Back to School... Six

Back to School... Six - Stones-n-Sticks...

...but Words, will never hurt me!?

After my Weekend of 'bonding' with the Seniors, I was looking forward to my Crit-lessons this Tuesday past... Apart from the regular Mayhem of Learners bringing weapons to School, threatening Teachers, and visits of Flashing Blue Lights - it was a pretty standard Week at School. I am proud of my Grade 11 and 12s for 'behaving' and felt the Evaluation-lessons went swimmingly. I still find the discrepancy with the discipline amongst the lower Grades and the higher Grades to be somewhat of a 'concern'... The Grade 11s are an absolute joy to work with... The Semi-adults of Grade 12 needs to be handled with care at times, but I found - as long as I treat them with respect, I can expect the same from them... It saddens me to over-hear some of the 'venomous' language being used on some of the Learners, at times... One cannot expect a youngster to reach out for something better, if one constantly attacks their character or self-esteem!? I have made the decision to NOT use any profound language or negative words towards my Classes... I hope the 'Experiment' pays off...

The Grade 8s and 9s are becoming more of a challenge, it would appear... I have not taught any official lessons with these Grades, since they have returned to School... And from looking at their Books, it would appear that they have not done much Schoolwork for the entire year!? Some learners (those who have books!?) made their last written entries in May or March!? I find it difficult to ascertain where they are supposed to be regarding their Work, as I do not get to have meetings with their Teachers (family or health-related absenteeism) and not a single child has been able to present me with a Textbook!? My Daily Schedule to supervise these 'lost classes' change on a daily basis - from MathLit to Geo (Subjects that I am entirely unfamiliar with)... I have had discussions on Life Orientation and started reading Short Stories, with all the Classes I see - just to get some short of class structure going... The learners are still of the opinion that they are on Holiday!? Groups of learners still prowl the School-grounds like Predators, during class-time and twice have I now walked into the Classroom - filled with a cloud of marijuana smoke and games of dice being played, by learners who act as if the Teacher is merely an irritating little inconvenience to their daily doings... I constantly remind myself, that I should keep trying... At least, for those learners who still reach out to us, the Educators, for guidance and assistance... It saddens me to see how little some kids care about their Futures. When a child tells you, he would rather gather his riches slinging drugs on the Streets than 'waste' his time at School, it does give one plenty of Food for Thought.

Back-to-School - Five: In the Beehive

Back-to-School - Five

Back in the Beehive

The Grade 8s re-joined the School this Week...

It never fails to amaze me, how the Kids use any ol' excuse in the change of environment as an opportunity to disrupt the normal flow of the School Day. This past Week, we had fights break out between the different 'factions' (Grade 8, 9 and even the more Senior Grades)... Supposedly, on account of 'turf' and other silliness - like the Cat-fight between two Grade 11 Girls, because of a 'vuil kyk'... When you hear their Stories and Priors though, one realises that these little kittens are not to be handled without gloves... Learners as young as 14 years old, with actual criminal records that include robbery, violent assault and cases of rape! The Cops had to stop by the School this Week, on account of a learner ignoring his interdict and arriving at School with a Fire-arm - scolding and threatening a Teacher, to allow him to see his 'girlfriend' who got the restraining order against him and his gang in the first place...

After also receiving threats of having my tyres slashed, when I reprimanded a group of youths for smoking marijuana on the School-grounds, I have decided to take a step back and get my hands out of the 'boiling cauldron'. The Permanent Teachers say, that unless we get more Involvement from the Parents, there isn't much we can actually do. We write up our observations and can mostly keep a Record of it...

The Week played out as per normal, with the usual suspects adding a little Spice to my dull and dreariest days. However, I did get the opportunity to 'volunteer' to join the Matriculants on their Educational Excursion this past weekend. The Learners were very excited about this 'Camp' of theirs... I could not help but feel a shiver of trepidation run down my Spine as we boarded the Bus on Friday- afternoon...

