Not so JC Anymore

I am still called a “JC,” just coming, due to the fact that my skin tone is lighter than Sarah and Krissi’s, but I feel nowhere close to a “JC” anymore. Life in Kabala seems normal to me now and I feel like I have been here for longer than two and a half weeks. I am picking up more krio, know how to get places, can find my way around the market, have friends all around town, and have experienced different local hang outs. When I think back to my first day in Kabala I remember how nervous and new everything was, but now it is like second nature. I still like to travel and go places with Sarah and/or Krissi, but I could do it on my own if need be.

This past week teaching was an exciting yet challenging journey. I was on my own with my 40 second graders that can barely understand a word I say. I am till finding my management style because certain things will work for a period of time and then not work in 20 minutes. I have started using a point system that Sarah uses and it has been working well. I have four rows of ten and each row can get points if they are working and quiet. The group with the most points at the end of the week gets a treat. On Friday, I gave pencils to the winning group. I posted some class rules and I covered the whole back wall of my classroom with a word wall that we will begin to use regularly. I am hoping that it will help the students reading, and we will work with the word wall every day during ABC time. I gave my first spelling test this week and also started a reading unit using a small book about a girl going to the market. Each day we read two pages as a class and then do an activity that goes along with what we read. The activities deal with different things like sequencing, comprehension, personal connection, rhyming words, writing and drawing. The spelling words for this coming week are all words I have pulled from the book. In math we are covering units, tens, and hundreds places. The students worked with looking at a number and being able to tell how many units or tens that number has. I plan on giving a quiz Thursday of this week. In health, PE, and Bible a reoccurring theme we have been working on is how to stay healthy, take care of our bodies, and take care of God’s creation. I taught the kids “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes” so that they can sing wit when they think about keeping their body healthy. On Wednesday, during PE we went around and picked up trash all around the school compound to emphasize staying healthy and taking care of God's creation. We went into class 3 to learn the Pen Army song. My students love it, and I enjoy them singing about being in a school army, especially while the community is still in a recovery state from the Civil War:

"I'm in the Pen Army,

Yes, Sir!

I'm in the Pen Army,

Yes, Sir!

I will never ride in an armored car,

Shoot in the infantry,

Creep on my enemy,

For I'm in the Pen Army,

Yes, Sir!"

A big challenge I face in my classroom is trying to teach 40 students how to read all at the same time. We have been working on letter sounds and the word wall should help. The book we are reading now the kids have read many times, so I find myself focusing on comprehension and intonation. I have a reading club every Thursday after school; it starts this Thursday. Another challenge I have faced is that my students don’t know how to share or do book work. I have had to teach them where to put books on their two person desks so that they can share the book. I have also had to slowly teach them how to do a math problem out of the math book. The class is making gradual progress. My students find it very hard to understand me at times, so I have to talk very slow and repeat myself a lot.

This past Saturday I got my hair planted. It took eight hours and hurt so bad, but it is very convenient because I don’t have to deal with washing and doing my hair as much. Also during this week I found out that both my parent are coming to visit me in April, and I cannot wait. I can’t wait to show them Kabala and my classroom. I want them to meet some of my students, but we will have to see because they are coming during Easter break. My iPhone was also unlocked this week, so I can now talk to people from home easier and cheaper through “whatssapp.” It is amazing how much you take things for granted like wifi, phones, running water for a shower, and comfort food, like cheese or burgers. While Sarah was in the village this weekend, Krissi and I had some friends over for a game of spoons and some couscous and stir-fry. One of our friends even made French fries and crepes. It was a nice time and we were able to share it with American, Canadian and Salone friends. We even turned on the generator to have some light and iron clothes before our friends arrived. It was a great week and I am sure there will be many more to come.
 

God Bless!

Nikki