As a teacher you sometimes have moments of going: I love my job. You also have those moments where you go: Why on earth am I doing this. Very occassionally you have days of both. Today was such a day.
On the one hand you have being in Bangladesh (with all the frustrations that entails), teaching for 5 lessons straight, having an aching jaw, despair that the year 11s are all going to fail, hideous piles of marking, students who have no idea where their own mute button is, rediculous numbers of targets to set for students on a rediculously tight deadline (seriously thinking up 6 targets for students you met less than 2 months ago is very hard) when the power cuts out regularly and being told that 8 of your 10 ppa slots the following week are going to be disrupted/taken over to do something you have to plan but arent quite sure what your supposed to be doing with them.
On the other you have your year 10s coming into lesson sitting down and working solidly on something for 45 minutes while you play some worship music.
God rocks! He also provides a way to deal with hard circumstances and is infact the provider of them in the first place to help us grow.
I love my job! (most of the time
Wednesday 6 October 2010
Monday 4 October 2010
So this blogging thing takes alot of effort
Sorry to anyone who happens to have wondered if i have dropped off the face of the earth. I am still here. The thing is finding time, energy and a space where the power doesnt cut out on you in Bangladesh is hard. Special appologies to Andy N who wrote me a wonderful email which i keep meaning to reply to and Matt C who i keep forgetting to speak to on skype. please do try to email me and skype me and write on my wall on facebook it means alot. Please dont get offended if i dont reply instantly (or ever) if your feeling rich you can even try phoning me on my Bangladeshi phone (message me or email me if you want the number)
The hardest thing i have found in attempting to blog is knowing where to start with this hugely strange and completely insane country so i thought i would give you an insight into what the school i am working in is like. And another power cut......... Never mind.
So Grace International School. It makes me get up and leave by 6.45 each morning and teach up to 7 periods in one day. It is 3-16 but fortunatly has nice class teachers to teach up to y6 so I dont have to. My teaching time is split so i teach 4 periods to y7 a week (science) and then 9 (bio, chem and phys) to each of y10 and y11. this means i am mostly doing iGCSE classes. (please excuse the following moan) There is no scheme of work in the school for KS4!!!!! (moan over). The classes are fantasticly well behaved (most of the time, I mean they are still kids) and some of the students are increadibly hard working. If you ask them to do some work they actually do it! (well there is always one that needs a bit of reminding). There have been some fun lots of blowing things up already including the "bomb" incident ****Warning, please do not try this at home**** When i slightly changed a methane rocket experiment by 1. converting from methant to propane (increasing the energy released by complete combustion) and 2. tried using a 2 litre bottle. needless to say i am lucky to still have hearing and everyone in the school heard it. everyone for 2 blocks heard it........ probably not gonna do that one again.
So anyway here is the lowdown on some of the teachers (and a few other people who are closely associated with the school in some way) so you know who i am talking about in future
Joshua Martin de Jong, American, 24, teacher of science: This is my room mate (currently one of) and the other half of the science department. He deals with small kids so i dont have to. From Michigan like half of all American missionaries in Bangladesh.... Goes around with a perminant chuckle ready to come out...
Shannon Thiesson, Canadian, 28, teacher of maths: the envaluable foil to an GCSE science teacher is the mathematician of the school. Her skills will hopefully turn my year 11s who cannot do percentages into skilled mathematicians by the summer. Wears a near perminant smile.
Burto, English (Brummie), Age well to look at him youd say about 40 :P, Not a teacher: Dave works for food for the hungry in Bangladesh his blog which is much more excelent than mine can be found at idiotgrace.blogspot.com listed due to a relationship with a certain maths teacher. Oh and also its partially his fault I'm here in the first place.
Jamie Beckwith, English, 32, teacher of english: Party bus organiser and controler of the mythical cable box Jamie is in truth the mythical guardian of social life in Dhaka or at least any that involves going for food on a thursday evening or watching some football.
Thallo, Ozzie, not actually a teacher: Fiancee of Jamie and provider of hugs when you feel like hitting something cause bangladesh is not treating you nicely
Bill Cherry, American, ??, teacher of Humanities: Bill is the arch enemy of the humble science teacher with no such thing as a fact only evidence that can be questioned. Another michiganite Bill is hugely into comics, working out and drumming.