I had hopes and dreams of never becoming THAT Old Man, who plays Outwit - Outplay - Outlast with the youngsters... I have failed, I am that Guy... Even after checking their luggage before we departed from School. I still had issues with Contraband being smuggled into their Accommodation for the Weekend. While, the Learners were being checked in and had their Welcoming Ceremony, I was sent back to School for First Aid Kits and Toilet paper. Lesson learned - Never take your own vehicle to official events, unless you don't mind being the unofficial Taxi and Pick-up and Delivery Vehicle for all sorts of odds-n-ends (no Petrol-refund, as Students are not officially on the books as Gov. Employees) and can afford the Scratches and Bumps of Parking your Car overnight on a Campus Parking-lot. I digress...

Upon my return to Campus, the Rooms have already been turned into Hot-boxes and a very jovial atmosphere hung about the dorm - much like the cloud of smoke I walked into... This was to be the setting for a very long night of Cat-n-Mouse... 4 Junior Teachers/Students to supervise almost 200 Senior Learners. Not a single wink of sleep was to be had that night. Safety Laws (and The Law) prevent us from knocking out, our dear learners and locking them up for the Night (for their Safety, and my own peace of mind)... At 4am in the morning, I was still on Patrol - trying to hush down the Music, the Gigglers, the Streakers, the 'brave ones' trying to break out of the Boys' Dorms to go visit their Girls - "Ek issie gewoond aan alleen slaap'ie, Meneer!"??? And yet... I still had to get them up at 6am to be Fresh and Dressed for the long day, that lay ahead.

Those were the Days... When one could carry on all night, and still be able to function the following day... Oh, to be young again... Tee hee hee!!!

After breakfast and our morning meeting, I was fortunate enough to leave that hot mess behind to take the Rugby Boys off Campus for their Game against Settlers HS.

They won their Game, 36 - 19 (with very little Sleep), and still had the audacity to remind me that I 'owe' them each a R50, because I didn't have faith they could perform after the madness of the night before... This is an all too common theme - the Expectation and sometimes even Demand for a Reward, for doing something that is actually their 'duty' and only of benefit to themselves and their own futures...

"Meneer, wat gaan Meneer vir my gee as ek my boek uit haal?" - Story of my Life...

I have never believed in bribing anybody, child or adult, into doing anything at all!

From my observations and talks with the Learners, I can see how an integral part of their existence this is though - instant gratification. Promises of future gain and benefits do not mean much to them... They have been lied to so many times (mostly by grown-ups in whom they placed their trust), that sweet talk and promises have zero value to them. Seeing is believing... And what they see... Is not always so sweet... But, that is a Tale for another rainy day...

On that Note, I am now going to try and catch up on lost sleep...

Back to School... Four - Back for more...

Reflection - Week 4

Four - Back for more...


We have New Classrooms!!!

Our New Temporary (Permanent) Classrooms!!!

The Long Walk to Educational Freedom...

Building of the Structures for the Grade 8 Classes

Monday Assembly - In 'full' Attendance...

The Grounds, 3 Weeks ago - BEFORE the 'New Developments'...

After Weeks of feeling like a weathered leaf, blown about by the Cape Doctor - Southern Eastern, our temporary (permanent?) structures were made available for occupation! We were able to move most of the Grade 9 to 10s out of the Community Center and back to the School-grounds. The Grade 8s are still being accommodated in the Church Hall, but plans are in place to have them move into their own classes by Monday next, as soon as their pre-fabricated classrooms are put into place. What an exciting start to the Week. Shiny New Classrooms and excited 'new' faces - back-to-School, we go!!!

Space...

...and...

...Opportunity!!!

On the Academic Front, I was able to make some headway with 'my' Grade 11 and 12s, regarding the Short Stories for English FAL (First Additional Language) and HL (Home Language). We even managed to work in a piece of Transactional Writing this Week - The CV and Letter of Application. This linked up well with the Lesson I had for Life Orientation - Careers and Career Choices. The Learners were also busy with their Prepared Reading for English, Oral for Afrikaans and their PATs (Personal Assessment Portfolios) for the Tourism Class. It seemed, like we were finally getting back on track and on the way to normalcy at School...

I was feeling a renewed appreciation for the experience (joys and woes) of Teaching and the blessings of being able to connect with so many young bright minds. The Learners and I were coming to some sort of an understanding with each other. It even seemed like I was getting through, to some of the regular 'Clowns' and 'Hooligans' in the higher Grades...

Then... The End of the Week arrives...

