Fractions

Tomorrow I start at the school. I will be teaching on Tuesdays and Thursdays until the end of term. Have been asked to prepare lessons on mixed numbers and improper fractions and then the use of commas in grammar. Already using an idea from the NILD course for the fractions and it feels like being back on CELTA with the English. Got asked at 4 o'clock to do it so wasn't a lot of time. Tomorrow will have to prep for the weekend bio lessons and I now have to write up another wetland report. Work does seem to be piling up a bit, guess it's good for me.

Game where you match the mixed number, shapes and improper fractions that are the same.

My Chinese five year old was a bit sad at the end of the lesson today and so was I. Am going to miss he and his family a lot. It is still sinking in. Going to have to try work out how to teach him with the 6 hour time difference and my new commitments. Would like to keep teaching him. My student's mum asked me if there were high schools for children with special needs. She said she had a friend whose child needed such a school. She wasn't sure of the word in English so she looked up in Chinese and the English translation first said infantile but then autistic - I thought it was interesting that this is what was used to describe an autistic person. I wonder if it reflects how autistic people are viewed in China.

Feels like we are extremely dependent on EcoCash for the economy to keep functioning. Was able to pay my ZOL internet bill via EcoCash, which is really helpful as I can do it in minutes on my phone and not have to go somewhere to pay it or worry about a bank transfer going through. My therapist accepts EcoCash too.

Until we meet on Zoom

Have just finished writing a letter to my Chinese five year old to give him when I do my last lesson with him here tomorrow. It has been quite a journey teaching him since he was three and half to now and he has come such a long way. He is definitely the most stimulating student I've ever had and his questions still blow me away. Trying to organise logistics of how I will teach him online. He will be six hours ahead which is a little tricky. I think he is feeling rather unsettled as he was acting up yesterday and today particularly with his reading - we were back to him not wanting to look at the words again - we had progressed from that. Tomorrow will be the end of my routine as I know it. I have taught him every week day, every week for the last two years.

Did personal training this afternoon and my trainer got me to do my first proper cardio session since I injured my ankle. It was quite gruelling running across her lawn, doing press ups right down to the floor with hands off and up again and then my favourites, jumping jacks with lunges, squats, burpees, crunches, scissors, sprint sit ups  .... it was intense. Kind of lost coordination of my feet at the end and nearly landed on the floor. But it was good.

Been asked to do another wetland report. Will need to try fit in another site visit between teaching. I now need to start preparing for my bio lessons at the weekend at the Iranian Ambassador's. The syllabus for AS has changed again so have to recompile my notes.

Have an offer

Was up earlier than normal today to get to the school I was doing the observed lessons at on time. They had assembly first and then I took a maths lesson and after break English. A lady brings all the teachers coffee at the beginning of the first lesson - amazing! There were definitely mixed abilities and challenges for the students in both classes but the lessons went fairly well and I got to engage with them more than last time by teaching and they all are still really sweet kids. It was one little boy's birthday and he had brought cupcakes for everyone and I was presented with one. In the phonics lesson I sat and watched they were looking at the 'wa' sound and had to come up with vocab words. Without hesitation one little boy called out Wakanda - I thought this was pretty funny.

Well to cut to the chase I have been offered the job and I am pretty excited to take it. It seems like a lovely environment and is a progression from what I have been doing - working with children with dyslexia and autism in the past will hopefully help. I am thinking of trying to do the National Institute for Learning Difficulties level one therapist course in August. I would start teaching full time from next term but will go in twice a week from this Thursday to take classes and also try go in a few other days to see a bit more of what the other teacher is doing and to sit with her and go through things. The only challenge is going to be that they start really early - some teachers get to school by 6.30 am to start doing reading with students - eeeek!

Went on to teach my Chinese five year old and then my form four. My five year old had the sudden dawning realisation that numbers are infinite - this was a profound moment for him. We had fun doing some frottage and looking at trees. 

It's going to be a week where coffee is needed

Managed to last to the end of the course and although it was intimidating doing an observed session it was useful to get the feedback and see how others approached it. We were introduced to some great games for tackling multiplication, fractions and number recognition. During one person's observed practical she asked if you can share one dog between more than one person. The person being asked replied yes you can as their family shares one dog. This turned into quite a funny interchange as the person doing the prac was trying to say you can't cut the dog into parts. By this point we all went into a fit of giggles.

