about non-flowering plants. (I'm sorry to biologists out there, but this stuff is boring!)

It seems like the priorities in school here is discipline first, teaching second. We have a lot of rules that we are supposed to enforce in order to keep control of our class. For example, if a student comes late, you do not let them in; if a student's phone rings, take it from them; if a student is being distracting or annoying, kick them out of class, etc. I am actually finding it easier than I thought to be strict in class. I haven't kicked anyone out of class yet but I have yelled at them to shut up (which is totally exceptable here). My first class was with the older kids who aren't as well behaved and only half the class stood up when I entered the room so I told them all to stand and made them wait while I put down my bag, took out my notebook, arranged my chalk, and took a sip of water; then I told them they could sit.

The students seem to be hard workers. If you give them a definition, they will have it memorized by the next class. The trouble is critical thinking: if you ask them to give you the same definition in their own words, they are stumped.

So last week I was talking to Steph (are most devoted blog commenter) and she asked me a really good question and of course I gave her a really lame answer because, like all good questions, you can't think of a good answer until later. I am going to try and answer it now, though. Her question was: what do you like the most about being there?

I think what I like the most is the change of pace and priorities of life here. Right now, I have no idea what the price of gas is, I don't know what the summer fashions are (not that I ever had much style), and I have no idea which young actress is being arrested these days. I feel like despite the new food, clothes, people, language, etc. my life has been simplified. Also, it seems that there is nothing so important that it cannot be postponed for a wedding, baptism, funeral, etc. The sense of community above self, is a new concept for a lot of Americans. It has also been nice to get to know the other volunteers in this setting, without the pretext of our cars, or clothes, or jobs that we left back home. We always joke that if we were to meet in America, we would not recognize each other.

Okay, I think that is better than my original answer which was something about liking this yogurty-millet stuff I get for breakfast sometimes.

In other news, thanks so much to Steven for the package!! You totally made our week, buddy. We will try to sneak some action shots of us teaching this next week to post on the blog.