As discussed and arranged with my Mentors in ENG and LO, I was to continue with the work that I started with the Grade 11 and 12 Classes, while they attempt to get their Grade 10s up to speed... Up until this Stage, the lower Grades still had very little actual Classroom-time and had 3 Weeks of Work to catch up on... This was no Big Issue, as I have already been attending to 'my' Classes on my own, since the previous week...

I was quite surprised however, when I was called upon (during my 1st Period Lesson), to be told, I was 'needed' somewhere else - to attend to a Class, while the Teacher went to the Bank? It was Pay-day for the Teachers and he would be back soon... From my experience of the previous Friday (when 6 Teachers were absent), I thought... I would simply have to keep an eye on the Learners, while they were busy with their work, which was left for them by their Classroom Teacher. I would run between Classes, as I did not have the space to simply add these Kids to my Grade 11 Class, as was done the Week before... Luckily, I thought to myself... It wouldn't be too bad... It was not Friday the 13th...

I was mistaken!

I put the Grade 11s to work - complete their CVs and Letter of Application, and made my way over to the 'new' block of Classrooms. I found out, I have inherited the Math Classes of Grade 9 and 10...

Now, I am of the Opinion, that each and every Critter and Creation on this beautiful blue ball that we call Mother Earth, is worthy and deserving of Respect. I try to honor this 'Personal Rule' of mine at all times... In practice, this can sometimes be a tall order, I have come to realize... Try as you may, to treat others with Respect, Dignity and Compassion... That does not necessarily mean, the same will be afforded to you. Not everybody is as concerned with your wishes and well-being, as they are with their own concerns and 'priorities'...

Upon my arrival at the 'new' Classroom, the Grade 9Ds seemed to have lost their minds??? The Desks were upturned, lewd writing on the Walls and Blackboard, Papers and Garbage strewn all over the Classroom-floor, Loud Music being blasted from their Mobiles and Mini Beat-boxes - a General Scene of Chaos!!!

I tried for the better half of two periods, to get back some order and get the kids back into the classroom and into their desks. It seemed futile... Fights (Mock or Real) constantly breaking out, on account of Bags, Clothing and Books being hidden or thrown about or out the Windows. Cursing at each other, with a clear attitude of Contempt and Disrespect for their fellow Learners and the Teacher. As they have already lost 4 Weeks of the Semester, it was made very clear by the Learners, that they had no interest in getting on with their Schoolwork... By Break-time, their Class-teacher had still not returned to 'relieve' me and I decided to seek out the Senior or more experienced Teachers for advice or HELP??? I was informed that the 9Ds, 9Gs and 9Es were the 'Problem Classes' and that I will have to 'make do'... "Keep them busy...", was the best advice on offer... I still had 4 more Periods with them 'little Angels'!!! I had this eerie feeling, that this was the reason that these Classes were handed to the 'Stupid Student Teacher'. What doesn't kill you... May just leave you, with ever-lasting Scars... All the best Theories relating to Discipline and Classroom Management, goes up in Smoke when the Classroom is on Fire...

Excellent kindling...

Back-to-back Classes of Madness and Mayhem, with not a lot of support from my 'colleagues' did not leave me with a very positive 'feel' on this fateful Friday... I did not feel a lot of Love for the Profession, as I stepped out of the Gates that afternoon. I do realize, however, that One (or more) Bad Day(s)... Does not make a Lifetime of Experiences... There was still a Lesson to be learned from this.

There will always be People, who will try to take advantage of one's kindness and soft heartedness...

Respect, Compassion and Love should be reserved for those who Value, Appreciate and Treasure it.

Back-to-School - Three

Reflections - Week Three


Week Three kicked off, after a Stormy Weekend of Wind and Rain.

a Kind of Shakespearean Introduction to the Week that lies ahead!?

As we were warned, last Thursday, at the Teachers' Visit to the School in Eersteriver - the Community of Eersteriver was not too happy with the thought of having their brand new School 'soiled' by Students from Scottsdene... The Staff wasn't prepared to risk the safety of the Students.

Monday Mayhem started with another School Assembly, to explain the latest Developments to the Students and Parents, whom arrived bright-n-early on this Cold Winter's Day...

