The school-year is beginning to wind down and the students are mentally absent as per usual for the last week of school after all the important tests are done. Personally, I've been fighting a cold all week (fighting the cold as well as the acknowledgment that I actually am sick as I am not normally one to succumb to such weakness) so my head hasn't really been in it. I hope to make up for that next week when I pass out free smiles, hugs, cheers, and sarcastic remarks (I save the sarcastic remarks for my students that know they should not have passed my class but did and have absolutely no understanding of my foreign sarcasm).
Speaking of students passing my class when they really shouldn't have, all of my students passed!!! Yay!!! No. It's not exciting. It's kinda sad to tell you the truth but that's simply the way the Bulgarian school system works. "Works" just doesn't seem like the right word. Let me try again. That's simply the way the Bulgarian school system breaks. Better.
Let me break it down for you:
My school is in a small village of 2,000. There are just enough students here to fill my primary school from 1st through 8th grade but because the parents here can send their students to any school they like regardless of location, many of the children here go to the big and fancy school in Kostenets, the much bigger town about five minutes away. We receive our funding based on enrollment so the lack of students on our part presents a problem, one that the teachers and directors are trying to solve at all costs. This means, if a student fails every test, skips school, disrupts the lesson throughout its entirety, never does homework, and learns next to nothing, the student passes. That's it. They pass. Because, if they don't pass every class, they have to repeat that grade. The parents, generally, don't like this. So, they'll send their student to a different school where they automatically, upon enrollment, go on to the next grade. So, we pass them. And pass them and pass them until they've mastered the system so well that they are capable of not studying, doing basically whatever they want and getting away with it. Wouldn't you do the same if you were 13? I probably wouldn't have but that's based more on my strict and demanding parents than an innate sense of morality, values, or an appreciation for my education.
A book was mailed to me recently by some friends in the States called Whatever It Takes. It's about education in poor urban areas like Harlem and how the culture and socioeconomic factors contribute to student achievement (or the lack of). It's been really interesting and reminds me a lot of Bulgaria. It's so easy to blame parenting or a poor school system for students who graduate (or don't graduate) without knowledge or proper skills to strive in a competitive economy. What's not easy is doing something about it. Changing the way parents view schools and education. Changing the way schools are run and making sure that every child is given the opportunities they need to succeed. Not easy.
What's also really frustrating is that I know my students are fully capable of learning English. They may not all be capable of fluency but they can certainly learn a thing or two and do well on these tests. Maybe even attend a language school and really advance themselves. But, they don't have to, so they don't. Understandable from a pre-teen's perspective but borderline depressing from a teacher's point of view.
I do have smart, hard-working students who make me proud. However, these students tend to be the one's who've always been taught to. In other words, they did well when they were young, back when everyone paid attention cuz they were too little and scared not to, and they turned out to be the best for one reason or another. After being labeled "the smart kids", they were the one's the teachers focused their attention on, forgetting the rest. It's common and really unfortunate. Learning is easy for them because learning is all about them. For the rest of the students, I imagine they think, "why even bother?" They're being left behind and it's considered their fault regardless of the fact that they are only 9-years-old.
I'm realizing two years is not enough. A lifetime is not enough when there's only one of me. I hope that, as a whole, combined with other Bulgarians who see the light and really care, there will be a change in the Bulgarian public school system and soon.
There are some really brilliant folks here and this place is full of potential and promise, it's just a matter of making the necessary changes. It's not gonna be easy though, that's for sure.
-Age
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Thursday, June 2, 2011
A Break
I know I haven't written lately. It's been tugging at the back of my mind for awhile actually. Normally, writing, on here or anywhere else, is like an addiction. I can only stay away for so long before I feel the withdrawals and something flies into my head to write about (or I go the boring route and simply write about what's been going on) but lately I haven't had the urge. I haven't wanted to do much at all that involves the internet or connecting. I've just been keeping to myself. I think, I'm mentally preparing my tired brain for the next phase. A two-week vacation in the States and then time to try this all again. But, this time, with different ideas and a much better/more realistic perspective on things. The end of the school-year is fast approaching and I need time to re-group before I "fully" immerse myself back into Bulgarian life and culture.
