Today was all about teaching (and learning about teaching...and learning...and learning about learning, for that matter). I had three Hadassah classes today, and every time I step into the classroom I wonder anew what would be the best way to instruct these kids. Many seem to recognize a few basic words, but when asked to sound out other, similarly simple ones, cannot do it. And if we happen upon a word whose English translation is difficult in and of itself to understand (as happened occasionally with brachot) then another layer of explanation must take place, along with many other chances to completely miss the meaning. Because of this, I've started to scale back to simple words which the students would recognize in Englsh, though I fear going to far astray from the prayer-related goal of the headmaster... In addition, and this may be the most educationally obvious statement to those in the business, but I find it both interesting and frustrating that in every primary school class I teach there is a small group of girls always engaged, always giving the answers and participating, while there are maybe three boys across the four classes who come close to their level of understanding and motivation. I have no doubt that there are very smart boys--they perhaps just haven't caught the learning bug yet--but I still find the gender segregation disheartening.
The one semi-practical I am gaining a renewed skill for is block Hebrew letters--while any printed Hebrew text has them, I hadn't written them since first grade, but as the Abayudaya kids (and I think most of the adults as well) are never exposed to written script--and considering their current goals of following the prayer service and reading the Torah, it isn't really necessary that they be so exposed--it's back to block for me. While I sometimes still draw them wildly large, and have some issue remembering all the vowels which I have not encountered for quite some time, I am making quick strides in my penmanship.
On the more informal side of teaching, I spent many hours over the past couple of days helping Aaron, the high school principal, fill out a visa application for the U.S. I have to say, my heart goes out to all you non-Americans who've ever had to encounter it--that application is brutal. My Ugandan visa app took about five minutes to fill out--this took 60x that. It also contains entertaining questions such as "Are you a terrorist?" (I swear, it's there.) I am certainly curious who answers yes to that one...
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