11/14/2001: post 1 of 3 for the day...
it always comes back to 2 things here. it seems like these 2 things are the underlying factor, the motivation for all endeavors undertaken. God and money... not necessarily in that order, either. an often unharmonious – or at least ironic, if not hypocritical – combination. but it always comes back to these two things. Mike, Kay, Nat and i made that observation at our NASTA meeting. to be fair, i think that could be the case any/everywhere.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
pedagogic feedback
11/13/2001:
notes from our "official" feedback meeting with the PPIs [instead of individual feedback, we were brought together as a group of teachers and lectured to on our teaching performance]:
-movement: don’t move unnecessarily (only to check notes and with discipline issues).
-motivation: “clap for him/her,” not appropriate at this level.
-technical terms: should be spelled out on the board but notes need to be dictated.
-dictation & discussion: discuss notes then dictate or dictate and discuss at appropriate intervals but don’t mix too much. keep eye out on students and continue with dictation when about a dozen look up.
-board work: 3 or 4 sections, not too many. write form left to right. subject and topic must be clear and underlined... no wavy lines! [that was directed at me!]. date on upper right corner.
-objectives: should be spelled out at start of lesson and checked at end of lesson in evaluation, not “conclusion” [also directed at me!]. General Objectives are for the entire unit, while Specific Objectives are for individual lessons.
-future reference: it is a reflection of how prepared (or unprepared) you are when you constantly refer to covering material (specifically technical terms/concepts) in future lessons. case in point, my 1st deforestation lesson with 3rd Year. i kept talking about covering Global Warming and Deforestation in the next lessons... either the terms/concepts need not be introduced until they are covered or they need to be covered right then if necessary for that lesson (there are exceptions and this can be done at a minimum).
notes from our "official" feedback meeting with the PPIs [instead of individual feedback, we were brought together as a group of teachers and lectured to on our teaching performance]:
-movement: don’t move unnecessarily (only to check notes and with discipline issues).
-motivation: “clap for him/her,” not appropriate at this level.
-technical terms: should be spelled out on the board but notes need to be dictated.
-dictation & discussion: discuss notes then dictate or dictate and discuss at appropriate intervals but don’t mix too much. keep eye out on students and continue with dictation when about a dozen look up.
-board work: 3 or 4 sections, not too many. write form left to right. subject and topic must be clear and underlined... no wavy lines! [that was directed at me!]. date on upper right corner.
-objectives: should be spelled out at start of lesson and checked at end of lesson in evaluation, not “conclusion” [also directed at me!]. General Objectives are for the entire unit, while Specific Objectives are for individual lessons.
-future reference: it is a reflection of how prepared (or unprepared) you are when you constantly refer to covering material (specifically technical terms/concepts) in future lessons. case in point, my 1st deforestation lesson with 3rd Year. i kept talking about covering Global Warming and Deforestation in the next lessons... either the terms/concepts need not be introduced until they are covered or they need to be covered right then if necessary for that lesson (there are exceptions and this can be done at a minimum).
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
pedagogic interruption
11/13/2001:
early Tuesday morning. more teachers here at school than usual. on account of the PPIs [provincial pedagogic inspectors, i think] here. they observed both of my lessons yesterday... 2nd Year EE and 3rd Year Applied Science. that was fine. all went well. guess i’m used to having someone watch. weren’t awesome lessons. but just went as usual... haven’t gotten feedback yet.
would like to hear something about the pace of my lessons, especially in regards to note dictation. i’ve been trying to do discussion then dictate notes but that always leaves me pressed for time and with incomplete lessons. i suppose i could work on abridging my notes... they’re always a little wordy and even confusing sometimes. anywho... i digress.
back to right now. i’m observing Paul’s math class, 3rd Year. the Administration rearranged today’s schedule to allow the PPIs to observe as many teachers as possible. so we’ll have 20 minute lessons in succession from now until break. i, having been observed yesterday, will not teach today... of course no one told me that. came here as early as ¼ to 8 for not. no matter... get a chance to observe some colleagues. will watch Peter as well. again, i’m digressing...
all i wanted to note was the difference between these types of observations/visits in the states and here. there the visitors would do their best not to disrupt the schedule. stay a bit longer or move around to watch a variety of classes... not all, of course. here, the schedule is totally disrupted (in fact, all this is artificial... the PPIs are getting little indication of how we teach in reality).
on a more general level i guess i’m a bit bitter about disruptions like these. i’m losing a lesson today. every time a holiday or some event (CPDM March, Teachers’ Day, Clean-Up Campaign, etc.) takes place classes are put on the back burner. a reflection of how high a priority education has here?
i don’t know... maybe i’m being unfair. holidays, snow days, and all that disrupt school back in the States. my issue is the way people bend over backwards for higher-ups. and in this case (the PPI visits) that should be exactly what they don’t want. how useful can these artificial observations be?
early Tuesday morning. more teachers here at school than usual. on account of the PPIs [provincial pedagogic inspectors, i think] here. they observed both of my lessons yesterday... 2nd Year EE and 3rd Year Applied Science. that was fine. all went well. guess i’m used to having someone watch. weren’t awesome lessons. but just went as usual... haven’t gotten feedback yet.
