Back To School

~Written yesterday~

This morning, I sat in on Madame Agnes's English classes at the "Kifungo Institute" secondary school. The compound of concrete classroom facilities reminded me of an empty aquarium exhibit. Open air where the glass used to be... And people instead of fish -- although once I thought that I felt a jellyfish tickle the top of my ear with a fizzling confetti-leg. I tensed up and pursed my lips -- It was probably just a fly.In a beige deck chair squeezed into the back corner of the room by the doorway, I sat surrounded by sixty students in her first class. This room, maybe the size of a big shipping container, was packed -- everyone sitting, shoulder to shoulder, on tiny stools that would probably be better used for milking cows. It was, for the post part, a typical high school classroom scene that took place. A lot of giggling, a few know-it-alls, some note-passing, and a stern reprimand every now and then. I kept quiet in the back and jotted down some ideas for possible activities and lesson plans. The first class, which lasted for about an hour and a half I think, was one of Madame's more advanced. At the end, I was given the chance to introduce myself and to answer any questions that the students had. Everyone is excited to have a native speaker here to teach English -- a very rare opportunity in Kalemie.

All of this, so far, has been written during the break in Madame's schedule. She is sitting next to me, correcting last period's work in the students' copy books. We've had time to talk a little today, about ourselves and about the possibilities of my work here. I think that I will probably go to her lessons (based on the scheduling of different-level classes) two or three times per week. I'd also like to provide some occasions, perhaps twice a week, when students can meet and converse privately with me. There are so many unknowns, though, so all of this is very tentative.

Now, I will wait for the whistle to blow here in the "Teacher's Lounge" with Madame Agnes and her stack of copy books covered with newspaper.