Have to be at the school where I have the interview pretty early tomorrow morning. Will go from there to teaching in the afternoon. After a two day school week last week with half term and Bob's birthday public holiday, this week may be a bit of shock to the system. The weeks between new year and now are becoming a blur and time is marching on at a rapid rate. Need to try make the most of it.

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Mostly work this weekend

This weekend seems to be consumed with work. The course on tackling maths difficulties is interesting but full on. Have another day starting from 8.30 tomorrow and had to prepare to use tools we learnt today tonight. We looked at various forms of dyscalculia and how to get students to think about maths strategies and processes. In addition to this I am preparing for a second interview at the school for learning difficulties on Monday. Have been asked to prepare a maths and English lesson. This coming week is going to feel long as I basically don't get a break this weekend. I guess it's worth it.

Managed to install and test Zoom, an alternative to Skype for my Chinese five year old. His mum was quite chuffed that it had a Chinese version and my five year old had great fun drawing over a document I shared with him. Am going to have to play around with it a bit more to be more familiar with the various features. Went to Schoolbooks for Africa and got Cambridge grade one books for us to use by correspondence. Have just three lessons left.

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Back to Cells and Biology

Well the interview at the Iranian Ambassador's was quite brief yesterday. I had asked the day before if they wanted an actual lesson and they had said no but when I arrived yesterday they were expecting one. I will be tutoring bio for AS level. They want it at weekends which I am not too happy about but will do so for the moment. Have told them I have a wedding in March. Because I have the NILD course this weekend I am doing a lesson tomorrow afternoon. Will go over cell structure and functions. Trying to get the ActiveX to work in powerpoint so I can show animations in Boardworks.

Shame my Chinese five year old is feeling sad as his best friend here told him he's not sure if they will be able to talk to each other so easily when he goes back to China as my student's Chinese will be better than his friend's and my student's English is going to not be as good. I will have to try keep his English up but it will be difficult not seeing him in person, but I can but try. Went and got Cambridge grade one books from School Books for Africa today for him.

Had a great evening catching up with my friend from Cape Town last night. They are here setting up a leopard monitoring project with National Parks and they will then be doing a similar project in Zambia. Haha their impression of Harare so far was that it's like Bishopscourt in Cape Town but with bad roads - the implication being that the houses have big gardens and it's leafy suburbia. I thought that funny.

Tea with the Iranian Ambassador

Half term is rapidly disappearing. Today is busy even though it is a public holiday to honor you-know-who's birthday. I had a maths lesson with my form four first thing and had to argue that there is no simpler way to make something the subject of the formula. I don't think there is an easier way round it. By the end of the lesson I think my student was grasping it a little better. This afternoon I have been invited for tea at the Iranian Ambassador's residence to discuss tutoring his son in A level maths and bio. Should be interesting. From there I go to teach my Chinese student French and I am then meeting up with a friend up from Cape Town who did the Conservation Biology course. So today is busy.

Going back and forth from where I am house sitting I pass Borrowdale Vlei and it is really saddening to see the housing complex going up. It really is not well thought through and it is the loss of a major wetland area.

Note to self, don't eat the dog's food

I have a confession, I got peckish and started nibbling on the rice crackers that are meant for Bijou, the dog I am looking after. They are a Spar product so I foolishly thought they would be easy to replace. Well not so. Went to Bridge Spar and Ballantyne Park but they only had sweet chilli and for a dog with pancreatitis this did not seem a very good idea as a substitute. I even asked the staff at both Spars if they could go to the back and check their stock - no luck. As a last resort before contemplating having to go to Eastlea of beyond, I tried Sam Levy's and thankfully they had one last packet of plain crackers - phew!! I guess I shouldn't take it for granted you can always find things in Zim at the moment.

Had the memorial service for our dear friend Mo this morning. She held on strongly to her faith right to the end and so it was not a sad occasion but rather a celebration of her life and where she is now. It is still hard though to think that she is not here any more but at least she is no longer suffering and is at peace.

My Chinese five year old is apparently having such a good time in Nyanga with his best friend that he managed to convince both sets of parents to stay an extra night, so I will only see him on Thursday. I am not sure which subject I will be revising with my form four today. Yesterday he decided to go over the nervous system.

