Workshop Part Deux

Tuesday Jason invited Froudauld and I over to his house for dinner. We arrived in the dark because the power had gone out across the entire town. As I was walking, I almost past his house because I could hardly see where I was going. The night was clear but there wasn’t a full moon so I had to use my cell phone light. I am getting surprisingly good and seeing in the dark. I even ran into my egg lady who asked, “Ugeyehe?” (Where are you going?) Of course I couldn’t remember how to reply in Kinyarwanda so I replied in French – “Chez Jason.” And then I actioned the word tall and said “muzungu”. She got it. Dinner was pasta was a cheese sauce. Cheese! I know! I’m not a cheese lover but it was a nice change. He bought it in Uganda 3 weeks ago and did you know that if you rub cheese with garlic it will keep without au fridge for a long time? Neither did I. We talked to Froduald about the district and the how everything is organized. He has such a keen mind for education that it is refreshing. Often here, administrators of education have no teaching experience. He does and it shows. Frodauld walked me back and by this time the power had come back on and we could see where we were going.

Wednesday morning I had another workshop. This one had double the attendance of the one on Monday. I had made some improvements on the workshop and as a result I think this one went a lot better. It’s like any lesson, I suppose. We make all of our mistakes the first time and by the fifth time we teach about Lenin’s New Economic Policy, we actually understand how it differs from Stalin’s Five Year Plans…..(Oh how I remember!) This was the first time in a while that I felt like I was teaching. I was EXHAUSTED!!! I have forgotten what it was like to do this all day, every day. It is exhilarating but challenging. 

Jean Paul leads us in a game of "Simon Says"

Encouraging listening skills: five students act out different illnesses. I read a passage that describes two of the characters and the "students" figure out which one is which. There were some great actors. 

Structured dialogue and sketches to encourage children to speak in the classroom. Now, children are not very active in the classroom and do not speak enough.

Doctor: "What is the matter?"

Patient: "I have a head ache."

Doctor: "I can help you. Please sit down."

Two of the actors got really creative!

Doctor: "What is the matter?"

Patient: "I have a stomach ache."

Doctor: "I can help you. Give me money!"

That got the group laughing!