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How Do I Improve My Students’ English?

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My 7th grade girls are trying harder than the boys
My 7th grade girls are trying harder than the boys

My counterpart and I gave grade 5 the composition part of their test. We selected a picture from a book with an African boy sitting under a tree, looking at the contents of a shoe box. The scenery depicts life in rural Lesotho with typical Basotho rondavels, chickens pecking at bits of corn and other kids playing in a wheelbarrow.

I am sad to say that most of the students got 0/20. Their English makes no sense, and one girl, who seemed to write really well, was simply copying the text from the book. I gave her a zero.

This is an example of what I’m facing, and I really need help deciding where to start, as far as teaching them how to pass English, and move on to high school. All their subjects are supposed to be taught in English, but they are not. The teachers speak to them in Sesotho.

Here is an example of one of the “better” compositions.

“The boy is play. The boy are ran. Is the play. This is the boy is play the house. The boy his play. The three is the boy and girl. Is The play the car. This is the boedy and the boy is play the car. Is the play the car and the trees. My hous is clon the haus in the haus. Channg the haus is the boy is in the haus. In the tree cateng the three is the boy. The were his thing. Boy is play the box. The boy is play the car is the boy. Meke the lane the haus in the were theng the car and the three.”

I gave him 4/20, because it was one of the better essays.

Do you have any advice as to where to start with these 5th graders who are 10-12-years-old?

I try to follow the Government’s 5th grade curriculum, and even when I teach the present tense, only two kids in my class of sixteen seem to understand.

The other day I gave a pre-test, and even though I gave them the answers to 3 questions, the majority only scored 1/15. They should at least have managed 3/15.

I have a feeling poor nutrition, and being hungry has a lot to do with the lack of concentration during class. Most of the children just eat breakfast and lunch at school which is pure starch, and don’t get any protein. I feel sorry for them as the food is always the same: soft porridge with lots of sugar, and no milk, and papa (maize meal) and boiled dry beans for lunch. I know that beans and starch make a complete protein, but they never get eggs, dairy, vegetables, fish or meat. Several years ago, the lunches were healthier, but due to the cuts in government funding, and relying on WFP (World Food Program,) they are not getting enough food for a growing child’s body and brain in my opinion. They always talk about “nama” meat, and how they like Christmas, when they get meat.

The children have not been exposed to books except for the three books assigned in grades 5, 6 and 7.  One of them is called, “The Crooked Path,” which I read, and found a little strange, but that’s due to cultural differences. They have to read the same three books and answer the same questions each year, however, at my school, seven children have to share one book, and they cannot take it home to read.

Since I also teach English in 7th grade, where the children range from 12-16, I found it interesting how different these children’s concerns and priorities are from those where my children grew up in California.

They were asked to write an essay about the season they like best. Here are some of their comments.

“I like summer because I eat breakfast.”

“The season I like best is winter because the people are pruning the trees and we get big fruits.”

“I like winter when we kill pig for meat.”

Others wrote a letter thanking their uncle for their birthday present. Once again, there were many mistakes, and I am concerned about the best approach to help them, as they will not graduate into high school is they do not pass 7th grade. Many of the older children have repeated 7th grade, three to four times, and are still failing.

Here are some of their letters:

“My uncle give me a present of a cake. I am happy for that.”

“My Uncle my birthday will be on 3rd October, 2016 You will give me the present for my birthday. Please give me the present like cake, sweets, tones and flowers to make beautiful present. I am happy as a lark to talk about my birthday.”

“When it’s my birthday party, I want to go to hotels and eat pizer and I want to make a sandwich. Sandwich is the power when our body. I want to eat some food everyday.”

There are about six children in 7th grade that are motivated, and five of them are girls. What surprises me is that three of the girls are orphans, and yet, they are able to study and are interested in learning, compared to so many of the remaining thirty students, who do not seem to care.

During the grammar part of the exam, I found some of their answers particularly interesting:

Question: “What do you call one who is married to your brother?”

Answers: “Good luck.” “Sorry.” “It someone who kill my brother.”

 

Question: What is the feminine of King?

Answers: A girl wrote, “Mistress.” Another answer, “Wife.”

 

Question: What is the feminine of “Son”

Answer: “Sin”

 

My counterpart, and other teachers agree that the majority of the students do not seem to care about learning, despite any effort to make it more fun, and offer activities. One thing they all enjoy though, are the DVDs, I started showing recently since electricity arrived in our village.

