Monday, July 4, 2011

"Life Skills"


This past Thursday I was assigned to teach "Life Skills" to grade 5. This is a course that is on their syllabus weekly but doesn't have a consistent teacher or program. I decided to base the class on motivation and reputation, two words the kids had never heard before. After explaining to them that motivation is something that pushes you toward your goal, sometimes it even is the goal and that reputation is what you are known as we began to talk about how these two things applied to their lives. The concept of motivation went over well and the kids went around and told me each what they wanted to be when they grew up. Some wanted to be nurses, some pilots, some bank managers and one a mechanic. We also talked about the things they would need to do along the way to get to their goals; difficult things that their motivation would have to help them through. Some of the "steps" to their goals were working hard, studying math and English and having courage! Motivation, covered. Next we began discussing reputation. This concept was a bit more difficult. I explained that your reputation is a group of words or phrases that others know you by. They are adjectives and characteristics which other people would use to describe you. I told them how having a good reputation is important for their future because they will need the relationships they make at the school to help them go on to attend university. I decided to ask the kids to describe me using word and phrases and we would compile my reputation on the black board.  They liked this idea and hands shot up immediately calling "teacher, teacher!" for me to call on them for their word. The first couple responses were what I expected..."teacher", "American", "long hair". Then a girl raised her hand high and proud. I called on her and with a big smile on her face she looked at me and said "Fat!" She was so proud of her response. I started to laugh right away. Her response was not an insult in the least. It was first an observation and second a compliment. If someone is FAT is Kenya than they must have money to eat enough for them to become fat. It was so cute how happy she was to participate with that answer in our conversation. From there I decided to have the kids do an acrostic poem to come up with their reputations. I had them write out their names and fill in words that began or contained the letters in their name.  Some had a very hard time coming up with words to describe themselves. I think there are a couple reasons for this. First their knowledge of English is limited. Most speak very well (especially for it to be there second language) but some still have trouble even in the upper grades. Secondly, I do not think the kids have been complimented much in their lives and so they may have never been called “Kind”, “Intelligent” or “Creative” before, therefore they would not think they were. My favorite response was from a boy named Paul. His response was P - Peaceful. A- African. U - Useful. L - Loving. So great!!! The kids really enjoyed the lesson and all of them volunteered to come up and write out their names and words on the blackboard (which they loved!!). Self confidence is something they all need more of so hopefully they can take these poems and work to make them their reputations so that others can see what they see in themselves. I know I now do!

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