Die Burger - Thursday, August 6th 2015

Tygerburger - Wednesday, August 5th 2015

Northern News - Wednesday, August 5th 2015

The Teachers were adamant however, that Learning will most definitely take place on that Day!

Once again, we had our Daily Schedules, this time it included Classes for the Grade 11s and from Tuesday, plans were put in play to accommodate the Grade 8, 9 and 10s as well. The Education Machine has finally started to get it's Grind on...

I even received my own classes to keep an Eye on, while we are 'still finding our feet'. I was assigned the Grade 11A and Grade 11B Classes to supervise, while their Homeroom Teachers were at the other Locations (not on the School Grounds) - getting the Younger Learners settled into a routine...

My first experience of being the Solo 'Teacher', included getting the Kids to come to order and trying to get the Class Monitors to present me with a Student Name-list - combined classes can get messy (students offering fake names and being in the wrong classes, just to canoodle with their friends). When, I still had some Students only arriving at School after 08h30 (School started at 07h45 and Lessons were suppose to start at 8am)... I had to take a 'moment' to raise my Voice and have THE TALK about Respect and Wasting TIME - Both that of the Educator (mine) and the Learners (theirs)... Some of whom still do not realize (care!?) that they have already lost another TWO Weeks of School and have a lot of catching up to do... When I mentioned / 'threatened' that they 'owe' me my Life, because they wasted LIFE, when they wasted Time... I had some bug-eyed stares. I am grateful, that I have not been pushed to using harsher Words and Images... Needless to say, we did NOT get a lot of Learning done, during the first Period... Perhaps, it was a blessing in disguise - it was suppose to be a History Lesson and I don't know much about the Subject, at all!!!

Our first actual academic experience was the second Period, which was to be a Life Orientation Lesson...

From the (Verbal) Notes that I received (in passing), we were to start on the Chapter on Careers and Job Applications. After my 'harsh words' earlier... The Learners were a little bit more co-operative and we managed to get a decent discussion going, regarding their knowledge of the Job-market and the reasons WHY they would choose certain Jobs over others... Mostly, for the Money and the Cars... Hah! The Grade 11s however, had a little bit more 'Vision for the Future', than the Grade 12 Classes I attended to during the earlier Weeks. There were some Gems too... Those who thought it would be a Dream to become a  part of the Entertainment, Tourism and Conservation Industries and even a few who want to become a Teacher!!! They said they wanted to 'Job-shadow' ME to get a 'feel' for the Job... I referred to the Drama we had that morning and we joked about how the Wheel turns... :-)

By the Time that it was their first break, we had somewhat of a better understanding of each other - I think, I learnt a lot more about the learners... Than they did of me though...

After the break, I had a double period of English...

I was tasked to start on the Short Stories that the Grade 11s need to get through, for their September Test Preparation. Once the Class finally settled down, we started on The Dube Train by Daniel Cadoise Themba. Since I too, only first laid eyes on the Story that morning, we started on the background of the story and how the Setting and Imagery related to their own experiences... Township Life in the Story, compared to their own lived experiences in their respective Neighbourhoods... I figured, it would be wise to spend the time on getting them to be able to relate to the Narrator (and Author) of the Story... Constantly referring back to their own experiences, as we read the Story together (mostly Teacher, as volunteers to read where non-existent!)... This did help, as the learners were a lot more involved in the Lesson, compared to what I witnessed with the Grade 12s, when their Texts were read to them and notes were simply copied and handed out to them...

At the completion of this Session, I felt a lot better about being thrown to 'the Wolves' that morning. At least, I was not 'eaten alive'... Yet!? The Kids even promised to do their Homework, by working on the Questions I set them to complete for the next day... I chanced it, but knew I would have to allow time to complete the Questions in class the next day. True to form... They might not have done their Homework... However, it was a joy to see how much they remembered from the Reading the next Day - that made the Day's Task a lot easier... Exited and enthusiastic discussions on the themes of 'Township-loving is Rough' and surviving the 'Daily commute to Work/School' made for some very pleasant Classes. Towards the end of the Week, I might have felt Physically worn out (from all the Terror Teens 'trying and testing' me...), but... Emotionally, I felt that I have accomplished at least 'something' this Week!

The Struggle continues... :-)