Mr Ben, English, ??, Teacher of Y6 and Performing Arts: No he doesnt do magical things in a fancy dress shop... mr Ben keeps the y6s in line at the upper school as well as teaching drama and music. A talanted musician and singer Mr Ben is an old hand at Bangladesh and speaks good Bangla
Esther Clarke, Irish, 26, Teacher of Art: Artist extraordinaire is not enought to tell about Ester. A real encourager of a person with a good sense of humour Esther is a person to see whatever your mood even if you can't understand her half the time.
Kim Stevens, Ozzie, 24, Teacher of year 3: Half the time asleep. When not however is really good fun to be around.
Krista Schroeder, American, 23, Teacher of year 4: When not hard at work is the life and soul (and probably organiser) of the party. As well as all that comes up with all of the groups memes....
please dont be offended by being on this list/not on this list it is not comprehensive and is only intended to show a (very) brief glimpse into people i see and work with regularly
i am going to leave this there as i am tired and must sleep. Many thanks to Becky Green for writing the music that a) inspired me to write another blog and b) keep me going through this hour and a half long process - I may have got you a sale through my playing of your music...
to all my friends in England i will end with a little of the Bangla i have learnt (although not in bangla script)
aber deKhe hObe
The hardest thing i have found in attempting to blog is knowing where to start with this hugely strange and completely insane country so i thought i would give you an insight into what the school i am working in is like. And another power cut......... Never mind.
So Grace International School. It makes me get up and leave by 6.45 each morning and teach up to 7 periods in one day. It is 3-16 but fortunatly has nice class teachers to teach up to y6 so I dont have to. My teaching time is split so i teach 4 periods to y7 a week (science) and then 9 (bio, chem and phys) to each of y10 and y11. this means i am mostly doing iGCSE classes. (please excuse the following moan) There is no scheme of work in the school for KS4!!!!! (moan over). The classes are fantasticly well behaved (most of the time, I mean they are still kids) and some of the students are increadibly hard working. If you ask them to do some work they actually do it! (well there is always one that needs a bit of reminding). There have been some fun lots of blowing things up already including the "bomb" incident ****Warning, please do not try this at home**** When i slightly changed a methane rocket experiment by 1. converting from methant to propane (increasing the energy released by complete combustion) and 2. tried using a 2 litre bottle. needless to say i am lucky to still have hearing and everyone in the school heard it. everyone for 2 blocks heard it........ probably not gonna do that one again.
So anyway here is the lowdown on some of the teachers (and a few other people who are closely associated with the school in some way) so you know who i am talking about in future
Joshua Martin de Jong, American, 24, teacher of science: This is my room mate (currently one of) and the other half of the science department. He deals with small kids so i dont have to. From Michigan like half of all American missionaries in Bangladesh.... Goes around with a perminant chuckle ready to come out...
Shannon Thiesson, Canadian, 28, teacher of maths: the envaluable foil to an GCSE science teacher is the mathematician of the school. Her skills will hopefully turn my year 11s who cannot do percentages into skilled mathematicians by the summer. Wears a near perminant smile.
Burto, English (Brummie), Age well to look at him youd say about 40 :P, Not a teacher: Dave works for food for the hungry in Bangladesh his blog which is much more excelent than mine can be found at idiotgrace.blogspot.com listed due to a relationship with a certain maths teacher. Oh and also its partially his fault I'm here in the first place.
Jamie Beckwith, English, 32, teacher of english: Party bus organiser and controler of the mythical cable box Jamie is in truth the mythical guardian of social life in Dhaka or at least any that involves going for food on a thursday evening or watching some football.
Thallo, Ozzie, not actually a teacher: Fiancee of Jamie and provider of hugs when you feel like hitting something cause bangladesh is not treating you nicely
Bill Cherry, American, ??, teacher of Humanities: Bill is the arch enemy of the humble science teacher with no such thing as a fact only evidence that can be questioned. Another michiganite Bill is hugely into comics, working out and drumming.
Mr Ben, English, ??, Teacher of Y6 and Performing Arts: No he doesnt do magical things in a fancy dress shop... mr Ben keeps the y6s in line at the upper school as well as teaching drama and music. A talanted musician and singer Mr Ben is an old hand at Bangladesh and speaks good Bangla
Esther Clarke, Irish, 26, Teacher of Art: Artist extraordinaire is not enought to tell about Ester. A real encourager of a person with a good sense of humour Esther is a person to see whatever your mood even if you can't understand her half the time.
