Master Chef

Three weeks into the trimester and still no complete time table (schedule). We have a MWF time table and a TR time table but our school is on a five day rotation which means there is a different schedule everyday so the learners can get to all the classes they have. For instance math is five days a week but science is only four days a week, but a learner might also take a once a week computer class. The schedule allows for more subjects to be taken but it’s not always efficient. I also found out this week that the other computer teacher teaches classes in the computer lab at the same time I teach grade five ICT, meaning that I am supposed to teach computer classes without a computer. I asked my HOD and he said I can do whatever I want with my grade fives. I am a babysitter for two classes every day. This realization originally annoyed me but I’ve found benefits in being a babysitter. One benefit is that I don’t actually have to teach so I just play games with the kids. I have them draw pictures, play heads up seven up, or let them play on the playground. It makes life easier less frustrating when I’m not teaching them.

I gave my grade eight class a math quiz and it didn’t go well. In Namibia if a learner fails a grade twice they are “transferred” to the next grade. The problem with this is you have learners in grade eight who haven’t passed a class since grade four. My school doesn’t allow learners to “transfer” after grade eight. The only way into grade nine is by passing grade eight. I helped out with Athletics (track and field) practice most of the week which was good but I couldn’t exercise by myself which is something I really enjoy doing. I learned I’m not very good with a javelin or coaching children how to throw a javelin. My bike tire got punctured by a rock, or broken glass or any number other sharp objects along the roads. I took the tube out, found the hole, and patched it up. It wasn’t nearly as difficult as I thought it would be. Now I need to find how to stop the gears from making funny noises and slipping. Lots of rain this week.

I cook a lot now and I’m determined to be an excellent chef by the time I come back to the states. Everything I make is from scratch. If I want pizza, I make the sauce, the dough, cut the toppings, cook the meat, and grate the cheese, all by myself. Not the most difficult of dishes but really tasty. I’ve started experimenting with new foods though. I never really made breakfast in the states and now I can make pancakes and omelets. We have a Peace Corps cookbook and I’ve gone through and highlighted the different foods I want to make. The only problem is that sometimes the recipes are wrong and you have to remake the food with changes to the recipe. I had a cookie disaster with my cookies I was making for my host mom’s birthday but in the end I amended the recipe to work.