More on Teaching in Tanzania

Somethings are the same everywhere. Last week as students lined up to file into the classroom for a test, they were required to roll up their sleeves, pull out their pockets, and open their pencil cases (for the few who have such things)so that the supervising teacher could make sure they hadn't prepared any testing aides. I remember doing that at Mission High school where I worked as a teacher's assistant many, many moons ago.

It's always a challenge to prepare lessons when you are limited to a chalkboard for the most part, but there are other frustrations of teaching in Tanzania as well. Students, for one, are not used to our interactive, communicative methodology. They primarily learn English through rote memorization and grammar drills, so when I put them in groups or pairs to brainstorm a topic, discuss an issue, or analyze a reading, they are confused about what is required of them. This lack of preparedness or independence impacts their ability to perform on the national exams they have to take, so it's not surprising that only about 28% (according to an article I read in the newspaper) earn high enough scores to continue their educations. I graded the papers of Form 2 students who take national exams at the end of october and was floored to see that only about 5 our of 42 passed the grammar portion of the exam.

Then there is the annoying practice of students standing up whenever they answer or ask a question. When I do quick questions to practice a grammar point, students are constantly popping up and down to participate. I want to tell them to sit through the exercise, but worry that the faculty will complain that we spoil the students and not invite mzungu volunteers back.

The class schedule has been Really flexible for the past two weeks, and so we haven't taught much as classes were cancelled first for working in the shamba picking corn, then for preparing the school for their first graduation, then two of the levels went home for a week to collect their school fees for next year, and they have trickled back this week, so we have had about half of the students in class this week. I only have two more weeks here, so I anxious about getting things done. One class and I are making a movie of St. Theresia which Nick and I and one other person will use to recruit pen pals for students in the first three forms. I have been staying late to work on this project with them, but it has actually been a lot of fun. This week they are writing scripts and figuring out what photos and video footage and music they need and we will start filming next week. I'll put together the movie when I get to Morocco, which is in three weeks I think!!!