I asked Julianna what the protocol was for students who did not complete their homework and she told me that besides keeping them in over recess or lunch break (a usual one for North America), I could have them kneel for the time it takes the rest of the class to go over the assignment, or to cane them. It is a good thing I am not here for too long. The students will quickly realize that my strategies are a little "soft" compared to those of their usual teachers!
We also spoke about the issues of allergies and learning disorders. Julianna visited the "sister" school in the UK on a teacher exchange. She was astounded by the number of children with learning disabilities as well as allergies, saying that learning dysfunction is infrequent here (in classes of 65-70 students, how could you begin to manage our ratios?) from her experience and that allergies are just non existent. I am only quoting one source here (one with 35 years teaching mind you), and realize that there must be many students who just fall through the proverbial cracks, but it makes you think, especially about the allergies, if we have become such a clean society that our children's bodies come into the world with weaker immune systems and predispositions to environmental sensitivity. I even notice the difference in their nursery school children; they are all running around with a sense of independence and physical toughness we are just not accustomed to seeing in our children of that age.
I spent the entire day, after sleeping in (can't sleep in too late or it's becomes like trying to sleep in a tent in the direct sunlight- an easy-bake oven), lesson planning for the 2 week mad dash before exams; trying to make some headway with my French classes who seem to struggle with the very basics and how to create science (human anatomy- body system no less) lessons for grades 5 and 6 who can barely speak English. I also had to shake myself in realizing that I can't create tests like I normally would (i.e. label the diagram etc...) because I can't print them (no printer here and besides, would they anyway, for classes of 60+ kids in this economy?). I will have to write out all the questions (and draw my diagrams) on the board and the students write the answers in their exercise books (how one prevents cheating in such a crammed class, with some students sitting 3 to a desk, is beyond me).
Another discussion topic: buying property and building houses. I had noticed that there are so so many unfinished houses everywhere and asked why. It seems that property is cheap ($2500 for an acre or $4000 Ghanaian cedis) if you aren't looking at buying in the major centres. The most people can borrow for a loan is about $5000, so they borrow the money, buy the land, then slowly pay back the loan over, say 2 years, then get another, start the building of the house until the money runs out, pay that off over another 2 years and so on... and WE think building a house takes a long time!
Off to bed. Church tomorrow. It's a big "to do" with an anniversary celebration of some sort at the main Presbyterian Church in Kumasi hosting all the local churches... I feel like I am repeating myself. I probably already mentioned this. I am not certain if the service will be done in Twi only or have some English but I do hope it is not too hot and I can stay awake, considering it will be a long one I'm sure (like I've said before, they don't rush much here).
Link to photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/kpedicelli/CookingLessonsWithJulianna?feat=directlink
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