Milieu de trimestre

Well I semi have a half term which is nice. My Chinese students have gone to Nyanga til Wednesday but I still have my form four. Wednesday is a public holiday for Mugabe's birthday - a tad controversial. I did an hour's lesson yesterday with my Chinese five year old to try make sure we finish learning all his letters before he leaves in two weeks' time - it's getting so close, I am going to be very sad. His mum kindly had made me breakfast again but served it as I was getting ready to leave. I still am not sure what is Chinese etiquette when it comes to food but I have a feeling I would offend her greatly by declining. I had already had breakfast though, tricky.

Had a friend's birthday yesterday and we managed to fit in two games of croquet between rain showers. We are finally having lovely rains. I am house sitting again for my high school biology teacher at Larmenier. Took Bijou the dog for walks round today and snapped some of the flowers.

This coming weekend I will be doing a two day NILD maths course for helping students with learning difficulties at Hellenic. It should be quite intense but hopefully give me some useful tools for tackling problem areas.

新的一年 xīn de yì nián & a sad day for Zimbabwe

Today has been an interesting day so far. My lesson with my Chinese five year old was moved to 8 this morning as his family wanted to celebrate Chinese New Year's Eve this afternoon. Sweet, my student's mum specially made me egg, tomato and ham toasted sandwiches for breakfast because I had come early (it's not that early as I have to drop my mum at school earlier than that). My student got through a whole Happy Readers book (Betty Bear) today and is getting into the swing of reading a bit more. He even started reading ahead on his own in the next book, picking out words he already knows which delighted me. I have been trying to teach him the song below for Chinese New Year. He cracks me up as throughout his lesson and in the middle of this song he keeps blurting out "Hanukkah!" and "Light the menorah!" with great enthusiasm. I think he really misses his old school Sharon but I keep trying to say it's February.

I had an informal interview for a home school that specialises in helping kids with learning difficulties later on this morning. I have been invited back to observe again in two weeks' time. The set up really appealed to me and there were some really lovely children, although I was warned they seemed to be on their best behaviour as I was there and can be a handful. There are a range of learning difficulties from dyslexia through to autism but they have a resident occupational therapist and teaching assistants. While I was having a chat with the head and deputy head teachers, another teacher came in and said she didn't want to cause alarm and consternation, but there was a snake, not a blind worm, in the pool. We finished our discussion and went out and sure enough there was. Sadly the gardner dispatched it. The swimming teacher, who is studying to be a professional guide, went over to try identify it and she said it seemed to be black inside its mouth, which could possibly make it a black mamba but it could have been a rat snake?.

On the way to work this morning I first saw the headline "A Mountain Has Fallen". With all that is going on in South Africa, I thought it pertained to Zuma but then saw the next headline that Tsvangirai had died. This is very sad news indeed. He gave so much towards trying to bring democracy to Zimbabwe and standing up to ZANU PF. First Roy Bennet, now Morgan Tsvangirai. Driving back from Borrowdale along Chatsworth Road I had to pull over to make way for a large number of soldiers in army uniform marching along the street chanting. I am not sure what that was all about at all as I don't think there's an army barracks that close by to there. Never quite sure what exactly is going on in this place.

Caught up with a good school friend yesterday who is back home visiting from Dubai. It was lovely to chat and connect after two years. It was interesting to hear how death is mourned in the Hindu faith and how time is set aside to grieve and be with family and close friends. A similar tradition seems to exist in Judaism. I think we tend to rush through grief and suppress it in the secular world.

Japan and another death

Did a lesson on Japan with my Chinese five year old today and he is warming to it a bit more. I first told him about the Winter Olympics in Korea and showed him an ice skating video. Pointed out that Korea was another country next to China and I showed him a snippet of Gangnam Style. When we looked at Japan he noticed that the writing is similar to Chinese and immediately said Japan must have got it from China. I decided to google to check and he was in fact right and he retorted, "Of course I am." Such modesty. He was rather taken with how similar some things in Japan are to China - hopefully this will improve his impression of Japan and he will get over the fact that they invaded China in the Second World War.

I have just heard more sad news, a good friend of ours Mo who lives down the road died last week after battling with cancer. She grew up in Mutare like my mum and she and her husband were good friends to us. We went camping with them and used to pop down the road to see them. When I came home from Switzerland and came out of hospital I stayed with them for a little bit and Mo was really good at listening and letting me be. She was incredibly kind and gentle. Two special people gone in one week.

Thankfully the elderly aunt of the person I was house sitting for has made a good recovery after drinking marmite in hot water, eating bananas and taking rehydration solution. I have been asked to film a grade 10 at the International School's IB drama project this afternoon. Hopefully it will all go smoothly and I don't botch it up.

