Sixth week teaching

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It's interesting being on my own. I live on my own at home, but I watch some TV pretty much every day. Here there's no TV, and I only have my iPod. While i was making some equipment a while ago, i plugged myself in and danced to it, but mostly just doing household chores and teaching seems to take all my time. I haven't even read a book since I've been here, I play a few rounds of Words with Friends (solo play) on my tablet and then I'm falling asleep.This last weekend I listened to my iPod again and something seems to have happened to it. Both earpieces are working, but Dolly Parton sounds as if her band and chorus are in the room with me, but she herself is at the end of a long hall, possibly past a swimming pool. And another album I was listening to made me think I must have an instrumental version that I didn't know about.
Can one get iPods mended, or is it a case of chucking it away and getting another one?
On Tuesday I went with the Landirani team to a couple of schools. One, Nkunkhu, was the I went to for the opening, and I wanted to go again to check out what writing, (statements and questions) they had outside the building. I wrote them all down so M'teza can have a look and decide if they want tne same. As the Landirani team hadn't been able to go to the opening, the Head and tne permaculture manager were keen to show them all round. There's always a lot of handshaking and greetings at these sort of events, and it's discourteous to miss anyone out, but when you're pushed for time it's difficult. You never quite know who is really important - like the
Head, or tne local Chief - and who's just some old drunk who has turned up because he's heard there's a bit of a hoolie going on.

Chikondi, the librarian, is worried that when I leave, children will stop coming to tne library. I've suggested that he makes regular visits to tne school, with a selection of books on a theme, eg folk tales, animals, space or transport, show them to the children and say those books will be on display all week. Kondwani, the permaculture manager will soon be starting to develop the school garden, working with and training the children, teachers, school managers and local chiefs. I suggested Chikondi sorts out books on farming, fruit, vegetables, agriculture etc to coincide with the training. Is that 'joined up' thinking? Now perhaps we can do some 'blue sky', or 'out of the box' thinking, and I'll feel I'm back in 90's UK education.

Wednesday and Thursday I took Standard 3 groups; some of them didn't know how to look through a book at the pictures. They seemed so worried about doing something wrong. Others seemed keen, and shared books, showing each other the pictures.
Thursday afternoon was the third attempt at a library reading group: the first planned one no-one came to, the next one was a public holiday, but this time we had nine attendees, Secondary school pupils, and one (my regular bike taxi rider who wants to improve his English) who came but didn't realise we were sitting outside, and sat inside waiting for me.
Anyway the group wants to continue, but said Saturdays would be better for them. So, we have a group getting going.
The iders are getting bolder, but so am I, though I can't seem to kill them without swearing at them. I think it's partly because they are so sneaky. When I went to put the rolled up newspaper in the gap under the front door, there was one hiding in the end of the newspaper. I had to chase him round the wall with the broom. Sam, Heather's son, came in amd helped, but he's as twitchy about them as I am. Then there was one sitting on the book that I was about to pick up from the floor. When I opened the back door to put his carcass outside, another one came in. I wouldn't have noticed it, but Bear the dog did, and tried to chase it round the kitchen. He caugjt it, but then took it into the living room. It was a big fast bugger, and needed about ten whacks. Sam said they get even worse when the rains come, trying to get in the house. If I wasn't safe under my mosquito net at night. I don't think I'd sleep.
I met the painter today who is psinting the sentences round the school. He's actually a teacher at a local school, he's finished his training, but the government aren't paying him so he's having to do other stuff to keep himself. I discussed wirh George what would be a fair wage for the painter, the writing is skilled, so to paint the border at the top of the wall, and paint the sentences on three outside walls is worth about 20,000 kwacha (about £25).
Sitting here writing the previous paragraph and a grandaddy of a spidet came out from under the settee, and chasing it with the broom, it ran into my room. Here I am, 9.15, way past my bedtime and there's the biggest spider I've ever seen somewhere in my room. I'm pretty sure it went under the bed, so I've closed my suitcases, one with my clothes in, the other with school stuff in. I've sprayed liberally with Doom, probably enough to asphyxiate me, let alone a spider. Now, if I pull everything out of the room, the boxes of books, the charts, will I fbedroom. Before I could take a decision, he ran across the living room floor, hopefully it was him and not another just as big. Another little session of broom bashing and it went behind the curtain. Then I swear when i bashed at the curtain something flew up in tne air, up to the eaves. Do they fly! Did it run so fast up the wall that it looked as it it was flying? Or was it the updraught on the curtain from tne whack I gave it. Anyway, I'm telling myself it was the one from my bedroom, I think i recognise the hairs on its legs, so I'm now going to bed, but taking the Doom with me, just in case. It's a shame I'll have to get up again to let Bear in, and probably once or twice to go to the loo. (Though we have a wee bucket so we don't have to go outside in the night.) Give me a hippo rubbing against my guy rope anytime.
Friday
The spider nighttime creepy crawlie saga continued: there was a big dark red beetle sitting on the floor oftme bedroom. dog outside, or a creepy inside,but some of them were definitely inside the room. First time I got up to go to the loo there was a big dark red beetle sitting next to my flip flops. I don't mind them. They don't run fast, and I put the glass over him. By the time i came back with the cardboard he'd escaped, (tne floor is a dirt one and a bit uneven). Again I didn't mind, at least I knew what the noises were from. The next time I went to the loo, there was a small spider in the hall area, which I squished with the broom, and the time after that I got the beetle under the glass, and put him outside. Opening the front door to put him out dislodged the newspaper under the door, which I'm wary of handling after the last two occasions. And now of course, I don't have to just scan the floor for spiders, I have to look skyward as well, in case the one that flew up, wants to come down. Shelby won't be back till Saturday, so I've got another night when I'm dealing with it on myagtee
Friday eve
Shelby came back earlier than expected, with her new man in tow, much to my great relief. Three of us to deal with tne spiders, and none appeared.
I've been training Bear to not come over to tne school with me. I carry his lead about with me, and if he crosses the road to the school grounds, I tie him up to a tree and collect him on the way back. After doing it four times yesterday, he stayed on the Sam's Village side of the road, waiting till i came back. Today, on my first trip over, he came with me and got tied up, second trip he stayed on his side of the road. He's a bright dog.
Today I went to visit another school: saw another couple of grammar lessons: 'Identifying noun clauses', 'Identifying pronouns', and 'Responding to commands'. I couldn't see the point of any of it really, bit I played 'Simon says' with tne last class. The school had much smaller classes than M'teza, but two classes were under one large section of bamboo fence and rush ceiling, and two classes were completely in the open air. The Head said he's asked the local community to make 70,000 bricks, and then going to ask Landirani if he can help to get the school enlarged. The Head of M'teza asked me today if every school in the UK has computers, even in tne younger classes. The comparison is huge. When I think of the resources British schools have, all the technology, books, paints etc. Here children provide their own pencils and writing books; if they don't have them, they don't record anything, and then at exam time, they have nothing recorded to learn. The government used to provide them, but doesn't now. They spend money instead on people to drive about and wave flags whenever the president is on the move.
I've brought some pencils with me, and I'll have to try and find out who needs one.

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