BLOG 2

So much has happened since I last wrote, my mind is spinning with everything I want to say... Sept. 10 was the first day of school. I was ready to begin teaching right away but this is not the US, this is Kitase, Ghana and there are many things to do before teaching can actually begin. Sister Grace, an older Ghanaian woman, was busy with the help of the middle school girls taking all wooden chairs and desks out of the classroom, scubbing them down, and sweeping the floor of the classroom. You should have seen all these 8 year old girls still wearing their backspacks bent over to sweep the entire "school yard." They worked very fast! The boys were busy moving large stones and bricks outside. I helped my kids move desks and chairs out of the our classroom and then back in. So that was the morning. The teachers and students were so tired that by the afternoon the kids played and the teachers took it easy. Sister Grace took a siesta in her classroom. I have a photo of this, so funny! She did work very hard though and deserved it! Her 3 and 4 year old students just played (other adults floated around). I said no! I need to get something taught today...so I showed a few students how the play the 24 Math Game, they loved it! I told them that after they got good that we would have some competitions. I also broke out the CHarlotte Doyle novel (i taught this novel at CES) and we got the introduction read. They really liked it and one boy wanted to write a summary. I was impressed!!!