I believe that educational DVDs, might be one way to get them motivated to learn. Many of them have never seen a TV or a video, and are able to sit for hours and focus on a DVD.

Please let me know if you have suggestions on where to start with the 5th and 7th grade children. I have a curriculum to follow, and as you can see, the children have not grasped the basics. I really want them to do well, and pass their exams.

 

Lineo is one of the Vulnerable Children at My School

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Lineo is a vulnerable child who takes care of five siblings

Lineo and Sonia

On the first day back to school, after a public holiday, Sister B. decides to send the vulnerable children home to collect money for a field trip to Katse Dam next month.

Many students have a one and a half hour trek over the mountains to school, and now she orders them to go back home and collect the money.

They’ve been reminded about the 200 rand ($14) bus fare at least ten times, and Sister is well aware that more than 60% of the children at our school are orphans and vulnerable children, so most will return empty-handed.  Only ten out of one hundred and seventy students have been able to pay for the field trip.

Sister knows the children are hungry when they get to school, yet she does not allow them to eat the heavily-sugared “soft” porridge—sorghum based cereal—served without milk, which is cooling off in their plastic bowls. None of these vulnerable children dare question authority; they obey the rules and charge home in worn shoes, often held together with broken shoe laces.

Two girls remain in the classroom with ‘M’e Mamoshaka, the seventh grade teacher, and me. Lineo is twelve, and the other nine. “How come they don’t have to go home? Have they already paid?” I ask the teacher.

“This one,” ‘M’e Mamoshaka says pointing to the older girl, “She looks after five children.”

“What do you mean?” I ask.

“She takes care of five children alone.”

I prod ‘Mamoshaka for more information.

“Is she an orphan?” I ask.

“No.”

 

I stared at Lineo’s shoes.

girls shoes

‘M’e Mamoshaka explains Lineo’s story.

Lineo takes care of her eight-year-old sister, and her six-year-old brother, as well as her three cousins aged, eleven and nine, and another nine-year-old. In all there are four girls and two boys.

They all sleep on one mattress, and Lineo burns twigs to cook their evening papa (maize meal.) Sometimes, when they are lucky, the villagers offer merojo, (shredded spinach and mustard greens, usually heavily salted and cooked in oil) to add to their papa.(photos)

Madam cooking Papa
This is my neighbor cooking papa with twigs for fire outside/year round, even when it snows in July.

Lineo is not an orphan; her father abandoned his three children, and her mother works in South Africa, and sends money for Lineo to buy maize meal. Their mom only sees her kids once a year, when she travels back for Christmas.

“How come Lineo also has to take care of her cousins?” I ask.

‘M’e Mamoshaka explains that their mothers also got pregnant at 15 or 16, were abandoned by their boyfriends/fathers of the children) and then they head off to South Africa to get jobs, often as maids.

As I sat in the classroom with ‘M’e Mamoshaka and the two girls, I asked them if they wanted to look at some books. Their eyes lit up, and they immersed themselves in the pictures and I asked Lineo to read to me.

girls reading
Puseletso and her nine-year-old sister reading

Three hours later, most of the students returned to school where Sister sat waiting on a stool, pencil and notebook ready to collect money. Only seven children brought the $14.00 for the field trip, out of about one hundred who ran home. Another twenty or so, brought hand-written notes explaining why they couldn’t afford the trip. “Ha ke na le chalete,” or “I do not have money.”

It was such a waste of a day where there was absolutely no teaching, and I went home after lunch. Why couldn’t these vulnerable children ask their parents/guardians for money after school, and bring the “no chalete” notes on the following day?

I am still trying to understand the Basotho culture at my school.

Children Debate Major Cultural Differences-Gutsy Living

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Team A proposing that "Yes" teachers are to blame for the poor performance of students.
Team A proposing that “Yes” teachers are to be blamed for the poor performance of students.

As a Peace Corps volunteer teacher in Lesotho, I’m discovering major cultural differences, even in the classroom. What may seem, “normal” in a school in Lesotho, would be cause for jail, in the U.S.

I’m helping grade 7 prepare a debate on, “Are teachers to be blamed for the poor performance of students?”

While brainstorming points on the affirmative side, one girl, Lineo, who is smart and ambitious, brought up the following points which no longer shock me, as I’ve heard them before.

