Let the teaching begin!

With the week of observation done with, I’ve been able to start working with the students this week! I got the list of students yesterday (13 in all) so almost all of yesterday was spent devising a schedule and lesson planning. I’m working with the 11 primary school students during the day at school and the 2 junior high students in the evenings. I’m basically working with every student for about an hour and a half every week. The basic format is a lesson on one day and a small quiz the next day. This means I’m teaching Monday-Thursday and I’ve set aside Friday for testing the students I’m teaching on Thursday as well as a sort of office hours-like deal where any of the students I’m working with can come hang out in the library and read with me or ask questions about reading or math, depending on which week it is. (I’m alternating weeks between reading and math; this week is reading.)

I’m really excited for one of my students tomorrow. Her name is Sherifa and she’s a girl in Sir Ernest’s Class 3 class. I’ve talked to her a few times when I was observing Sir Ernest and she’s also read to me a few times. I was a bit surprised when Sir Ernest nominated her as one of the students from his class (they’re only supposed to pick students who are behind or weaker than others), but I guess I’ll find out tomorrow why she was chosen. Either way, I’m glad that at least one of the kids I’ll be working with is someone who I’ve already started building a connection/relationship with.

Tomorrow is Wednesday so that means it’s another worship day and I get to teach the whole school “How Great is our God”! The original plan was teach it last Friday, but the headmaster decided it would make more sense to pair the song teaching with their weekly morning worship. It also means I get to teach all the students instead of just the after-school choir. I’m really excited. I’m going to take a video tomorrow and hopefully I’ll be able to upload it. I think it’s going to be pretty amazing seeing all those kids singing this song.

I also found out today that Sir Dun is taking me to Cape Coast with him this weekend! Cape Coast is about a 2-hour drive from where we are now and it’s where Sir Dun grew up. I’ll be spending the weekend on the beach and in the Ghanaian jungles. I can’t wait. Definitely look for pictures from the trip early next week!