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Hey devout readers, this is Jack N writing this blog (I've decided to temporarily discontinue usage of my usual pen name, George Orwell). Everyone is meant to write a blog about a day of their experience at EarthSaviours, so I'm throwing in my 0.90769 rupee...
Today's placement was awesome. The kids are always friendly here, but they seemed particularly friendly and obedient today. Obedience is reasonably important to have when you're teaching preschoolers - three days ago, one kid decided to spend the lesson alternately headbutting people, hiding behind couches and basically refusing to cooperate. While it was to a certain extent fun to control him (especially as he was light enough to merely pick up with one hand and do with him as you will), it certainly makes teaching harder.
Today, thank God, I didn't experience any - pardon the French - Déjà vu. There was not a child in the classroom to wreak havoc, including Ajay, a known troublemaker. He probably would have, had he not managed to fall off his chair early on and hit his head on concrete. He was okay, but quiet for most of the day afterwards.
Throughout my placement I've been teaching mostly with Maddie (other people have joined and left our class but Maddie and I are the consistent teachers). Today we taught the ABCs as usual, numbers, bodyparts, I'm A Little Teapot and played Duck Duck Goose. I chuckled a little when Maddie spelled the number 4 to the class as F-O-R. Karma had it that I spelled Hand H-A-R later, and the favour was duly returned.
I've cemented my choices for favourite kids in the class... Tied for first are two young girls. Roshni, whom is regarded to be the genius of the class by many of us, isn't actually the genius. That title belongs to a few children that look more East Asian than normal Indians, who consistently ace any task they've set. But Roshni, you see, pulls off her successes with so much class and happiness and confidence that she steals away the limelight.
Second, Lisa, the youngest of two sisters. She doesn't share Roshni's brilliance, but she exceeds her in enthusiasm. Even the most cursory eye contact with her results in the most beaming and toothy smile I've ever seen, and she takes the utmost pride in completing any task she has set for herself, be it writing out the alphabet while we're teaching numbers or merely drawing trees everywhere. Her sheer joy is hard to resist - I don't particularly desire to anyway. Win-win.
Leaving the placement, I made the fatal (metaphorically) mistake of responding to a child latched around my leg by lifting him up. Of course, the other children, seeing how effortlessly my Herculean musculature achieved this feat, decided I wasn't trying hard enough and that ten more kids latched onto me ought to do the trick. I made a few valiant and partially successful attempts, but eventually we all had to call it quits, bid our kids goodbye and go home.
While the real Orwell wouldn't be impressed by my wordiness thus far, I think it does an apt job of showing just how much I love it here. I think we all do. It's certainly hard to fathom otherwise.
- comments
Missingno Thanks for sharing, Eric Arthur Blair ;)
Lisa gallaher Jack I have enjoyed your blogs on this trip. Thanks for the entertainment. You sound as though you have had a blast. Take care Lisa Gallaher
Lisa gallaher Jack I have enjoyed your blogs on this trip. Thanks for the entertainment. You sound as though you have had a blast. Take care Lisa Gallaher
Alison Thanks for the update! Can't wait to see you tonight and hear all about the trip .. love Mum xxxxx