DEBATE - grade7-Lineo

“Teachers fall in love with their students. This can lead to the poor performance of learners as learners would concentrate more on their affairs with teachers, than on their school work. Apart from that, it would not be easy for teachers to correct their learners when they are in love.”

Some male teachers will fail female students who refuse sex or who report them. I have not had anyone at my school report this, but this seems to be common in high schools as well as with professors in college. The problem is that once the girls fails, they lose their tuition fees in college and are forced to quit. One woman told me about this at the college level and is helping college girls win a lawsuit.

There was a scandal recently when a teacher killed one of his students in high school, after she told her parents she was pregnant. He wanted to  “hide” the evidence.

Lineo also wrote about alcohol.

“Use of alcohol by teacher. When drunk, a teacher would not use the appropriate language or examples to learners. In addition a teacher would not prepare his/her work well.”

Lineo brought up a third point regarding  teachers checking their cell phones during class, and not paying attention to their students.

In my school, none of the children have cell phones; their parents cannot afford them, however, all the teachers have one. I agree with Lineo, they are addicted to their phones, and although they don’t use them to Google lessons or to show children photos relevant to what they are teaching, they are constantly checking their phones.

Some of the other points the students brought up:

  • The teachers are not interested. They are bored.
  • Teachers test their students on topics they have not taught
  • Teachers arrive late at school, or do not bother to show up
  • Teachers hit the children with sticks. (I’ve seen this happen.)
  • Teachers don’t speak English to the children, even tough the curriculum is in English
  • The teacher is not qualified, or does not teach well
  • The teachers are often in conflict with one another

We did a mock debate, and I was teaching the kids how to project their voices, and become more confident in expressing themselves. I can see light bulbs going off in Lineo’s head. I cannot believe her mother died a few days ago, and yet she doesn’t seem to show any sorrow. How come? Was she not close to her?

There are so many things I’m learning about the Basotho culture, and many that I cannot understand.

 

The Orphans and Vulnerable Children Are Grateful

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clothes-1st grade-2
First graders happy with their donated pants, socks and underwear

When I started teaching English at my rural school in Lesotho, southern Africa, I was shocked by the state of the children’s clothing and shoes. Many had holes in their sweaters, wore shoes with their toes poking out, and some children could not afford socks or underwear. 60% of the children in my school are either orphans or vulnerable children.

My immediate reaction was to write a blog post and share this with my friends around the world. I did not expect anyone to offer to send clothes or shoes, as I know how expensive shipping is from the U.S. to Lesotho. Some people ran to the post office to find out shipping costs, and then offered to send money instead, so I could buy the children their green sweaters, green dresses, khaki pants, and black socks and shoes in Lesotho.

When the donations started pouring in, I received a note from a former PCV that surprised me, as I was only trying to do the right thing.

We don’t want folks connecting PCVs with “getting things” — such a Western notion anyway, as is clothing as a status symbol.  So, my curiosity is around what happens 18 months from now. What will these donations have brought about, other than additional clothing options?

I discussed this with the Peace Corps, and was told that I could not accept donations, and had to wait until my secondary project. I understand that Peace Corps has rules, so I had to take down my blog post, and write to my friends to explain the situation.

Those who had already shipped made some very happy children at my school. Many have sent books, which I plan to use for teaching, and for the library, that my teachers are requesting at my school. I plan to read to the children, something their teachers never do. It seems that most of them write on the board, and make the children repeat, and copy.

 

 

 

I was overwhelmed with the kindness offered by so many of my friends, to send clothing, shoes and school supplies, and found a way to get shipments sent through a South African lady who has done so much for the children in Lesotho. Jennifer Thorn is the coordinator of fundraising for Leratong Community Center, and has allowed me to use her mailing address for any clothing donations. She and her family, have been so kind to pick up the donations and drive them to a town close to me.

 

I volunteer at the Leratong community center for children, once a week, and this has given me an idea of possibly setting up a community center for the youth in my rural village. The teachers at my school like the idea, and I hope the villagers will help make this a sustainable project for the “bored” youth in my village, who have no books, no yarn to knit or crochet, no computers, no netball, or anything else to keep them occupied after school, and on weekends. More on that project after the Peace Corps volunteers have their meeting in June with their counterparts to discuss their secondary projects, and how to fund it through the Peace Corps website.

