Cupcakes, giggles and a fuel shortage?

One of my naughtier grade 7's had his birthday today. As is the school tradition, he brought in a box of cupcakes for the class. I made sure all the students got, although one of my autistic boys isn't allowed sugar. There were some left over, so I told him to take them to the other teachers and assistants. There weren't any left after this for him or me. I thought this was probably good for me but felt he should have had one. One of my other boys then came and said he didn't want his, so I offered it to the birthday boy but he declined so I had one in the end. After break they were supposed to be getting on with their English comprehension on the Daintree Rainforest in Australia. I suddenly heard someone making silly mouse noises. At first I thought it was one of the other grade 7s but it turned out to be the birthday boy. I simply said I thought he had turned 12 today. Well, the class erupted at this and one of the boys said, "Miss Lannas, wow, you really dissed the birthday boy!" I didn't know kids still say you diss someone, we said that when I was at school. Their reaction  was just too funny and I'm afraid I got the giggles and then they all did. Luckily the boy in question also found it funny and laughed too. If he hadn't found it funny it could have been awkward as I really did get the giggles.

I got the class to do some of the yoga stretches I do in personal training. Some managed, some complained but did it anyway. For their P.E. relays I got them to basket ball dribble the ball to the other side of the tennis court and then do a volleyball serve back to their team. This went down quite well. In my own personal training I did a fair bit of cardio today and then weights (the weights seem fairly light now compared to my box of books for school each day - that seems to just get heavier and heavier, especially going up and down the stairs where I am house sitting).

It looks like there might be a fuel shortage again. I saw two conflicting headlines on the way home. Passed the garage on Churchill/Second Street and they seemed to have petrol - will have to watch it and keep topped up. Don't really want to have to sit in petrol queues and it's not great if there is a fuel shortage as I do have to drive across town to school each day.

There's an EU film festival on in Theatre in the Park. I thought the Romanian film, Octav, that I want to watch was tonight but very relieved it's tomorrow rather. I need to finish doing quite a bit of marking tonight and still prep for tomorrow. Also have to submit my term plan tomorrow. Thinking I might do my assembly in two weeks' time on saying kind things to each other. Have noticed my boys can say some really hurtful things to each other at times (I thought girls were worse, but have been surprised.)

Just been asked to tour guide for another two French travel agents doing a rekkie visit for potential future clients in June. I have to meet and greet them at the airport and then escort them to Armadale Lodge where I am to sit and chat to them in French about things to do in Harare. Going to need to buff up my French more for this (last time was a bit of a shock to the system, I won't lie as you suddenly have words you didn't think about that you have to use 😁 and try think what that is in French). It's good news though that another travel agency in France is interested in setting up a program in Zimbabwe, besides the one we already work with.

To Jupiter and beyond and flossing

Today I managed to do my English lesson with my Chinese five year old online. Finished up at school and got home in time to zoom. Twice we lost connection though and when my student reconnected he first said he'd been to Jupiter and then Mars. I told him Mars was a bit closer and showed him a picture of the solar system. He remembered Saturn with its rings - he is is a bright button. He then brought up black holes and shooting stars. Wednesdays could work out well to fit in an extra lesson. Did have to tell his mum I don't think I'll be able to do his lessons over the Africa Day weekend as I will be in Nyanga and I don't think I will have good reception there (I also wouldn't mind a mini break, can do his Wednesday lesson).

Starting to get into a pattern for teaching, marking and work preparation. I think the routine and structure is doing me good and it definitely gives me a purpose. I do occasionally feel a little swamped when a whole lot of little people are flocking round me at the same time all wanting my help simultaneously. I do have to try get them to sit down and then tackle one at a time. A few are still very dependent and ask you things for almost everything and I find I have to keep repeating myself - A LOT! This does make me feel tired, I won't lie. Two of my grade sevens who sadly are the weakest are getting very anxious about their upcoming entrance exams. They have taken it upon themselves to stay in at break and work. Have told them they need a bit of a break (as I know they won't concentrate after break if they don't have a bit of a break) and we will start doing past papers from next week - they've been doing revision this week and last. I overheard the one today saying he just can't fail his entrance exam as his parents will be so ashamed - I really hope his parents can see he is doing his best. The sad thing is the schools he is applying for may not be able to cater for his needs, even though they are the only schools that take students with major challenges in Harare. I don't know that these two will cope with O Level.