Though, tomorrow I'll probably negate all of this my feeling the sudden urge to write about the habits of squirrels or other such ridiculous things. Until then.
-Age
Though, tomorrow I'll probably negate all of this my feeling the sudden urge to write about the habits of squirrels or other such ridiculous things. Until then.
-Age
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Monday, May 16, 2011
Hard Work and Good Times
Currently, my school and I are writing a project in order to receive funds for a new English classroom. The way the project works is:
• We decide what we want and how much it's going to cost
• Our community funds 25% of the project
• The project is posted online and American organizations donate the other 75%
• Our fully funded project is implemented
Seems easy enough and I'm hoping it will be just that: easy. We've decided to re-model our English classroom which will cost almost 6,000 leva. The 25% took some time to come up with but the municipality offered to pay for new windows which worked out perfectly. Before the municipality stepped in, my students from the Volunteer Committee were planning fundraisers to help raise the money. The last two Saturdays, with the help of another awesome volunteer, we've gone to the local market and sold raffle tickets. We've raised over 100 leva and I couldn't be more proud of them, they really worked hard and had a great attitude the whole time. I have to say it was the most fun I've had with my students all year and it came with the greatest sense of accomplishment.
However, now that we don't actually need to fundraise because of those new windows, we've decided to use the money to buy a new computer, which is something we wanted to include in the project but didn't think we could afford. We've found a local place that revamps old computers and sells them at a reasonable price so all we have to do is raise 400-500 leva and our classroom will be complete! With a new computer in the room we'll be able to utilize the school's projector which hardly ever leaves the director's office simply because there are no computers in the school to give it a purpose. I find it interesting that every school in Bulgaria is required to have a projector but that they go unused because there aren't computers in most classrooms to hook them up to and no form of training or resources for the teachers who, like me, may want to bring a laptop from home in order to make use of it.
Anyway, the project is ready and I'll be sending it in for approval within the next couple of days. I hope the funding comes quickly so we're able to finish construction before the new school year begins. It's all very exciting and I can't wait til it's finished and all our hard work is right before our eyes in the form of a shiny, new, modern classroom. I'm hoping it will perpetuate a feeling of seriousness and motivation for the students when it comes to English. Lord knows they could use it.
We have a few more ideas for fundraisers including partnering with the local restaurant and hosting a bake sale which I hope to get started this summer. It'll be nice to keep the Volunteer Committee going after the school year ends. I'd like to give them some sort of prize or certificate at the end of the year for all of their help, hard work, and good ideas but I haven't decided exactly what I wanna do for them yet.
On a seperate note, May has 20 working days and, of those 20, we have 8 days off of school - it's the month of holidays, testing, and fun and I've really been enjoying it. This upcoming week I only teach Monday and Wednesday as Tuesday is testing day for the high school (and even though we're a primary school we get the day off), Thursday is a break for schools in the Sofia region (still not sure why), and Friday is sports day. I'm EXTREMELY excited about sports day. I love being outside and running around with the kids. We get to relate to one-another out of the classroom and have fun doing it. I plan to play volleyball, per usual, but also teach them 3 Flags Up which is a game every kid loves and requires nothing more than an easily-catchable ball. I told the athletic director that I'd like to help and she seemed thrilled. Should be a fabulously tiring day and an ideal way to end the week.
Overall, the Spring has been pretty great and I have a feeling it's only gonna get better as we transition into SUMMER!