would like to hear something about the pace of my lessons, especially in regards to note dictation. i’ve been trying to do discussion then dictate notes but that always leaves me pressed for time and with incomplete lessons. i suppose i could work on abridging my notes... they’re always a little wordy and even confusing sometimes. anywho... i digress.
back to right now. i’m observing Paul’s math class, 3rd Year. the Administration rearranged today’s schedule to allow the PPIs to observe as many teachers as possible. so we’ll have 20 minute lessons in succession from now until break. i, having been observed yesterday, will not teach today... of course no one told me that. came here as early as ¼ to 8 for not. no matter... get a chance to observe some colleagues. will watch Peter as well. again, i’m digressing...
all i wanted to note was the difference between these types of observations/visits in the states and here. there the visitors would do their best not to disrupt the schedule. stay a bit longer or move around to watch a variety of classes... not all, of course. here, the schedule is totally disrupted (in fact, all this is artificial... the PPIs are getting little indication of how we teach in reality).
on a more general level i guess i’m a bit bitter about disruptions like these. i’m losing a lesson today. every time a holiday or some event (CPDM March, Teachers’ Day, Clean-Up Campaign, etc.) takes place classes are put on the back burner. a reflection of how high a priority education has here?
i don’t know... maybe i’m being unfair. holidays, snow days, and all that disrupt school back in the States. my issue is the way people bend over backwards for higher-ups. and in this case (the PPI visits) that should be exactly what they don’t want. how useful can these artificial observations be?
Monday, June 23, 2008
condoms
11/10/2001:
the NASTA [national science teachers association?] conference is on this weekend here in Bamenda. Nat, Kay and I were here yesterday. interesting talks about Error Management and Evaluation by a French pedagogic advisor to the Resource Center.
also a short discussion on forests (deforestation, resources, benefits, etc.) by a woman named Clair from the Bamenda Highlands Forest Project. it was almost the same lesson i gave Thursday in class!
i was excited about the prospect of getting support from an org like that for environmental education class/clubs. will talk to Clair today. she’s taking us on a trip to a Montane Forest up in the Santa area. looking forward to that, too. sorry i didn’t bring my camera though.
today Mike is giving an HIV/AIDS presentation. condom balloons and all!
11/11/2001:
last day of the NASTA workshop went well. Mike’s presentation was very good. issue of promoting abstinence vs. condoms came up. it's disturbing how some people here will make condoms look bad (defective/ineffective) to make abstinence look better or look like the only choice.
the only choice?... in an ideal world, perhaps. but the fact is that these same people admit HIV/AIDS is an issue and thus admit kids (15-24 being the most infected age-range) are not abstaining... so how does that not correlate with the notion that promoting abstinence alone is ineffective???
i’m a bit torn myself. b/w the ideal of promoting abstinence and being realistic. regardless, i think it’ll need much more than just an American promoting abstinence or the of use condoms. Cameroonians need to promote both as well.
taking a step back... it should at least be discussed more. being informed about both sides and then making a decision. saying condoms are ineffective b/c they sometimes don’t work does not reflect an informed opinion.
on another note... we went on a great little hike afterwards. want to go back up to that forest area. reminded me of Shenandoah in many ways! amazing views. cool facts.
we gave 500cfa for the excursion. annoyed that Bamenda Highlands probably saw none of that. instead we were “invited” to drinks with our own funds! i didn’t have one.
OK... enough bitchin’. i’m still in Bamenda. need to write a couple of lessons then leave late afternoon... waiting for mama to call.
“I am not everyone, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something.”
the NASTA [national science teachers association?] conference is on this weekend here in Bamenda. Nat, Kay and I were here yesterday. interesting talks about Error Management and Evaluation by a French pedagogic advisor to the Resource Center.
also a short discussion on forests (deforestation, resources, benefits, etc.) by a woman named Clair from the Bamenda Highlands Forest Project. it was almost the same lesson i gave Thursday in class!
i was excited about the prospect of getting support from an org like that for environmental education class/clubs. will talk to Clair today. she’s taking us on a trip to a Montane Forest up in the Santa area. looking forward to that, too. sorry i didn’t bring my camera though.
today Mike is giving an HIV/AIDS presentation. condom balloons and all!
11/11/2001:
last day of the NASTA workshop went well. Mike’s presentation was very good. issue of promoting abstinence vs. condoms came up. it's disturbing how some people here will make condoms look bad (defective/ineffective) to make abstinence look better or look like the only choice.
the only choice?... in an ideal world, perhaps. but the fact is that these same people admit HIV/AIDS is an issue and thus admit kids (15-24 being the most infected age-range) are not abstaining... so how does that not correlate with the notion that promoting abstinence alone is ineffective???
i’m a bit torn myself. b/w the ideal of promoting abstinence and being realistic. regardless, i think it’ll need much more than just an American promoting abstinence or the of use condoms. Cameroonians need to promote both as well.
taking a step back... it should at least be discussed more. being informed about both sides and then making a decision. saying condoms are ineffective b/c they sometimes don’t work does not reflect an informed opinion.
on another note... we went on a great little hike afterwards. want to go back up to that forest area. reminded me of Shenandoah in many ways! amazing views. cool facts.
we gave 500cfa for the excursion. annoyed that Bamenda Highlands probably saw none of that. instead we were “invited” to drinks with our own funds! i didn’t have one.
