Internship at Sumaye in Morogoro

Internship school (written 25. July 12)

The past several weeks have been spent in our CBT (community-based training) groups, which is where we have our intensive language classes.  There are five of us plus our teacher.  There’s Jack, Emily, Eric, Charles and me, and our wonderful instructor, Makasi.  Each CBT has class at a different secondary school around the city of Morogoro.  My group has been at Sumaye (sue – my - ay) Secondary School, which is a fairly short walk from where our homestay families are.  The past three weeks we have been doing our internship teaching.  This is where each of us PCTs (Peace Corps Trainees) taught at least 6 class periods each week.  It was a great way for Peace Corps to get us into the classroom in order to gain more of an idea of what Tanzanian schools are actually like.

            I will write a different blog entry about the Tanzanian school system, but mostly just want to rave about those fun experiences I’ve already had in the classes.

            So the only class that I worked with was Form 1, class D (1D).  The students’ ages ranged anywhere from 14 to 18, but Form 1 is at the bottom of the school totem pole.  Regardless of their ages, many of the students struggled with English (which is the subject I’m teaching, for those who may have forgotten).  There were those few that were able to bust out these incredibly well formulated and complicated sentences in English.  To give you an idea of the language ranges: some of my students could not even ask to go to the bathroom, whereas a student was able to explain the process of decomposition and why plastic bottles do not decompose.  IN ENGLISH.

            Despite their struggles with the subject, I flippin loved those kids.  First off, they call me “Teacher” “Mwalimu” (teacher in Kiswahili) or my favorite: ”Madam.”  That’s right, I’m called “Madam.”  It’s awesome.  I feel a bit like a pompous individual, I can’t lie.  But they call all their teachers by some kind of title, so it’s completely normal here.  Considering that I was called “dude” a few times by my sixth graders during student teaching, I kind of enjoy being called respectful titles.  Do you think my students in the States will call me “Madam Healy” if I ask them nicely?

            Tanzanian students are overall very respectful and like to help their teachers as much as possible.  I’ve already seen this a lot, as most students seem very insistent on carrying anything I bring to class.  This includes everything: my pen, water bottler, chalk, eraser, tape, random paper….I’m totally getting spoiled.  They actually enjoy running errands for teachers.  Apparently a lot of teachers get their students to carry water for them if they don’t have running water at their homes.  It makes me think about how many of my students grumbled if I had them pass out papers—I already feel bad for my American students when I return!  I’ll be that teacher who keeps making comments like “Well in Tanzania my students carried gallons of water for me….”

            Corporal punishment is still being used in many Tanzanian schools.  I have not seen it personally, yet, and I hope I won’t have to.  Technically it is illegal, but that law is definitely not being enforced.  Because of this, many students do not like to participate in class or ask questions, because some teachers will punish them.  Getting students to participate is like pulling teeth, and is hard when you’re with them for only a few class periods.  However, I definitely tried to make my class feel comfortable with me.  Though I’m sure they were constantly wondering why the white lady was hopping up and down whenever they participated or got the right answer.

            Despite most likely not understanding very much of what was going on, my students seemed to enjoy my silliness.  I would make them stand up and spell “coconut” with their bodies in order to get them moving, would do “Pasha”  (a super awesome amazing Tanzanian clapping thing that is loads of fun) to celebrate the students participating, and would give them high fives and fist pounds constantly.  They giggled a lot at me, but God knows I’ve gotten used to people laughing at me by now.

            One day at the end of class, as I was packing up my chalk and papers, a girl came up to me and asked my name (they don’t really know their teachers’ names here, though I can’t say anything because I didn’t learn their names either).  “My name is Amy.  What is yours?”  She then said very clearly “I’m Lois.  I love you!”  She then insisted on helping me carry my things back to where my CBT was having Kiswahili class.  I definitely bragged that I got my first “I love you” from a student. 

            Though it was challenging and eye-opening to do my internship teaching these past few weeks, it’s made me even more excited to actually have my own classroom (at long last!  It’s only been about 3 years of praktikums, internships, theoretical classes and student teaching) and develop relationships with students here.  Only a few more weeks until I officially move to my permanent work site!

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Today was our last day at Sumaye, and it was really quite touching.  We said an awkward good-bye to the teachers, who gave each of us some kind of traditional Tanzanian material.  They wrapped the cloth around each of us, differently according to our genders.  We were quite touched and definitely did not expect anything.  Peace Corps supplied each CBT with some textbooks, a soccer ball, volleyball, dodge ball, volleyball net, erasers and chalk.  These are all the basic things that the school simply does not have, so the teachers all seemed very excited at receiving the gifts.

            After saying our awkward good-byes to the teachers, we were brought out in front of the entire student body.  We were still wrapped in the cloth that the teachers had given us, and the students instantly started laughing when they saw us come out in them.  As I said before, we have all grown quite accustomed to being laughed at, plus it has never been derisive laughter that makes us feel bad.  Some of the prefects showed the gifts that Peace Corps provided, and thanked us for spending time at their school.  Charles from my CBT spoke for all of us, thanking the students for helping prepare us for teaching other Tanzanian students.  As we were about to leave, I shouted out in Kiswahili “Tunawapenda!” meaning “We love you!”  The students erupted into laughter, as they always do when they hear us stumble through Kiswahili.

            After our CBT finished for the day, Charles, Eric, Emily, Jack and I all wanted to say good-bye to our classes.  Jack happened to have his camera with him, so we walked into our class of 1D and asked if we could take a picture with them.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen Tanzanians move so quickly.  The girls swarmed over me, all trying to be the ones that stood closest to me, while Jack had the same thing happening with the boys.  There were definitely many hands that touched my hair in the chaos of picture taking, but I was laughing the entire time.  The students then carried my two bags all around campus as we said good-bye and took pictures with a lot of the other classes that our CBT worked with.  The girls who carried my stuff were like puppies, following me and eager to help me in any way they could.

As we left for the day, it was obvious the students really wanted to carry our stuff all the way home for us.  We said our good-byes and waved as we left the school.  All this was after only three weeks of teaching.  I can’t imagine what it’ll be like when at my actual site!