-Age
• We decide what we want and how much it's going to cost
• Our community funds 25% of the project
• The project is posted online and American organizations donate the other 75%
• Our fully funded project is implemented
Seems easy enough and I'm hoping it will be just that: easy. We've decided to re-model our English classroom which will cost almost 6,000 leva. The 25% took some time to come up with but the municipality offered to pay for new windows which worked out perfectly. Before the municipality stepped in, my students from the Volunteer Committee were planning fundraisers to help raise the money. The last two Saturdays, with the help of another awesome volunteer, we've gone to the local market and sold raffle tickets. We've raised over 100 leva and I couldn't be more proud of them, they really worked hard and had a great attitude the whole time. I have to say it was the most fun I've had with my students all year and it came with the greatest sense of accomplishment.
However, now that we don't actually need to fundraise because of those new windows, we've decided to use the money to buy a new computer, which is something we wanted to include in the project but didn't think we could afford. We've found a local place that revamps old computers and sells them at a reasonable price so all we have to do is raise 400-500 leva and our classroom will be complete! With a new computer in the room we'll be able to utilize the school's projector which hardly ever leaves the director's office simply because there are no computers in the school to give it a purpose. I find it interesting that every school in Bulgaria is required to have a projector but that they go unused because there aren't computers in most classrooms to hook them up to and no form of training or resources for the teachers who, like me, may want to bring a laptop from home in order to make use of it.
Anyway, the project is ready and I'll be sending it in for approval within the next couple of days. I hope the funding comes quickly so we're able to finish construction before the new school year begins. It's all very exciting and I can't wait til it's finished and all our hard work is right before our eyes in the form of a shiny, new, modern classroom. I'm hoping it will perpetuate a feeling of seriousness and motivation for the students when it comes to English. Lord knows they could use it.
We have a few more ideas for fundraisers including partnering with the local restaurant and hosting a bake sale which I hope to get started this summer. It'll be nice to keep the Volunteer Committee going after the school year ends. I'd like to give them some sort of prize or certificate at the end of the year for all of their help, hard work, and good ideas but I haven't decided exactly what I wanna do for them yet.
On a seperate note, May has 20 working days and, of those 20, we have 8 days off of school - it's the month of holidays, testing, and fun and I've really been enjoying it. This upcoming week I only teach Monday and Wednesday as Tuesday is testing day for the high school (and even though we're a primary school we get the day off), Thursday is a break for schools in the Sofia region (still not sure why), and Friday is sports day. I'm EXTREMELY excited about sports day. I love being outside and running around with the kids. We get to relate to one-another out of the classroom and have fun doing it. I plan to play volleyball, per usual, but also teach them 3 Flags Up which is a game every kid loves and requires nothing more than an easily-catchable ball. I told the athletic director that I'd like to help and she seemed thrilled. Should be a fabulously tiring day and an ideal way to end the week.
Overall, the Spring has been pretty great and I have a feeling it's only gonna get better as we transition into SUMMER!
-Age
Friday, May 6, 2011
This Is For One
I watched Two Weeks Notice yesterday. You know, the romantic comedy with Hugh Grant and Sandra Bullock where they try and out-do one another with witty humor and quorky antics. They both win. Well, throughout the movie she continues to order chinese food (mmmmmm, chinese food) for herself, just tons and tons of it cuz she's a stress eater (I'm a bored eater) and at the end of the phone call she always says, "this is for one." It got me thinking about my eating habits here in Bulgaria.
Cooking here is a bit tricky. There are many reasons for this including:
-small refrigerators
-questionable ovens/stoves
-the season and, accordingly, what foods are available
-countertop and table space for the preparation and consumption of meals
-what to do with leftovers (availability of a microwave)
Despite the fact that Peace Corps Bulgaria has it's own cookbook and Bulgarian traditions seem to revolve around the culinary feats of баби, майки, лели and the like, most of us don't put too much effort into our cooking. When a volunteer does go above and beyond and makes something that could actually fall into the category of a meal, it's a big deal. Pictures of it get posted all over the internet. It's "liked" on facebook, commented on in blogs, and even youtubed as the cooking process becomes genuinely fascinating to all who have been deprived of what used to be a pretty mundane event.
