First Day of Class (June 26)

It was our first day with our classroom assignments, and the main purpose was just observation. We needed to see how these children learn on a day-to-day basis when we aren’t around, as well as become familiar with their schedule and learning styles. Jess and I are with Standard 4B at the Domasi Government School with teachers Katherine and Cecilia. The class needs the most help with their English lessons, and probably a bit of math, so that is where Jess and I will step in. We also came to the conclusion that once we’re done in the 4B classroom, we will repeat our lesson in the 4A class. We are going to meet the teacher of that class on Monday so we can work out a schedule between the two rooms.

Our arrival today was not nearly as crazy as it was on Thursday, but it was still difficult to move around between the masses of children. When we pulled up, all the kids came running while chanting something like “mzulu” which is translated to mean White person, or Wealthy person. The Head Teacher also told us that the kids have been waiting for us for months, and they asked everyday when we were coming, so they are so happy that we are here. I also learned the word for happy is “sangalala”!

We get to our classes around 9am everyday, and teach with them until noon. For the kids, their instruction starts at 7:30am, so they are already waiting when we arrive each day. Jess and I came during our classes English lesson, and we sat on a bench in the back of the room to observe. We were very surprised because we were under the impression that this school was further along than they actually were. It seems as though the school that VT students were assigned needs the most help as far as academics and development. Our Standard 4 kids are learning at a 1st or 2nd grade level. They are learning English, but they mostly repeat what the teacher is saying, so I don’t think they are really retaining anything at all. Plus, the teachers don’t even speak English very well. It will definitely be a challenge. At the schools where Radford and NC A&T are teaching, the students are much more advanced, and even as low as standard 2 understand a bit of English. The lessons here are insufficient. We even had to correct the teachers with some of the English. The vocabulary words they are learning are also pretty violent, as far as verbs go. On the chalkboard it read “He beats himself”, “She killed herself”, “They cut themselves” and the children had to match which pronouns went together, and then repeat. Jess and I thought all of these could definitely be used in different contexts, like beating rugs, and cutting materials, and killing their food.. but it was being used in regards to people. It was very interesting. Dr. Kelly said this is probably how it is written in their books as well. But the kids in our class don’t have books! The teachers have books! Their math lesson lasted 5 minutes and it consisted of them having to draw circles in their notebook, and out in the dirt in the schoolyard, and Jess and I walked around to help check off that they did this correctly. (All of the kids wanted us to grade their work so they kept drawing more circles and handing us their paper over and over again. It was so cute!) The walls of the classroom have posters with multiplication tables, but they haven’t learned this at all, I think it’s just something all the rooms have. So Jess and I will take some time to teach basic math as well. Everything else is taught to them in Chichewa, such as General Studies and Religious Studies. Katherine translated for us so we understood that in general studies they were learning about cleanliness, and in religious studies they were learning about the Quran (written on the board).

In our after class discussion at MIE (when all three schools meet back up) we learned about the politics and government of Malawi, from when they became independent in 1964 until present day. Mostly we were taught about their education and teaching principles. Its very interesting because in Standard 8 all students take a test, and it doesn’t matter how many sections they pass as long as they pass English. And from those who pass, some are selected to attend secondary school, Standard 9-10. In standard 10 they take another test, have to pass English still, and those who pass are selected to go on further. The same thing happens in 12th grade and then very few are selected to attend college. The highest dropout rate is also between Standard 4 and 5 and it is more common for girls. Because of this, I really want to make sure we are doing as much as we can to get through to these Standard 4 children even though it will be very challenging because of the language barrier.

On the ride home I accidentally erased all the pictures and videos from my memory card. Luckily this is only the beginning of the trip but I will miss the picture of me standing in two countries at once! And the video of all the kids running towards us on the first day. L

Oh! We went to a club tonight! Annie, the owner of Annie’s Lodge invited us to her home to pregame, which was beautiful! Then we went to a Malawian club, it was very fun and so different. Everyone wanted to talk and dance with us. And the music was incredible. They had dancers on stage doing crazy things while we waited for the main act. Lucious Banda was to be performing, and he is one of the most famous musicians in Malawi. He sings all about political movements and is actually the main influence for the band SOJA. It was very cool. Myself and a few others left around midnight though because we were exhausted. Tomorrow we are going into town to visit the market and shop for some fabric.