OK... enough bitchin’. i’m still in Bamenda. need to write a couple of lessons then leave late afternoon... waiting for mama to call.
“I am not everyone, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something.”
Sunday, June 22, 2008
pondering patience
11/6/2001:
was pondering patience this morning. due in part to an extended dars [lesson] yesterday evening with the muslim brothers. we were doing the alphabet in arabic class. it took ~2 hours after ‘isha [evening prayer]. part of me wanted to scream with frustration. afterwards my mind was all over the place... i wanted to hit something.
same ol’ frustrations. commitment i didn’t want, but somehow found myself in again. commitment of the nature that always increases. i just don’t want to feel obliged all the time. sometimes i want my time, whenever i want it... not having to worry about that guilty feeling of letting someone down. but i guess that’s the sense of community. the ties that bind, if you will.
anyway... i didn’t scream and i didn’t hit anything. i bit my tongue and put it aside... my stress, that is. to sleep on it. and this morning i pondered patience. doesn’t seem like a big deal... yesterday. a couple of hours. we live.
patience is a wondrous thing. seems like as you practice it it spreads and settles upon you. and it applies everywhere all the time. patience. calmness. serenity. quietude. a way to deal with anything. a certainty that “this too shall pass” and “no condition is permanent.” but enough about that...
i went out to GTHS. a brisk walk from the house. ~25 minutes. through some shaded back roads. the campus is large. a lot of cypress. an allée up front. trees along the various courtyards between buildings. large workshops. alive with hammering, sawing, running wire, drawing plans... and a beautiful site bounded by Eucalyptus trees all around.
i think it’d be nice to teach there. interesting bunch of students. appealing atmosphere... with all the practical work and all. and the campus is just story-book. but alas... i’m here at GTTC. small, uninteresting grounds. same with the student body, i’m afraid. and an unforgiving commute. more than anything... NO CYPRESS TREES! GTHS had those all around. patience though. no condition is permanent.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
slowly happier here
11/4/2001:
another Sunday almost past. another week. soon another month. soon another year. all blessed and productive, i pray. anyhow... we cleaned the mosque this morning. then had our meeting after a short break.
a long, drawn-out meeting. as always. it really is too strange how familiar that feeling is. the frustration, bewilderment and battle to bite my tongue at MSA meetings. long and with a mind-numbing, nerve-wracking attention to detail... the trivial ones it always seems.
patience, though... that’s the key word. i am going to be patient and let things flow. it really is an experience in group dynamics and people skills. above all, it’s about patience. can’t say that enough.
Omaru came around today. we spent the late afternoon chatting on the balcony. good kid. i enjoy his company. quiet, uncomplicated and kind.
i’m tired now. didn’t have that wicked nap today. don’t think i will. haven’t done much, if any, “work” today. desk work, that is.
Mohamad would like to say that he’s slowly happier here. he misses home like mad, like always. but, nonetheless, he’s happy here.
another Sunday almost past. another week. soon another month. soon another year. all blessed and productive, i pray. anyhow... we cleaned the mosque this morning. then had our meeting after a short break.
a long, drawn-out meeting. as always. it really is too strange how familiar that feeling is. the frustration, bewilderment and battle to bite my tongue at MSA meetings. long and with a mind-numbing, nerve-wracking attention to detail... the trivial ones it always seems.
patience, though... that’s the key word. i am going to be patient and let things flow. it really is an experience in group dynamics and people skills. above all, it’s about patience. can’t say that enough.
Omaru came around today. we spent the late afternoon chatting on the balcony. good kid. i enjoy his company. quiet, uncomplicated and kind.
i’m tired now. didn’t have that wicked nap today. don’t think i will. haven’t done much, if any, “work” today. desk work, that is.
Mohamad would like to say that he’s slowly happier here. he misses home like mad, like always. but, nonetheless, he’s happy here.
Friday, June 20, 2008
good to be the king
11/3/2001:
been staying up late recently to do work. seems like the only time i’m productive and uninterrupted... but it means that i have to take wicked naps during the day. wish is cool, i guess. i was also physically beat today. that added to the nap time.
Paul and i ran to Lake Wum and back. early, like ~6am. cold out there. the lake is nice. large. way out there. SDO has a house overlooking it. a nice spot... “Good to be the king.” i also did my push-ups/sit-ups... felt deprived of energy and O2 for much of the morning. a food thing, i think. Allah ya’eenah ‘alla Ramadan [may good help us during Ramadan]. although i won’t be running then.
i just realized that it would be nice to reach Bamenda before Ramadan, but don’t know if that’s feasible. need $. need to em@il! guess i could wait until Thanksgiving but site-visits roll around then. we’ll see...
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