The reason for this, I think, is simple: "this is for one."
When I went to visit my friend and fellow PCV, Evan, in her village and the nice Bulgarian woman, Betty, who takes care of her teased Evan about her lack of cooking, I thought it seemed unfair. If Betty didn't have a husband and a daughter, I doubt she'd put nearly as much effort into every meal. Maybe she would, I don't really know, but she has to know that we volunteers have no real reason to make anything more praiseworthy than a grilled cheese sandwhich and a shopska salad. Top that off with a cold beer and that's a Monday night (and for me, Monday came twice this week). Who are we trying to impress? No one. Well, I mean maybe the cute guy on the television screen but that's only because we've all started to go a little crazy and pretend he's real sometimes but that's beside the point. (Plus, he likes grilled cheese and thinks it's cute when we spill beer on ourselves)
I've had friends, both American and Bulgarian, over for dinner and I've made nice, fancy meals with multiple ingredients and courses. I've woken up early to make people breakfasts that have included pancakes with a sweet, fruit toppings, scrambled eggs, and toast. I've even tried my hand at making banitsa. But, for the most part, scouring my fridge and cupboards for whatever seems edible while trying, with best intentions, to include all the food groups so I don't become diagnosed with anemia or scurvy and whipping up something completely mediocre is simply how this whole Peace-Corps-volunteer-living-alone thing is gonna go. I leave the fancy cooking up to the Bulgarians and always appreciate a good на гости but това е.
We also have a really nice restaurant in town. I'm really good at ordering, eating, and paying for food. Like, really good.
-Age
Cooking here is a bit tricky. There are many reasons for this including:
-small refrigerators
-questionable ovens/stoves
-the season and, accordingly, what foods are available
-countertop and table space for the preparation and consumption of meals
-what to do with leftovers (availability of a microwave)
Despite the fact that Peace Corps Bulgaria has it's own cookbook and Bulgarian traditions seem to revolve around the culinary feats of баби, майки, лели and the like, most of us don't put too much effort into our cooking. When a volunteer does go above and beyond and makes something that could actually fall into the category of a meal, it's a big deal. Pictures of it get posted all over the internet. It's "liked" on facebook, commented on in blogs, and even youtubed as the cooking process becomes genuinely fascinating to all who have been deprived of what used to be a pretty mundane event.
The reason for this, I think, is simple: "this is for one."
When I went to visit my friend and fellow PCV, Evan, in her village and the nice Bulgarian woman, Betty, who takes care of her teased Evan about her lack of cooking, I thought it seemed unfair. If Betty didn't have a husband and a daughter, I doubt she'd put nearly as much effort into every meal. Maybe she would, I don't really know, but she has to know that we volunteers have no real reason to make anything more praiseworthy than a grilled cheese sandwhich and a shopska salad. Top that off with a cold beer and that's a Monday night (and for me, Monday came twice this week). Who are we trying to impress? No one. Well, I mean maybe the cute guy on the television screen but that's only because we've all started to go a little crazy and pretend he's real sometimes but that's beside the point. (Plus, he likes grilled cheese and thinks it's cute when we spill beer on ourselves)
I've had friends, both American and Bulgarian, over for dinner and I've made nice, fancy meals with multiple ingredients and courses. I've woken up early to make people breakfasts that have included pancakes with a sweet, fruit toppings, scrambled eggs, and toast. I've even tried my hand at making banitsa. But, for the most part, scouring my fridge and cupboards for whatever seems edible while trying, with best intentions, to include all the food groups so I don't become diagnosed with anemia or scurvy and whipping up something completely mediocre is simply how this whole Peace-Corps-volunteer-living-alone thing is gonna go. I leave the fancy cooking up to the Bulgarians and always appreciate a good на гости but това е.
We also have a really nice restaurant in town. I'm really good at ordering, eating, and paying for food. Like, really good.
