More teaching photos

I've posted more pictures on Facebook.  I can't seem to find a way to import them here, sorry about that.  You can see them at: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150717347680495.720815.705840494&l=658be84149


And I also posted a video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jl5ebf3DPN0.


Got to go!  Godspeed.  -Zachar

End of Month One!

“Lovin' Ghana: finished student teaching, now learning my local community's language, getting ready to spend the next 4 weeks on the road doing on-site language study, school/counterpart orientation, HIV/AIDS project prep, and moving into my new house!!!”

This was my FB status update just now, let me take a minute to expand on it.  (Lesson to be learned: pre-prepare posts before coming to the internet café!!!)  So I think I was successful in posting a reflection about my time at practicum so you’ve got an idea of how that went.  The intensive language study hasn’t been very intensive because I’ve been sick.  I’ve been sick for 6 days with on and off a high fever and headache that goes all the way into my neck.  Today is a good day however and I think I might be over the hump.  I know I don’t have malaria because we did a test for that.  Maybe it was stress/heat/environmentally related, I don’t know.  Hopefully its over though because it’s going to make the next 4 weeks of travel crazy difficult if it isn’t.

So besides language school we’ve still been doing some seminar days and teacher prep.  We work on Saturdays too and that leaves Sunday for church and laundry.  This coming Sunday we’ll be traveling to another site to do immersion language training.  I’m really looking forward to this because I can use all the intensity and help I can get.  Even though I’ll be able to teach in English, it is quite clear that outside of school – or even in the teacher’s lounge – the local language reigns, as it should.  After a week of language study then we meet with and do a school/counterpart orientation with the actual headmaster (principal) and coteacher from the school we’re going to.  After a week of formalities together then I get to go visit my site!  I get to move into my house and see my school.  I’m so lucky that I’ll be replacing a current PCV because he’ll be able to show me the ropes before he leaves at the end of July.  He’s leaving me a sweet house and bikes.  I’m really looking forward to being able to get a taste of the real thing.  After that in the fourth week of travel we attend a special HIV/AIDS project training that US AID is sponsoring called PEPFAR.  I don’t know what will be expected of me but I’ll be glad to participate.  After four weeks of travel we return “home” to Kukurantumi and our homestay for three weeks and then we’re sworn in on August 30th!!!  It’ll happen that fast!  If the last month is telling, time will fly and days will feel like weeks and weeks like months.

My time is up at the café right now so I must run.  You can see pictures from the last few weeks here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150717347680495.720815.705840494&l=658be84149

Godspeed.  -Zachar

Ending Practicum

Today, Thursday, June 30, 2011 (when I’m writing this), was my last day of practicum teaching at OPASS JHS.  Four of us PCVTs (T for Trainee) were assigned to OPASS to teach all the Mathematics (called Maths here, yes with the S) and Integrated Science classes to the Form 1 (sixth grade) and Form 2 (seventh grade) students for two weeks time.  I think Spencer, Adam, Stephanie, and I made a great team.  I was so thankful to have them around to be able to vent to about things that were bothering me.  For example, trying to teach diffusion of light into its spectrum without access to a prism or teaching “basic” electronics, i.e. multi-vibrating oscillating circuits (flashing LED lights), without access to any circuit board, electric components, or lab.  Pretty much all there is here is the teacher and the blackboard (which is really some black paint on brick).  I think we were a huge success however and are now “prepared” for our permanent assignments as teachers.  Not that 2 weeks is all you need to be trained to be a good teacher, but our training, evaluation, and practice was intense and amazing.  I feel ready enough and very excited to begin teaching from the beginning of the school year so I can learn all my student’s names (there wasn’t any way I was going to memorize 60 names in each of my classes this week).  I feel confident with my classroom management and discipline.  I will slowly get the hang of changing my English so I'm more easily understood and at the same time figure out how to coax my students to speech up so I can hear them.  All in all, it was an amazing two weeks and no we're moving onto intensive language study.  I will try to post pictures of my time at OPASS too.  Godspeed.  -Zachar