Another student has come back but his parents still haven't finished paying off fees from last term and unless they do and pay this term's he won't be able to continue. I feel desperately sorry for him as he is a very sweet kid and is one of my harder workers.

Managed to teach pollination today without the words "sexual reproduction". I had thought one of my older boys might make wise cracks on some of it but he either didn't make the connection or just luckily kept quiet. For the lesson I stuck up information around the classroom and the students had to look for it and make notes. Seemed to work quite well and kept them busy.

Yesterday in P.E. one boy did a dance move that is currently all the rage apparently called flossing. Luckily I had seen a video on it and knew exactly what he was doing. He seemed fairly impressed by this and I got him to teach the others - it's quite good for coordination.

Had a fun quiz at the Mustard Seed last night. Halfway through it bucketed with rain (unusual for this time of year) and the poor quiz master had to really shout to be heard. It was quite funny though as he has a fairly thick Scottish accent and a lot of the questions were linked to Scotland.

Les écrevisses!

Monday has been a bit chaotic. Started this morning well by getting up on time but I suddenly couldn't find the keys for the garage where I am house sitting and got into a fair flap and was delayed by a good 15 minutes. Evermore the house keeper came to my rescue and had the sense to look for a spare set (I  didn't think of this - instead my plan B was to get my mum to pick me up but she hadn't left home yet). Got to school at 7.10 and launched straight into reading. My one student who had outstanding fees has now returned. I am happy he is able to continue but my goodness he drove me batty today with his constant background conversations, my word!! I think I need to rethink my seating plan, AGAIN.

At lunch a mother came in with bee sting medication for her son who is highly allergic. She wanted the expired medication back from last term - I had no idea where this had been put - had been told about it but had forgotten to ask where it was now. Turns out it had been given back last term. I also need to contact her son's educational psychologist about him using a laptop to type rather in class. This and needing to use the generator to print meant I couldn't take my Chinese student online. Have said I can maybe try a bit later but it is proving really stressful trying to squeeze him in. Weekends may be safer and better.

Tutored my form four and French Chinese student this evening. I was delighted that my form four was finally engaging with his literature and giving some good ideas in his analysis - yay! It is so much easier teaching high school than my dear lot in the morning and not having to repeat myself twenty times. When I got to my Chinese French student, his whole family were already in their pyjamas even though it was only 5 pm. Have noticed they all do seem to wear pyjamas at this time, except when the parents are playing mahjong (which can get quite noisy in the next room). My student cheekily told me to go have a look in the kitchen sink and so I did. It was full of crayfish that were all still very much alive. Apparently they were on the menu for my student's dinner.

Right, back to the mound of marking on my desk.

Armadillos and Space Rockets

Have been working at a fairly leisurely pace this weekend. Went for lunch at Aroma to celebrate my mum's birthday but then came home and worked. Have done my comments and records and almost finished my forecast for the week. Then need to crack on and prepare everything for tomorrow. I need to also pack to go house sit for a friend just now - it's a bit more of a move now that I have to lug all my books and teaching stuff with. Luckily I'm not far away to pop home and get stuff and see my dogs, but need to make sure I at least have everything for tomorrow.

Went to the Reps quiz this morning which was fun. We won thanks to one of our team members knowing lots of random flags. I at least knew Michelle Dockery and Sophie Kinsella (my main contributions 😝). Need to plan ahead with work so I can make quiz at the Mustard Seed on Tuesday.

Made it back in time to teach my Chinese five year old on Zoom. We looked at the moon landing again but he for some reason chirped up with armadillo for Buzz Aldrin, so we looked at armadillos too and their ancestor. We also watched a bit of the video below of the International Space Station. I asked him what the moon was made of and he said blue cheese and then gravity. Was impressed he knew of the word gravity but had to explain what it is. We are to try again at using a hotspot off the phone my student's dad has lent me. The only trouble is the phone switches to Chinese and I get a bit lost on it. The battery on the phone I am using otherwise doesn't last very long. Fingers crossed tomorrow works.