-Age
Friday, April 29, 2011
Silly Generally Trumps Serious
I played soccer and volleyball with my students today during the breaks. It was SO fun. The kids are great when they're out of the classroom. Also, when I don't take this whole "teaching" thing seriously, it makes my life a lot easier.
When one of my dreaded/horrible/wild/crazy/savage seventh graders tried to crash my fifth grade class today I made it a game.
He had one side of the door, trying to open it. I had the other side, trying to close it. We were pulling and tugging, trying to out-do the other.
First I tried tickling him to make him let go. That didn't work.
Then I said, "Хе! Какво е това?!" (more or less - "hey, what's that?") and pointed down the hall. That didn't work either - more than likely due to poor Bulgarian.
Finally, I said, "Alright. Fine. We're studying for a test. Take a seat." Worked like a charm.
When my fourth graders were tired of repeating verbs (laziest class ever!!!) I started saying the verbs in weird voices/loud voices/quiet voices/deep voices/etc. and they thought it was FANTASTIC. No problem with repetition exercises today. Boom.
We also took our sixth graders on a field-trip to the local church for absolutely no reason. I had nothing to do with that. But I went. It was nice.
Anyway, that was my day. Full of games, laughter, and very little English. Bravo za men.
-Age
When one of my dreaded/horrible/wild/crazy/savage seventh graders tried to crash my fifth grade class today I made it a game.
He had one side of the door, trying to open it. I had the other side, trying to close it. We were pulling and tugging, trying to out-do the other.
First I tried tickling him to make him let go. That didn't work.
Then I said, "Хе! Какво е това?!" (more or less - "hey, what's that?") and pointed down the hall. That didn't work either - more than likely due to poor Bulgarian.
Finally, I said, "Alright. Fine. We're studying for a test. Take a seat." Worked like a charm.
When my fourth graders were tired of repeating verbs (laziest class ever!!!) I started saying the verbs in weird voices/loud voices/quiet voices/deep voices/etc. and they thought it was FANTASTIC. No problem with repetition exercises today. Boom.
We also took our sixth graders on a field-trip to the local church for absolutely no reason. I had nothing to do with that. But I went. It was nice.
Anyway, that was my day. Full of games, laughter, and very little English. Bravo za men.
-Age
Friday, April 22, 2011
The Verb "To Jog With a Yo-Yo"
My counterpart is the epitome of a girl. A Bulgarian girl. She's teeny-tiny, so petite that I'm pretty sure she doesn't have the same organs that I do - she's definitely missing some. Not only that, but it's obvious that she's never played a sport in her life and any type of strenuous activity is a completely foreign concept to her.
Sometimes, while teaching English, we mime things and the students have to guess which verbs we're acting out. She can handle verbs like read, write, and walk. But the time I saw her act out "playing basketball" may have been the funniest thing that's ever happened to me...in Bulgaria...in that classroom. Whatever, it was funny.
She hops around, does this strange thing with her hands, then makes this half-hearted effort to, I think, shoot the ball.
She's so uncoordinated that, even though the ball doesn't actually exist, I'm pretty sure she dropped it. And then missed the basket completely.
The students stare at her in wide-eyed confusion until a brave student ventures, "Riding a horse?"
Nope, but good try.
"Jogging with a yo-yo?"
So close.
-Age
Sometimes, while teaching English, we mime things and the students have to guess which verbs we're acting out. She can handle verbs like read, write, and walk. But the time I saw her act out "playing basketball" may have been the funniest thing that's ever happened to me...in Bulgaria...in that classroom. Whatever, it was funny.
She hops around, does this strange thing with her hands, then makes this half-hearted effort to, I think, shoot the ball.
She's so uncoordinated that, even though the ball doesn't actually exist, I'm pretty sure she dropped it. And then missed the basket completely.
The students stare at her in wide-eyed confusion until a brave student ventures, "Riding a horse?"
Nope, but good try.
"Jogging with a yo-yo?"
So close.
-Age
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