All the teachers wanted to participate and we distributed the clothes in the staff room, where the children tried on the donated clothes for size. One small boy, who received a new pair of pants, had to undress in front of his peers, and was so embarrassed as he did not have any underwear. We gave him a pair, and his face lit up.

I shall keep you updated when I start my secondary project later this year, and can start asking for donations through the Peace Corps website.

On behalf of all the children at my school, I thank you for being so kind, and several children will be able to walk to school in the rain and snow this July, as they now have closed-toe shoes.

 

 

 

Moshoeshoe Day Celebrations: A Big Event in Lesotho

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Sonia and Mamo-facing each other

March 11th, was Moshoeshoe Day, pronounced (Moshway-shway) in Lesotho. What is it? It’s the day the Basotho commemorate the death of the country’s founder.

All schools, including my small, Catholic school start preparing for this day, when school opens on January 25th, after the summer holidays—yes, we’re in the southern hemisphere here in Lesotho, southern Africa.

It’s a full-day event where children from various schools participate in sporting events, and traditional songs and dances.

Here’s how my first Moshoeshoe Day took place.

“Are you ready to walk?” ‘M’e Mamoshaka, the teacher from my school asks.

“How far?”

“Over there, by the nipple mountains.”

View of Nipple mountains from my house
View of Nipple mountains from my house

I see those nipple mountains from my rondavel, and they are by no means next door.

“That far?”

Mamoshaka looks at my shoes. “Are you wearing those?”

Teva sandals are good for walking, but I notice her hiking boots. It’s too hot to wear boots, so I keep my open-toe sandals on.

We leave my place at 8:35 a.m. and take the short-cut up and down the rocky, red-dirt clay path; the one carved out by cattle and sheep traipsing to the pastures, as well as the children walking from remote villages to school.

After 45 minutes, we reach the main road. Mamoshaka is wearing a long-sleeved gray sweater, and  complains about her new curly hair extensions she had braided onto her own half-inch long African hair.

“I’m too hot with this hair,” she says.

“But you look beautiful with your curls. How long did it take to have those extensions put in?” She missed school on Thursday to go to the hairdresser in Maseru.

'M'e Mamoshaka, I work with her at my school
‘M’e Mamoshaka, I work with her at my school

“I was at the hair place for ten hours, and there is still a piece missing in the back, but I was too tired to stay longer.”

“Ten hours! That must cost a lot,” I say, knowing how everyone in my village keeps telling me they have no money, and yet, they get hair extensions, and buy the Seshoeshoe pronounced (Seshwayshay) traditional dress you see us wearing in the photo. All the teachers had them custom made, and I chose the color purple.

Had I known this walk was not what I call a “walk” but more like a mountain-climbing expedition, I would probably have stayed home; but I had bought the dress though, and promised the teachers I would be there.

Steep slopes to climb and I had to drag Mamoshaka up the hill.
Steep slopes to climb and I had to drag Mamoshaka up the hill.

Small children in their green uniforms pass us on their way to the school. We get there two hours later, all sweaty and exhausted, and then the poor kids start running the 100m-500m-800m and finally the 1.2km races. One of the girls from our school usually wins the races, however today, she was slower than usual. I am told this is because her parents did not feed her breakfast. Neither parent works, and they beg for food from their neighbors. As Mary, (my host mother explains,) they are both lazy. I felt sorry for the children, especially when lunch was served, and the teachers were given chicken, lamb, rice, carrot salad, vegetables and dessert before the children were allowed to eat lunch.

I helped serve lunch to the hungry children, and their food was in a large bucket. It contained samp, (a lumpy grain) mixed with a red sauce, and porridge. I felt guilty about eating better food, and being served before the children.

After lunch we changed into our Seshoeshoe dresses, and listened to the children sing and dance.

Sonia and Mamokete and Mamo
Mamokete (1st grade teacher, left) , me and Mamoshaka (7th grade teacher). I teach English in both their classes.

The children are performing and we watch all three schools compete.

boys from school

Girls dancing.

dancers

 

Everyone is happy, including the nun, (Principal) of my school. Watch them sing and dance.

The hike back home was horrendous. I had to help ‘M’e Mamoshaka climb the rocky cliffs, and I am 21 years older than her. Now I know why it’s important to go for my morning walks, and why I need to keep exercising.

What an experience for me to participate in the Moshoeshoe festivities. Next year, on March 11th, everyone has to hike to our school, as we shall be hosting the event.

 

 

 

 

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