Zimbabwean history

Yesterday was a slightly more laid back day compared to Thursday, which was hectic. Most of my boys did not dress up for Mothers' Day but I looked up from my reading register and did a double take when three of my boys had gone all out. I tried to keep my facial expression neutral but I think I may have looked a bit aghast. One had had a great time using his mum's make up - lipstick, mascara, eyeshadow - the lot! and was wearing a sequinned top. Another boy had on his mum's wig and kept it on all day, flicking the hair occasionally out of his face to great effect. The very autistic boy who only joins us for two hours a day for the social interaction had on a dress. I did keep catching myself wondering who they were all day. It was super being able to wear slippers, wish I could teach in my slipper socks everyday. In one of the lower classes, one little boy had dressed up in his mum's lab coat as she is a lab technician and he even had her goggles and mask. He looked very proud to be sporting this but then proceeded to do a rollypoly down the garden slope decked out in all of this.

The standard has been set high for providing staff tea on a Friday. Our head had baked and made cheese scones, banana bread and crunchies. She even managed to source farm butter. Am going to have to think about what I am going to bake. Might make my friend Nina's recipe of hikers' fingers as one thing. My one student announced when I was doing his reading that his parents were expecting me to have already emailed them his weekly progress report - sorry what? This was the first I had heard about this. The head also didn't immediately know what he meant by this but it turned out she had said last term we would give weekly feedback on how he is doing. Sigh, I now have to do a daily rating and comments. I hope all the other parents don't hear of this and want that too. Need to work now on finalising my time table and my weekly records and forecasts for Monday.

So, we did some basic Zimbabwe history and social studies yesterday - well tried to. When I started off asking the class what the politically correct name is for the first people who lived in Zimbabwe, I had been aiming for them to say the Khoisan rather than bushmen. Well I wasn't quite prepared for one little boy's response of monkeys!!! Noooooo, very politically incorrect - but I am giving them the benefit of the doubt that they were thinking of early man and pre-hominid species. I did tell them though that it could be highly offensive. I wasn't about to tackle teaching human evolution, as it wasn't part of the lesson. We progressed from the Khoisan and I asked who arrived 2000 years ago - the answer I got was the Rhodesians! Oh dear. I asked again and was told the British and then the Portuguese. Eventually we got to the Bantu people who were the ancestors of the Shona. They seemed to enjoy the lesson overall though, but were horrified when I gave them homework on a Friday to look up the Zimbabwe flag and draw it and tell me what the colours signify. I think it's good for them to do a bit of research themselves, as a bit of enquiry based learning is not a bad thing.

Was supposed to try teach my Chinese student after gate duty yesterday but I was told I could only photocopy and print before 2, as the generator would then be switched off. I had to cancel my lesson but was just about to print when the generator ran out of fuel, so will have to do it all on Monday. At least one lot of stuff can be sent to Boss in Borrowdale for copying. They are trying to work out if it is more expensive to run the generator for printing or sending it to Boss. Felt pretty brain dead after I finished my marking at 4. Managed to make it through my lesson with my Chinese French student. We did more Greek mythology but he found the relationship between Zeus and his mother "dégueulasse". Went to a friend's birthday braai after with a friend out from England but did feel rather jaded. Got home to a message from my form four student wanting a lesson at 8.30 this morning to help him with another poem by Gillian Clarke titled "Journey". I really enjoy her poems and it is fun analysing them. My student hasn't done any more on summaries for Macbeth and Spies though. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't force it to drink.

Today was challenging

I was relieved that at the end of this morning the other teachers at school were also feeling frazzled. It seemed that some of the children that have particular difficulties all decided to be exceptionally challenging today. Just got to school in time by the skin of my teeth. My language class on idioms didn't go so well as it would have been better to give a print out than try dictation (I had written them on the board yesterday but some students just don't finish getting it down. Not being able to print is really a problem - still no sign of being sorted out any time soon - ZESA says it's beyond their control, great!) My one student who really struggles with processing information was sitting gazing out into space and left far behind. We then had a bout of people losing their books which became very frustrating. Another student as soon as I stopped talking would keep asking about getting electrocuted. This had nothing whatsoever to do with what we were working on. One boy got frustrated and started talking to himself in the front. The two things that went well were doing public speaking. One of my girls was very excited when I said we could do a class debate next time. It's the most excited I've ever seen her. The other success was P.E., where I got them to do a two team relay tic tac toe running exercise. They seemed to enjoy it.