One more day & a bit of a scare

Well I was packing everything up from house sitting when I got a message from the person returning to say her flight from Bahrain had been cancelled so she'll only be back tomorrow and I'll therefore be here another night. In the meantime though her aunt who lives in the cottage at the back hasn't been at all well and I got worried last night as she wasn't making sense. I messaged a mutual friend and asked if her mum who is a doctor could come in the morning. Managed to find some rehydration sachets which I made up and I checked in on my patient throughout the evening. She did get up in the middle of the night and thought it was daytime and we were having a solar eclipse. My friend's mum came this morning and suggested that she drink marmite in hot water to boost potassium levels. I did buy some bananas first thing. Thankfully there is great improvement today but the aunt is over 80 so I was very concerned.

Editing my wetland report and need to add a few more references to back what has been said. Have personal training in a bit. Was going to take my physio's advice and do a session in the pool here but it is a bit chilly and raining so I have chickened out. I am a bit fussy about when I get in the water - it has to be hot or humid, although I guess when it rains the water is actually pretty warm. We have had lovely rains all weekend here - very much needed.

I have my two Chinese students for English and French this afternoon. Going to give the background on Valentine's Day to them and get them to write on it - well for my five year old it will be a dictation (he loves telling me stories and messages to his mum and dad and having me frantically scribble down what he's saying. Can't wait until he can write it down himself and I think he is going to be writing people cards as soon as he can - he loves sending people messages). My form four has cancelled today but it is nice in that I get home earlier as a result. Tomorrow I am going with my mum and some other friends to watch The Economics of Happiness at Tristan's. Looks good and am looking forward to it.

To be domesticated

Taught yesterday morning, did a bit more on the wetland report and then started cooking again. I love the work space in the kitchen where I am house sitting, with it's open plan and lots of counter areas, and the bonus of a large scullery. Decided to stick with recipes I knew for dinner last night and then lunch today. Did a version of carbonara and then have just made a babotie for lunch - fairly fail proof. For the friend whose birthday it was who is coming for lunch today I've used a Second World War chocolate cake recipe that doesn't require eggs or butter - winning as you can't get either of those easily or otherwise cheaply in Zim. My friend Lucy made chocolate biscuits last night and had those with cream and raspberries - which are in abundance in Pick N Pay and the Maasdorp Market.

Well my good friends Tammy and Ryan came last night and they love practical jokes. First off Ryan put on a strong Shona accent for Lucy when she pressed the intercom and said "What do you want? No, this is not number 47." Lucy has been here before so was very confused. Well I shouldn't have laughed as hard as I did because it was my turn next! Ryan has the same phone as me and said he could sort out why my photos weren't being retained. He did manage to do this by upgrading software but while he was at it, he and Tammy decided to leave an interesting status on my Facebook page and whatsapp photo. I only discovered this later and for whatsapp had to try figure out how to change it. Never trust your friends with your phone!

We introduced Tammy and Ryan to Bananagrams and ended up having a marathon of rounds that ended at 2 this morning - didn't know you could keep going for that long.

Finish house sitting here tomorrow and go home until I house sit again for my high school biology teacher next weekend over half term - can't believe it's half term already.

Je vous dis à la prochaine fois

God knows how we are fashioned, God remembers that we are dust.
The days of mortals are like grass; We flourish as the flowers of the field.
A wind passes over them and they are not more; And no one can recognize where they grew.
But adonai’s compassion is everlasting.

Well today was an admixture of Catholism, Shona tradition and Jewish rites of passage. I woke up early to get to school on time and had a strong cup of coffee. When I got to Convent I was met by Mr Mapaya, a wonderful man, who had done an amazing job setting up the hall for the service with flowers and beautiful photos of Cappy. That's when I first got a lump in my throat. The girls filed into the hall and they had a short hymn practice before mass - this is where I broke down. Singing the old familiar songs like "I have carried you on eagle's wings", "Yahweh I know you are near" and then the Kyrie Eleison which I well remember Cappy conducting us to sing from the piano. The school girls sang beautifully and my tears flowed. Managed to get a grip by time mass started and thankfully they had a microphone - I didn't really want to have to think about voice projection. Min'enhle Mguni was the other old girl to speak and then two upper sixes who were Cappy's last O level French class gave their memories and Mr Mapaya did too. I wish we could rewind to last week and have had Cappy sitting there to hear how valued she was and the deep love and respect people hold for her.

