The morning started off well – both water and electric working. Okay, tha may be an exaggeration but the power had been off for a few days last week and I left for the night when it was still off. I came home Sunday (and just about everything I had had dead batteries) but it was on!! So was the water! Well, the water stopped in the evening but not after I had had a hot (yes HOT) bucket shower! Hot enough to cause their to be steam on the junior-high-locker-sized-mirror. I have not perfected the bucket shower but the heat was so wonderful. I actually felt clean, even if the water still ran brown. IN the morning…the water was on – sort of. There was air in the pipes and water would spurt out in loud gushes. When it did come out I felt like I was in Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory where the rivers run of chocolate and the taps pour chocolate. But instead of rivers and taps of brown, flowing, delicious chocolate is was brown, flowing, dirty water. Eventually it ran less brown (clear does not exist) and I could wash and boil water before I left.
The clouds were grey but I didn’t see any rain coming in the next hour but it’s rainy season so I packed my rain gear anyway. I loaded up 13 copies of the English curriculum for P4-P6 (all 47 pages of it!), some charts I’d made, a first aid kit, water, a snack, my camera, my notes, sticky tack and a sense of humour. (VSO always tells us this is the most important thing to bring with you when coming overseas….) I stepped out at 8am and waited with Chantal for Patrick to arrive. While I was waiting the Executive Secretary of Remera sector walked by and so I greet him and told him where I was going --- in French! “Je vais aller a Mutendeli…” “Your French is getting better!” he said….in English. Patrick arrived and I put on Pink. (I’ve named my motorcycle helmet after the singer…and the colour). Have I mentioned that moto rides are the best part of my job? Through the villages and looking in the deep, distant green valleys. I did not hear one “Muzungu!” as I rode so maybe they are getting used to me. We arrived at Bare and were greeted by Leandre, the warm and welcoming head teacher.
The topic of the workshop was the English Curriculum and Planning. After conducting a needs analysis with head teachers and four schools, I have wanted to integrate those needs into all my workshops. Many teachers said they wanted help with the curriculum, with using the textbook and using more English. So, I began with a Textbook Search – which I always do at home when we start using a new resource. It gives students a chance to “flip” through the book and find out how it is organized and what things they will be learning about. I focused the workshop on breaking the curriculum into the four skills that English should include: Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening. Many Rwandan teachers spend a lot of time on grammar and writing so my aim was to encourage the other three skills as well. I gave sample activities for all skills. When we talked about reading, I emphasized that the teacher should read a passage for students first. Many teachers here are concerned that, as a new language, they would not prounouce the English words correctly. I shared with how when I used to teach the concept of “entrepreneurism” I struggled to say the word properly and that my students would roar with laughter when I tried to say “entrepreneur.” The joke was on them actually because they loved listening to me butcher the word that they began to say things like “Hey, Miss. What’s the person called who is a business owner and takes risks with their money?” They thought they were “tricking” me into saying the word when in reality I had tricked them into learning it. Muu ahh haa haa haa!!! The tricks we play as teachers!
The workshop went well but because it was my first go, I have a few adjustments to make before holding again this month. I had even planned to have a follow – up with these teachers in January where we could share lesson ideas for the four skills. The teachers really wanted to meet early so we booked a day in December.
The day was made even better but the fact that at lunch Leandre invited me to his house with another teacher to have lunch. His mother cooked us goat in plantain with my favourite sauce! It’s tomotoes with nut flour but so great – Mama Leandre’s sauce is the best I’ve had in Rwanda. I’m thinking I may ask her to teach me to cook. The only issue was – and this is forever the case with goat – some pieces were fatty and I could chew them. This was the case with the first piece and I made a bit of scene trying to not swallow gristle. Biting and chewing and leaning to not spill but as I ripped the piece the momentum of my bite flew my head back and sauce everywhere! No problem – I have tissue in my bag. I wipe my mouth and hands and feel that I have sufficiently cleaned myself off. However, (and there always is a ‘however’) as were walking back, Leandre looked at me and said “Do this” as he wiped the tip of his nose. What do I feel but dried Mama Leandre sauce on my nose! I was a bit embarrassed but thanked him for not being one of those people who let you go on looking like a fool all day before telling you that you have spinach or something in your teeth. “Thanks Leandre” I said, to which he replied “Well, teachers should look smart.” As we continued toward the school, we heard shouting and Leandre explained that it was the men raising the roof for the new schools. The community is building four new classrooms to be ready for senior 2 classes to begin in January. As the workshop wound up the rain began to pound down so we were delayed leaving. We just had to wait it out. As soon as it let up, I put on my rain gear and headed home. It was a success!
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