Kim Stevens, Ozzie, 24, Teacher of year 3: Half the time asleep. When not however is really good fun to be around.
Krista Schroeder, American, 23, Teacher of year 4: When not hard at work is the life and soul (and probably organiser) of the party. As well as all that comes up with all of the groups memes....
please dont be offended by being on this list/not on this list it is not comprehensive and is only intended to show a (very) brief glimpse into people i see and work with regularly
i am going to leave this there as i am tired and must sleep. Many thanks to Becky Green for writing the music that a) inspired me to write another blog and b) keep me going through this hour and a half long process - I may have got you a sale through my playing of your music...
to all my friends in England i will end with a little of the Bangla i have learnt (although not in bangla script)
aber deKhe hObe
Thursday 19 August 2010
AAArrrgh ive been so busy but here is part of my thoughs and stuff so far
So Ive moved. Thats a long story in itself! Ive been here for 3 weeks and i have come to one conclusion: Bangladesh is whacked out of its head. Its been taking LSD or something cause it is just insanity. To start with its like 35 degrees c outside (+ humidity) but wearing shorts is some crazy thing westeners do and if you do wear them you get stared at. Not to mention what women are expected to wear. Then there is driving in Dhaka. I cannot tell you how petrifing the first drive off the plane was. No indicators, no lanes(there were lanes but no one uses them), no real sides to the road, trafficlights that are just a suggestion. I will have to explain traffic properly at a later date.
Will give more detail later but for now the journey:
18 hours of basically sat on a train with a screen. Except you feel very conspicuous when you are the only person on the plane with white skin. Still we flew over some interesting countries. i even made a list:
England
Belgium
Holland
Germany
Czech Republic
Slovakia
Romania
Black sea
Turkey
Iraq (right over Bhagdad)
Kuwayt
Qatar
UAE
Pakistan
India
and Bangladesh.
The only real conclusion i can draw from flying for the first time is that my legs are too long and i should not make the mistake of getting a window seat ever again.
Its currently tipping it down with rain - meaning its more humid - meaning more ppl are gonna turn their AC on meaning power cuts! Therefor i am going to post it now. pics of BD to follow soon on FB
Will give more detail later but for now the journey:
18 hours of basically sat on a train with a screen. Except you feel very conspicuous when you are the only person on the plane with white skin. Still we flew over some interesting countries. i even made a list:
England
Belgium
Holland
Germany
Czech Republic
Slovakia
Romania
Black sea
Turkey
Iraq (right over Bhagdad)
Kuwayt
Qatar
UAE
Pakistan
India
and Bangladesh.
The only real conclusion i can draw from flying for the first time is that my legs are too long and i should not make the mistake of getting a window seat ever again.
Its currently tipping it down with rain - meaning its more humid - meaning more ppl are gonna turn their AC on meaning power cuts! Therefor i am going to post it now. pics of BD to follow soon on FB
Tuesday 20 July 2010
Ready to go?
"so are you all ready to go?" this is a question I have been asked approximately 40 times in the last week. The answer at the moment is no. I am pretty sure if someone asked me on the plane that question the answer would still be no. How does anybody prepare to up sticks and move about 7000 miles? still i can become more ready very easily. Firstly by obtaining a visa and secondly by starting to pack. Thirdly for organising what stuff i want to store and what my parents can sell. This all has to happen within the next 10 days or so :S. Busy times! As well as this I have started to look at how to speak Bangla and I am daunted to say the least. I cant even prenounce all the letters at the moment so it will take a lot of work. The fact that there are 11 vowels and 4 of them use the a character also doesnt make for quick learning. a on its own is supposed to make a u sound eg run. this confuses me when i look at words and try to say them. i'm sure i will get there eventually....
If there is anything in particular you ever want to know about my life in Bangladesh dont hesitate to ask me and i will do my best to answer...
If there is anything in particular you ever want to know about my life in Bangladesh dont hesitate to ask me and i will do my best to answer...
Saturday 10 July 2010
So I'm moving to Bangladesh
If you have found this blog however you will already know this. This blog will be one way to catch up with me over the next couple of years. alternatively add me on skype (samuel.giblett) or send me an email (sjgiblett@hotmail.co.uk). I will be putting a slice of what my life out there is like on this blog (and hopefully it will be regular)...
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