This week four of the teachers were in Windhoek for marking (grading) tests from all over Namibia. In tenth grade the learners take a standardized test (similar to FCAT) and if they pass they continue to high school. If they fail they stay in tenth grade or some drop out. Consequently the standardized test is tied into funding, thus making a problem similar to Florida where the schools that do well get more money and attract better teachers whereas the schools that do poorly get less money and continue to do poorly. Schools are allowed to regulate who is in tenth grade. This means that out of the four classes of 9th graders I will get only one tenth grade class of thirty learners. The oldest learner in 9th grade is 20 and the youngest is 14. Anyhow the teachers mark tests from all over the country in Windhoek. With so many teachers gone, the ones who have remained are not teaching so much as they are monitoring six hours of study hall. This gives me very little to do during the day. The learners start taking end of the year exams this week too, which will give me plenty of time for reading and piano.
I’ve decided on Monday I’m going to go to the library and see if I can get someone to tutor me in Afrikaans. I understand Afrikaans pretty well but I have difficulty speaking it. Most of the teachers at my school are more interested in teaching me KKG than Afrikaans and no one at my house is interested in helping me out.
I went to Rehoboth spa with Ricky, Sara from Kalkran, and Sara’s afterschool project Kayec. It wasn’t a spa as much as a pool but it is where everyone around my age hangs out on Saturdays apparently. So I may be hanging out there more often.
No comments:
Post a Comment