Teach and Travel: Consistent Inconsistencies

Friday, July 20, 2012

Steven didn’t teach any classes on Friday, due to the fact that the Form II students were still taking their mock exams, but he and I were planning to prepare some lessons for next week. He was actually in his office when I arrived, working on yesterday’s attendance roster for the school and the Summary of the Day — some of his T.O.D. duties. The Summary of the Day included things like what time the students woke up, what chores were completed (secondary schools in Tanzania are boarding schools), what time meals were served and if everyone got food, what after-school activities took place (football, debate, etc.), and so on. I probably shouldn’t be so cynical, but knowing that the lesson plans recorded in the book and the actual lessons that take place in the classroom sometimes have very little in common, I suspect that the details of this Summary of the Day are only as accurate as one pretends them to be.

When those responsibilities were finished, we recorded the lesson plan from yesterday’s lesson in Form IIIB (with creative license), and then Steven showed me a geometry chapter in the Form II math textbook about angles, congruent figures, and triangles — all proof-based. He told me he had never learned that material and asked if I would teach it to him. Having taught geometry for 5 years and feeling more than comfortable with the material, I agreed and we worked on that until teatime. At first I felt like that was kind of a poor use of my time when I could be teaching actual students, but then I realized that it prepares Steven to do more once I’m gone, which I definitely think is a good thing — and is probably actually more useful in the long run than any teaching I do in the classroom while I’m here.

A couple pages from the Form II textbook — click to enlarge if you like math. :)

I did struggle to understand how it was possible that Steven had passed his own exams without knowing large chunks of material from the curriculum. I had also learned the day before that Steven was some sort of temporary or junior teacher. He had completed secondary school but either couldn’t afford university education yet or couldn’t get into the university yet and so was teaching in the meantime. He had no formal training in being a teacher, which is quite common in Tanzanian schools, as I understand it, especially those in the more rural areas. This leads to problems both in instructional abilities and in classroom management skills.

After teatime I accompanied Steven on a T.O.D. supervisory task. We walked around the courtyard, and Steven shooed the kids hanging around outside the classroom doors on into the classroom. Many of them didn’t really want to go in and didn’t pay much attention to him. I’d had this image in my head that the secondary students (unlike the primary students) in Tanzania were very motivated in their education. Their parents pay a lot of money by Tanzanian standards to send them to secondary school, and only about 7% of students nationally make it in to secondary school. And they don’t want to go to class? (Or do their homework, for that matter?) I never really could figure that out. I suppose it’s not all that different from an American college student who skips class all the time or flunks out of school, but again it just flew in the face of everything I thought I understood from when I was in Tanzania two years ago.

Students in the courtyard between classes

After we were done with that T.O.D. task, I continued teaching Steven geometry until 11:30 when he had a faculty meeting to attend and I decided to return to the mission house a little early to get ready for our trip to Ruaha National Park. I’d explained to Steven earlier that I wouldn’t be back that afternoon because we were going away for the weekend. I tried to avoid talking about where I was going because I felt guilty for being able to afford a trip like that that when so many Tanzanians can’t, but several different people at the school asked me where we were going and what we were doing, so I felt like I had to answer, though I kept my responses as short and simple as possible.

I’m overcome with two sentiments about the school experience, both of which shouldn’t surprise me, as they’re what I went through last time too. One is being frustrated with inconsistencies and the other is simply “I don’t understand.” These intertwine quite a bit obviously. One day tardiness is a big deal and a bunch of teachers are punishing students for being late; every other day no one pays any attention to it. One day the T.O.D.s patrol the courtyard; the other days they don’t. Sometimes we need to be on time, sometimes we’re 15 minutes late. I don’t understand why so many kids are absent or how a system exists in which a person can teach with no training or experience. I don’t understand why some things are so formal and others are so lackadaisical. And the list could go on. Yet somehow I still love the experience here. How can that be? Hey, at least I can count on consistent inconsistencies!

Anyway, we ate lunch of pizza (Tanzania-style) and chipsi mayai, then we loaded the two vehicles that came for us to go on safari, and we headed for Ruaha. It took us two hours to reach Iringa, where the vehicle I was in made a quick restroom stop and the other vehicle stayed longer because some of its passengers wanted to use the internet. From there it was another full two hours to Ruaha. The roads were bumpy most of the way and were dirty and dusty — only a very short stretch of road between Pommern and Ruaha is paved. I didn’t feel very good the last half hour or so of the trip, and I was glad when we finally arrived. It was fun to wave at lots of kids (and adults) along the way too — we were greeted by many, many shouts of “mzungu!” I wonder what the locals think when a van or jeep full of white people drives past and those white people wave. Do they think we’re showing off? Do they think we’re mocking them? Do they think we’re just being friendly (which is my intent)?

Some pictures from the drive — a typical bridge

A typical non-bridge. We were there during the dry season. I don't know what they do during the rainy season. Caulk your wagon instead of fording the river, I suppose.

Walking is the most common form of transportation, even with a large load to carry.

A few houses

The long dusty road

Maasai natives

One of my favorite pictures. It's just so... Africa.

Car accident. Not uncommon.

Children carrying water to their homes

Passing through a small town between Pommern and Ruaha

We stayed at a wonderful lodge called Tungamalenga, a different lodge from last time because the other one was booked. The rooms were nice and clean, and the food and service were excellent. African hospitality never ceases to amaze me. While we were drinking juice and tea after our arrival (which were provided for free), one of the young women who worked at the lodge stood in the shadows and waited on us the whole time. That felt so strange! The workers at any establishment always want to carry our bags for us and jump up to help us immediately when we are looking for something.

The dining area and two of the waitresses

Our shower that night never got very warm, but I was happy for the water pressure and an actual showerhead instead of a sun shower and didn’t really care about the temperature. Supper had an appetizer of cream of carrot soup (I’m a picky eater and probably wouldn’t have even tried it if I’d known what it was before I tasted it, but I didn’t know and it was very tasty) and some really good bread rolls. Our main course was a buffet line of rice, chips (french fries), beef, chicken, and a couple other things. It was all very, very, very good!

A sign welcoming us to the lodge — and an advertisement for Coca Cola below that. Western influence is everywhere.

The beautiful Tungamalenga Lodge

Some of the accommodations at Tungamalenga Lodge

We went to bed with plans to eat breakfast at 7:00 the next morning and leave for our safari at 7:30. I was especially excited for Rachel to get to see the animals for the first time, and I hoped I would get to see something I hadn’t seen before.