I began my day walking about 45 minutes to school arriving at 7:30 a.m. Having the joy of watching the sun rise in the Great Rift Valley as I walk in the blistering cold breeze! Burrr! I start the school day checking in with the Head Principal Madame Ruth and Madame Deputy, then off to the classroom. The girls are so welcoming and make my day! I observe the teachers, they are on loan, as they are student teachers from University. The government promises to provide teachers for the next school term. More on how teachers and administrators get their jobs later...
The girls love English and sciences, and apparently now also history, since I am the new history teacher! Time for the teacher to study, study -I am talking about Kenyan history.
Also, I am spending time with the administration learning how education policy is here, how their jobs are in the daily process and how they are national civil servants, who are appointed to the schools versus applying to specific schools. Policy is at a very heavy national level and the local districts implement the policy directly. Teachers are hired based upon national applications and then interviewed, but unlike the US the hiring principal does not have the final say. I would think that could make for an interesting mix at the school, but there is such a sense of duty here that personalities seem to fall last in the workplace.
At lunch the girls asked if I would join them for "Girl Talk" from 4:00 -5:00 p.m., which I accepted the invitation. They have clubs from 4:00 -5:00 p.m. and this is one of the clubs. After P.E. at the end of the school day, which consisted of many sing-song games with chases and dancing, plus a healthy dose of laughter and learning (for me) we began Girl Talk.
Girl Talk is a time they get to discuss topics about whatever is one their minds concerning growing up, political and social situations impacting girls, etc. Today's topic was "Problems if the Girl Child" (girl child is a term used widely to discuss girls)
Topics included:
-FGM female genital mutilation
-Rape
-Peer Pressure
-Education Rights
They spoke with one another with a student facilitator or hostess for the day. Then they asked me to have the floor and share my thoughts. If you know me you know where I came down on these topics. They appreciated my opinions and we discussed how American girls were affected by the topics. After Girl Talk the conversation rolled into American Talk -what is it like, US history, US girls and pop culture. What a good day of fun, sharing and learning...I practically skipped home!
-Badaye