St. Paul's

For the past 6 weeks I have been splitting my time between the FAIR office and an elementary school close to my house. I have been volunteering there as a teacher, something I have little experience with. Luckily for me all the teachers at the school are so welcoming and super helpful. I have helped out in all the classes (the school has kindergarden through 8th grade). Mostly I have taught in 2nd and 4th grades. In 2nd grade I tutor a student who is the slowest learner in the class. When I started tutoring him he did not know most of the letters of the alphabet. He has made a lot of progress and his teacher says that before I came he rarely stayed in school all day, but now even when I am not there he sticks around. In class 4 I teach them math, english, and social studies. I have a lot of freedom over what I teach, normally I just ask the kids what subject they want to do that day.

This week is the last week of school so the kids are done with exams and even though they basically have no work left to do, they still keep asking me to teach them more. (I bet most of us have never heard a kid asking for MORE work to do!) Most of the kids at St. Paul's come from a slum area known as Bondeni. The majority of the kids do not have anything to eat for lunch everyday. Most of their uniforms are torn and dirty (they have one outfit they wear to school each day). The teachers have told me it is difficult for many of the children because they have problems at home, so when they come to school they are unable to focus. Despite all this I have been amazed by how happy and sweet all the kids are. They are eager to learn and even though I have been there over a month, they still get excited when I come and all want to give me high 5s. I think the reason the school is functioning so well is due entirely to the teachers. They are all motivated and really encourage the students to do well. I will really miss the kids when I leave. Teaching has been really challenging for me, but it has been one of the most rewarding things I have done here.