2012 - 2013 school year

Just before the school year started, we spent an entire day at the beach every week!

Human pyramid! Sorry about the sideways... I can't figure out how to rotate it! Ha!

The 2012-2013 school year has began! I believe it will be a good year, a better year than last year which was my first year. Though I will have a heavy load, I am much more comfortable, less stressed, more confident, and well, overall feeling more positive about balancing teaching. I can’t say that the last school year was a bad experience; I would say it was a rough learning experience. After the year before, I know the system here, I understand the mentality of my students, and I have ready/familiar material to assist me. This is not all to say that teaching will be my future career. It is simply to say that this second year of teaching will bring more positivity as well as hopefully more opportunities that truly match my desires in life. Perhaps I will network; find people linking to internships, volunteer work, or part time jobs in the sociology, anthropology, human’s rights, women’s rights, or health care fields. My options seem to be wider than before. Thank goodness!

Perhaps I should explain my job. I am teaching at two schools this year. First, I am teaching at the same school as last year, Cours Sainte Marie de Hann, the private French and Senegalese school. I teach English in the French program to three high school senior classes and two high school junior classes. I teach geography and history in English to 8^th graders and 9^th graders in a Senegalese bilingual program. Besides that, I will have a one hour ever-other-week WITHOUT grades English reading class with 8^th graders AND THEN I am still waiting to hear from the elementary sector of the school. Yes. More classes. This year the elementary school is looking for native English speakers to teach a few hours a week to the younger children to start “prepping their ears” for the bilingual program in their future. They are wanting to start English young but would like me to help them get it started. A type of English reinforcement that of course, stereotypically, they want a young, female who is friendly and good with children. They thought I would be efficient for the job. So anyways, my schedule with the high school and middle school sectors do not work with the elementary hours so I am waiting to hear back on what they have worked out for me.

My first week, this last week, went well. It passed more positively and comfortably than expected as well as provided me time to do extra preparation for classes and solidify another teaching job. My students respect me this year. I have already had interesting discussions. I have facilitated good English speaking. I have clearly stated my class expectations for the year. I have shown that I am competent, organized, experienced, strict but kind, and most importantly, integrated into Senegal which means partially Senegalese. Though there is a TON of work to be done, including hundreds of tests to correct, considering I am teaching exam preparation classes, and MANY stresses to be had, I think I am ready to juggle through the school year.

My second job. There is a newer college here in Dakar that has a bilingual program as well as a MBA program. The MBA is the same MBA in the United States and is transferable to many countries. All I really know about the school is in November they will be starting their 2nd year as a college and the director is a French man. Otherwise, I have simply observed the personnel, their website, and how the hiring process has flowed. I believe it is a stable institution. Yesterday I had a meeting with one of the program coordinators who is also an economics teacher. Yero Baldé. Yero is very kind. Before I came in he had already helped me negotiate my pay and contract, which is difficult here, and then we sat down to talk about my schedule.
Basically I helped him organize the English classes, explaining which subjects or activities of English go well together. It was neat because even though I am completely new (we do not know each other outside of two meetings and three emails) he, I, and one other young English speaking colleague set up part of the program. Yero was satisfied since he had been working on it for a week ending in no plausible outcomes. I was satisfied because after my work experience I was capable advising someone in that way. In the end, we split up the intensive English classes in the following categories: Reading, vocabulary, and discussion/oral practice; writing and grammar; audio, listening, video, and oral discussion. I am teaching the first category - reading, vocabulary, and discussion.

To start, I am teaching students in their first year during a two months of intensive English courses. I have one class each Wednesday and Thursday from 1:15pm to 3:15pm. Then after the two months of intensive English is over I will teach 4 or 5 classes one hour each a week. It is great because it will start out as 4 hours a week and then perhaps it will still be only 5 or 6 more added to Mariste so I will not be overwhelmed. It will be manageable as well as great experience.

Alright, that is enough for now! I have been reflecting so deeply about my relationships with people in the United States. My heart has been heavy with my lack of connection. Perhaps soon I will be able to share with you my thoughts, "sorries", feelings, hopeful improvements, and simply the place I am spiritually/mentally.

Much love,
Lacey