My last few weeks of observing are coming up which means I’ll soon be expected to start co-planning and co-teaching regularly!  I’m still trying to figure out a good weekly schedule that will allow me to work with a few different teachers everyday (and maybe another one on a weekly basis).  As of right now, my main grades will be 5 and 6 with some special appearances in lower grades. 

I’ve started three classes in writing letters to pen pals already – two grade 3 classes, and one grade 6—and will continue to pop into their classes when we receive responses from their American pen pals!  After introducing the idea of writing to American kids in one grade 3 classroom, one of the boys got very excited and said (in Tagalog) that he hopes he can marry his pen pal someday!  His teacher and I had a pretty good laugh about that one; we might have to screen his letters.

I’ve found a few programs and organizations that other Volunteers have used to acquire books for their schools and I’ve started some preliminary soliciting.  I had heard that things take longer to happen here and I’ve run into my first delay… printing!  Since our e-classroom has been more or less shut down over the past few weeks (they’re redoing the roof and the air con is broken, no fans), there’s no printer there anymore.  There’s a printer in the main office but only one person is “authorized” to use it and I can never find her, and I haven’t yet come across an internet shop in my town.  Basically, I have to go to the mall in Naga for a sure fire place to print.  Luckily, our PSDS (Public Schools District Supervisor) was kind enough to print a few things for me today, but he’s a busy man who is not always around.  

As rare as reliable printers are here, don’t even think about asking for a copier!  Our school doesn’t have one so it’s off to the mall if I ever need copies!  I can’t help but think about how much I took copiers for granted during my student teaching and subbing experiences!  Teachers can’t just copy a worksheet for students as part of their lessons or makes copies of a homework assignment or activities for when students finish their work early.  Gotta be creative, that’s part of the challenge!

Another challenge I’ve faced lately is something I’m unsure about sharing.  But then I realize that if anyone visited our school, they would see it for themselves as well and I feel fine about making it public.  I’ve been facing a dilemma lately about encouraging kids to go to school.  For instance, sometimes (more often than not lately), my neighbor boys don’t go to school.  They’ll tell me they have a fever or, most recently, they didn’t have any clean clothes to wear to school so they didn’t go.  In the afternoon today, I walked home quickly to get my computer and saw some kids, who I know for sure go to my school, playing basketball and soccer at the plaza instead of being in school.  My first reaction is to question why they’re not in school and encourage them to go to class because it’s so important for them and their future (and because it’s the law).  However, I think about the morning I just had at school:  I arrive at school and while on my way to observe one teacher, a student from a different class zooms out of his classroom and grabs my arm, trying to pull me into his classroom.  I look into a room with 40+ 8 year olds playing, screaming, and running around.  Their teacher is nowhere to be found, she’s not coming in today.  The next door teacher comes over and I find out from her that they’re learning about Adjectives and I BS an hour long lesson on Adjectives so that they have something to do.  In addition, the afternoon brought more teacher-less classrooms with no lesson plans or activities left for the students.

How can I stress to students the importance of going to school and encourage them to go to class, when teachers abandon their classes for reasons like “going to the bank” or “having a doctor’s appointment”?  From what I’ve heard from a few fellow Volunteers, my experiences are not unique or unheard of.  Something has to happen in this culture of education and it has to start with the teachers.

P.S. The other night when I got home after dark (after a long internet-ing session with Hunter at Starbucks), Lola and Joseph were waiting for me by the road.  Joseph in a large t-shirt, no shorts, no shoes and Lola in her house dress, baseball cap and a large stick in her hand.  It was quite the scene and I wish I had had my camera.  No worries, family, I’m definitely being taken care of.  Maybe even a little too much.  For instance, Lola literally follows me around the house with the electric fan at lunch times.  I sit in the sitting area; she points the fan at me.  I move to the table to eat; she redirects the fan to blow on me.  After I eat, I go to the porch to sit and chill; she unplugs the fan and moves it to the front porch outlet.  It’s ridiculous.

P.P.S.  As I’m writing this on the front porch, I’m getting serenaded by a bunch of kids from my street singing me Christmas carols with their homemade shakers (water bottle filled with coins) and empty water bottles to keep the beat.  Oh, and they’re doing the Gangnam Style dance to Jingle Bells… obviously.