Can't tell you how pleased I am that tomorrow is Friday. I will have my two Chinese students after school though. The father of my five year old has lent me a phone to hotspot Zoom for tomorrow's lesson to his son in China. It's my mum's birthday today so will be going to lunch on Saturday and it's another friend's birthday bring and share tomorrow night (hopefully I don't fall asleep). Trying to think what I am going to wear to school tomorrow as I am supposed to be dressed up as my mum and wear slippers.

My poor personal trainer got an earful during my gym session this afternoon after my morning. She got me to use the foam roller - think it was a good option. Next week I will have her cousin taking me again as she is off on honeymoon. The other trainer does push me to do things I wouldn't think I could do, so I am bracing myself to be challenged. Mind you, I'm getting a full arm workout everyday carrying all my books - gosh they weigh a tonne.

Went this evening to the opening of an exhibition at The Corridor Gallery at Sorellas. Had a glass of red wine which was a good way to end a rather stressful day.

A bit shattered ... and this is a 4 day week

Today has passed in a bit of a blur of writing on the white board (not with a permanent marker this time) and lots of marking - loads of it! Due to the learning difficulties facing the children I have to mark every single thing they do - it adds up by the end of the morning and today there was also homework and more kids back than yesterday. Both yesterday and today I have excused myself from tea halfway through break and gone back and marked. I also had to do reading with two girls who came late today. Am going to need to build stamina for this, as I am exhausted now and it's only been two days. As we commenced yesterday, it's a four day week but next week I will have to keep going for five. No wonder teachers go to bed really early (when they aren't marking 😬).

I got the kids to write about themselves for their first creative writing assignment today. It gave me a little insight into who they are and what they like. A lot of them like hands on stuff like building things and fishing. I asked them to say what they wanted to be and the one boy who really struggles said he just wants to pass his grade 7 exam. I thought this was a sad indictment of how the education system just doesn't cater for kids with a learning disadvantage and how everything hinges on passing exams that are geared towards only people who can think in a certain way. This particular boy is probably going to move with his family to England as there just isn't an option really for his high school here as he will not cope with IGCSE. For children in this country who don't have the option of emigrating there are so few options.

I have to bear with my ADHD students too. In the middle of explaining something the one boy suddenly piped up that there was a plane flying over the school, could he go look at it. I don't think I've ever been asked that before. Almost said yes, but it was right in the middle of things. My one autistic boy wrote in his essay that he really likes World Wrestling Federation matches on tv. His all time favourite wrestler apparently bites people and this seemed to really impress him. Knowing that autistic children can bite and having been bitten by my student last year, I wonder if my current student does too. It all is certainly going to keep me on my toes and there's never a dull moment or really a chance to get bored.

Met up briefly with my friend out from the UK, who is doing his PhD research on NGOs in Zimbabwe and their role  in democracy and human rights. It was good to catch up. This morning at tea we had talked a bit about elections and someone said people in the rural areas are being told that if their whole constituency votes against ZANU PF there will be trouble for them. My friend said this is old news and started months ago. We laughed a bit though about how the British Ambassador is very pro the whole ED regime. Apparently Boris Johnson is set to visit Zim in the coming weeks and the Ambassador was photographed recently sporting an ED scarf outside Downing Street. I didn't know the ED scarf was a thing, but apparently it is a big deal. I was told you can now buy these scarves for $15 at the Churchill/Borrowdale Road intersection from the vendors. I did not know this! This is where you can still buy your Zimbabwe flag that became symbolic with the #ThisFlag movement.

Catriona Laing on Twitter: "Good discussions with No 10 officials on prospects for #Zimbabwe. It's been a busy and productive week.

We also talked about HIFA and Freshlyground's reappearance and Chicken to Change. My friend had gone to the Thomas Mapfumo concert at the Show Grounds. He had been exiled for a number of years due to songs he had written about Bob. I don't think I would have lasted to the end of the concert. My friend said the supporting acts went on until 2 am, having started at 7 pm, and Mapfumo only appeared after that and went on until 6 am. Wow.
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