Back to basics

One week has passed since last time I wrote. On Monday morning I headed for New Guyana School. I’ve been in two classes of Pre Form 1 called Excellence and Integrity. Since Wednesday I’ve been teaching English for them (11 year old children). I’m teaching about two lessons per day. It’s good to get a feeling for how it would be to teaching in Guyana… The rest of the day (until I think I’ve seen enough) I follow the education, like floral arrangements, health science and mathematics. Although they only played games on the math's lesson on Friday, so I guess I need to try to get to see some real teaching (which I think the children will like, they were really eager to present me to the white, male math’s teacher, gosh these children!). During the English lessons we’ve studied some poetry. I would have liked to do some (other) literature, but I need to follow the things they do, so another time :) The teacher warned me that they don’t really like poetry that much; that I could get some complaints, but I guess it’s exciting to have a Finnish teacher so the children have behaved well. I have had a lot of discussion in connection to the poetry, which they have liked… since they don’t need to write. Well, it’s been fun. I do my best to understand what they say (have managed pretty well), but it’s not easy because of the noise (thin walls, fans on). When trying to understand English, and Creole, I rather not have too much background noise. And guess how often that happens in Guyana. But still, I think I have improved a lot in my understanding-Creole-skills, at least I like to say that to myself (it’s always good to be encouraging and keep up the motivation). I’m also preparing Guyanese to come to Finland :) At school we have the word for the day in Swedish or Finnish. My aim is also to teach Elsworth, Eworth, Karlene and others some Swedish, but so far I’ve only had one lesson with Elsworth. And Eworth knows how to say “Tjena!” Next week I hope to be able to report some progress.