Yesterday (Wednesday the 13th) we had a meeting with the neighboring schools to set up a common exam for the end of this term. Most people don't like the concept, I think it is necessary if for no other purpose than for teachers to talk about their subject matter. But I came home depressed. You know when some ambitious parent organizes a team of 12 year olds to go play in a big weekend tournament? All the kids are excited, during warm-ups they are serious. Not playing any better but at least there isn't so much laughing just before the game should start. Then everyone realizes that this was one big mistake. The game hasn't even started yet, you just had to look at the opposing team to realize that this is not going to turn out well. The ambitious parent calls the team together to discuss last minute strategy but ends up just reminding the kids that they are here to have fun. Telling them not to look at the scoreboard comes a bit later when its obvious that no one is having any fun. That's what its like to teach at a rural school in Namibia. You practice really hard and pat each other on the back after a well played scrimmage but as soon as you encounter an objective standard you realize that your success is marginal at best. Its now my intention to set my tests as easy as possible to generate high scores and the confidence that accompanies understanding but when the big exams come you sit back and say remember we are trying to have fun here. But fun doesn't get the required marks and that means these kids are done with their formal education without even acquiring a grade 10 certificate that is insufficient for any respectable employment. I can't talk to the opposing coach and ask him to call off the press either. Full court pressure is only getting more intense and the crowd will be cheering if we get the ball across half court. Forget about taking a decent shot, or making it. October 8th is judgment day for my subject, then we hurry off to the Dairy Queen and forget about the carnage with a banana split.
Monday (18th) brought several surprises, all with a good and bad side. First we received word from the Ministry of Education that our long weekend at the end of the month was being reclaimed to account for the extra holiday at the beginning of the term. My initial reaction is negative but in terms of school time making two four day weeks (functionally three day weeks) into full weeks is significant for teaching. The next surprise came during the second break of the school day. Last night while I was planning for the week I was looking for some chemicals to do demonstrations with and was unable to find any hydrochloric acid, sulphuric acid and a couple other less notable chemicals. I knew the grade 8 teacher from last year had probably forgot to return them so I stopped by the classroom, now used by another teacher since that teacher and the one that he was replacing have both left the school. I found the chemicals (the good news) but the ancient bottle of sulphuric acid had been sitting on the shelf without any cap on top of the bottle. This was unnerving for several reasons: 1. the storage room is never locked 2. 13-16 year old kids run wild in that class regularly 3. the bottle was open 4. I have no idea what the actual concentration of the solution is 5. spillage had already occurred evidenced by obvious damage to the shelf. The third surprise was that the boy that has been with me the most in the library is leaving Wednesday morning to go to a school in Windhoek. His mother was the head matron at the hostel until she got a teaching post in a town north of here at the beginning of the term. Since she is gone the boy will go to Windhoek to stay nearer to his father. Another situation with a good (he will be at a real school) side and a bad (unexpected goodbyes) facet. Hopefully, though, I'll be able to see him in Windhoek sometime when I am down in the city.
