As I am trying to get into a routine here in my community, I am slowly realizing that that may never happen. In the same way I may never quite get into a nice habit of writing blogs consistently. Sometimes after working 2 shifts at the school from 7 am until 5:30 pm, I am simply to tired to sit down and write. It’s on those days that I want to write the most because so many exciting things happened, but it is also on those days that I just can’t find the energy to do it. I never realized how exhausting heat can be. In the U.S.A we are quite spoiled with all the air-conditioning. Well actually we are spoiled in many aspects. The schools here are built with cinder blocks, and the windows are just, well, a hole in the wall actually. So when classrooms share walls, its basically as if both classes were in the same room. Each teacher is yelling over not only her own students but also over the other teacher and all of her students. In result, the other teacher and students get louder, and so it becomes a vicious cycle. Teaching in these conditions is tough. I didn't believe it until I tried it. It doesn't help that my school is constructed in a way that results in a lot of shared walls. But the heat, the heat is what really gets me. Especially when I'm running around trying to teach the kids in a more interactive manner.
However, heat, noise, storms, lack of electricity, whatever it may be, in the end it is those long days that allow me to go to bed with a smile on my face. Productive but more importantly successful days. Never do they go according to plans, because things don’t work that way over here, but in the end when students cooperate and I can tell that they learned something new and were excited about it, that makes everything worth it.
This week we had Natural Science Week at the school. It was a incredible. I’ve been working with the children from 4th and 6th grade for a few weeks on making volcano models and large cell models. The kids were extremely excited about the volcanoes and did a fantastic job to go out of their way and bring things to decorate their volcanoes with. Here are some of the beautiful volcanoes these talented kids made!
After 2 weeks of working on their masterpieces, the time finally had come during which they could make the eruptions take place! I bought all the necessary ingredients, and during their recess we made it happen. One by one each volcano erupted, orange lava everywhere! Well maybe, not quite everywhere, but the level of excitement would make one think that these things were real! All we needed was some vinegar, baking soda, soap, water, and food coloring or in this case cool-aid, and the kids were glowing with excitement.
I demonstrated with the first volcano and then I allowed them to take over. All the kids that had recess that day crowded around and the fun began. The current 5th graders can't wait to do this project next year, and I can't wait to lead it again! Well done my little volcano experts! Well done.
Thanks for checking my blog! I apologize for the 2 month gap in posts. I swear, it won't happen again. If it does, tickets to Panama are on me! (meaning I will definitely be posting more).