The service ran a little late so I ducked out after communion with the other teachers to get to Warren Hills on time. I got a lift with Madame McKenzie, Mrs Smet and Mrs Bourdillon. Luckily Madame McKenzie's husband drove and knew exactly where to go - I don' know that I would have found it on my own. We assembled in a small building where burial prayers were read, before the coffin was wheeled out to be buried. I haven't ever been to a graveside ceremony and the rawness of death and the return to the earth was hard hitting. Only the men are allowed to put three spade fulls of earth on the grave. I had read up a bit on Jewish funerals and there is quite a set way one grieves and releases the person you have lost. We noticed small pebbles placed on the other graves and I've found out that it is to show respect and to signify you have visited that person's grave. 

I went back to town with the daughter of Ms De Kok (spelling?), Miss Capelluto's great friend. We joined other Convent people at Alo Alo in Arundel as a wake. That was hard too as I think that's the last place I had properly spoken to Cappy at the Old Girls' lunch last year. Have said I will try make the Convent teacher coffee meet up more often. This has really brought home to me that you can't take for granted that you will see people again. Apparently Sr Gundula has just turned 80. These women were all such strong figures in my life and influential in shaping the person I have become.

Just had physio. Apparently I only need one more session. Had a deep meaningful conversation with my therapist on life while she did a lot of massage on my ankle which was a bit sore but she says I can slowly start back on full personal training but maybe first in the pool on Monday. Have two students this afternoon. Found a fun exercise for conjugating reflexive verbs in French for my Chinese ten year old on the Easter Bunny. I hope he enjoys it.

Bittersweet

It has ended up being rather a hard week to get through and I won't lie, I am feeling a bit emotionally and physically jaded. Went for coffee with the past Convent staff this morning. Cappy had specifically requested to meet at Cafe Guru today last week. More teachers than normal came but there was the hollow feeling that Cappy should be there drinking her cappuccino with us. A few of us teared up at certain moments and we tried to cover some logistics for the memorial and funeral tomorrow. I had offered to read tributes from old girls around the world at Convent but wasn't sure if I was definitely doing so. I whatsapped Mr Mapaya at lunch time to check and just as well I did as he said he was expecting me to - eeek. I am feeling a tinge of stage fright at the thought of having to make my voice heard up at the balcony at the back of the school hall and it suddenly seems like an awfully big hall in my mind. My friend Nina pointed out I can be very loud at times - gee thanks Neens (love you!) Just hoping I don't break down and cry. From Convent I will make my way out to Warren Hills cemetery and need to try find the Jewish section. I know from going to synagogue with my friend Cara I should dress frum i.e. wear a long skirt or dress and I have dug out a black dress from home. I am looking forward to the end of tomorrow when I have finished teaching my two afternoon students and made it through what is going to be a rather difficult day.

Before the Convent tea I met another friend who is back from England to do their PhD research. I had forgotten he was here last just before the coup. He is looking at NGOs involved in human rights projects and democracy and their relation to government so it is an extremely interesting time to be looking at this in Zimbabwe I must say. It is nice to hear about research and academia. Had personal training at lunchtime and my trainer started by saying "Who says you can't get a good cardio session with just an upper body work out and without using your legs and ankle?" She was right, I did break a sweat quite early on but it was good.

Am going to miss the whole family of my Chinese student. His mum is like a good friend to me too and I enjoy our chats. At the end of the lesson she was telling me how in Chinese all forms of fuel have the same ending, qì yóu (petrol), shí yóu (oil), chái yóu (diesel) and how she finds it hard to remember completely different words for them in English - so interesting. She said it's the same for describing an adult dog or puppy - you just say big dog chǒng wù gǒu or small dog xiǎo gǒu. My student blurted out the word bacteria today which was amazing. We were discussing things that are poisonous and I found some cool videos on fungi. I showed him the launch of Elon Musk's giant SpaceX rocket which he did think was fairly cool but when he was designing a robot with shapes he said he wouldn't send it on a rocket to Mars but rather to a black hole. His robot had a computer apparently and a place to put a disk to record information - he is a very thoughtful five year old or maybe a lot of kids think about these things these days. Finally have the city in China where my student is from - X'ian which is south west of Beijing. They said I must come visit one day.