Well, I'd never done it before so it was a new experience for me: teaching to kids. My pupils are aged 9 to 12 years old. I usually work with half a class, so it means between 8 and 12 children. Considering I have only 3 computers, it means 2 to 4 kids per computer, which is quite a lot as they are less focused if they only watch others typing, and are more keen to distract others...
I reckon it's a vocation, like being a priest or a Nun. Ester told me when I first started that her group found me very patient and that they were learning a lot... I was really surprised to hear that, knowing patience is not my best quality... I later found out that indeed I was patient but I had my limits. I don't mind repeating and spending time with them, explaining how it works and showing them several times but I lose my patience when they start screaming, shouting at each other or when they ignore what others are doing, like of one them, more interested in reading, looking what's going on outside than to learn, showing an arrogant face like if he'd knew it all. This one in particular is the exception and well known of all teachers, but they mostly are really interested and keen to learn.
I had to explain to them one day, while they were being particularly unbearable, that I deserved a bit of respect, coming from so far away to help them. I told them that I was not paid for 3 months, nor for what I was doing here, that my goal was that they learn as much as they could during my stay and to help them out. I think they understood the information as they calmed down, and started to work again. I did not mean to tell them all this, but they got on my nerves so much that I could not help it, and thought that at the age of 12, they should be able to understand and be responsible.
Iit was all the more surprising to hear them asking me how much time left here was before the break that in the first course, Ester had to come and force them to leave the computers in order to go and eat something as they would not leave and they'd been working for 2 hours and a half!!!
Anyway, I can see there are different kind of kids. Those with computers at home who already have some knowledge and the others, struggling more to type, find out and remember how it works. As they usually work in groups, it often happens that one is better and quickest and complains if the other one is slow. It always makes me smile, and I grab the opportunity to remind them indeed that we are all different, some are slow, others fast and they should all be tolerant and patient with each other. I had to explain the word tolerant as they did not know it. Girls usually stick together and boys do the same. It looks like a shame for a boy to join a group of girls, it's so funny to hear them complain when I see only 2 per computers then a group of 4 and ask them to balance the groups...
Girls usually stay more concentrated and listen more, eager to do a good job. Boys love teasing each other, screaming, looking at what others groups are doing.
They have in commun something though: delation. It's so funny, I told them they had no solidarity with a big laugh. 'Madam, he threw me this'. 'Madam, she's playing games on the computer' and so on...:-)))
They always spend their time at the break on computers... to play this time! It's been so crazy last day that Oscar asked me to close the office during the break to avoid so much noise and fight to have access to the computers. Tomorrow, I know they'll be very upset when I'll them that they cannot play anymore...
I reckon it's a vocation, like being a priest or a Nun. Ester told me when I first started that her group found me very patient and that they were learning a lot... I was really surprised to hear that, knowing patience is not my best quality... I later found out that indeed I was patient but I had my limits. I don't mind repeating and spending time with them, explaining how it works and showing them several times but I lose my patience when they start screaming, shouting at each other or when they ignore what others are doing, like of one them, more interested in reading, looking what's going on outside than to learn, showing an arrogant face like if he'd knew it all. This one in particular is the exception and well known of all teachers, but they mostly are really interested and keen to learn.
I had to explain to them one day, while they were being particularly unbearable, that I deserved a bit of respect, coming from so far away to help them. I told them that I was not paid for 3 months, nor for what I was doing here, that my goal was that they learn as much as they could during my stay and to help them out. I think they understood the information as they calmed down, and started to work again. I did not mean to tell them all this, but they got on my nerves so much that I could not help it, and thought that at the age of 12, they should be able to understand and be responsible.
Iit was all the more surprising to hear them asking me how much time left here was before the break that in the first course, Ester had to come and force them to leave the computers in order to go and eat something as they would not leave and they'd been working for 2 hours and a half!!!
Anyway, I can see there are different kind of kids. Those with computers at home who already have some knowledge and the others, struggling more to type, find out and remember how it works. As they usually work in groups, it often happens that one is better and quickest and complains if the other one is slow. It always makes me smile, and I grab the opportunity to remind them indeed that we are all different, some are slow, others fast and they should all be tolerant and patient with each other. I had to explain the word tolerant as they did not know it. Girls usually stick together and boys do the same. It looks like a shame for a boy to join a group of girls, it's so funny to hear them complain when I see only 2 per computers then a group of 4 and ask them to balance the groups...
Girls usually stay more concentrated and listen more, eager to do a good job. Boys love teasing each other, screaming, looking at what others groups are doing.
They have in commun something though: delation. It's so funny, I told them they had no solidarity with a big laugh. 'Madam, he threw me this'. 'Madam, she's playing games on the computer' and so on...:-)))
They always spend their time at the break on computers... to play this time! It's been so crazy last day that Oscar asked me to close the office during the break to avoid so much noise and fight to have access to the computers. Tomorrow, I know they'll be very upset when I'll them that they cannot play anymore...
Some of them are very cuddly, they never forget to give me a kiss to say hello or sometimes even to kiss goodbye, loving to come and see me at the office working on the computer. Those who have a computer at home are on Facebook and it was so fun to hear them asking me if I was on Facebook too, then to tell me the day after, looking very sorry and sad that they could not find me! I changed the access for them to be able to find it, and in the afternoon, already had a friend's request from one of the girls. Facebook is really a big thing all over the world, it's crazy to see it here also, even among poor families!!!I've been to classes of all ages, from 5 to 12 years old, sometimes just for a chat, talking about me, my family, my job, my trips. I always got a lot of success when talking about my travels, me sailing across the Atlantic and talking about the wild animals I had seen in Africa. So many questions, fun sometimes, always asked all at once, turning it into a challenge to be able to understand one question, and forcing us to ask them to require permission to speak before asking a question! I had a few workshops also with some classes.
One with Cecibel's class, aged 5, so cute and lovely, learning numbers, and putting pearls on bits of wool to count, singing songs involving numbers.
The one I loved the most was with Nancy's group. With flour, salt and water, we made 'plaster' then painted it and made forms out of it. They had molds of stars, moon, hearts, rounds, squares, triangles but at the end, I started making a turtle and suddendly had all of them around me shouting they wanted one and screaming at the same time. My God, kids can be so hassling when they want something! I finally made an elephant and a few sharks.
We arrive at school at 7:30am, start class at 8, have a break at 10am for 45mn, then start again till 12h30. During the break, I usually grab my camera to steal photos. I love trying to catch them when they are not expecting it but it's quite hard. When they see the camera, they all scream and want to pose...
Here are one my best clichés:
I also went to take pictures of the smallest kids bathing in the swimming pool located inside the facilities. It was a great opportunity for me to take pictures... and get wet!!!
I find these kids really beautiful. Most of them are mix of different races so that might be the reason why they look that gorgeous. A bit of Indian, a bit of South American. I I wish I could see how they will look in a few years, they will have surely turned into heartbreakers!!!
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