Have a Mandela Kind of Mindset

My final month of work couldn't have been more stressful, yet more rewarding if I had wanted it to be. I saw a lot of things come into fruition, and I also saw a lot of things come to pass. Some relationships ended on a bad note, others were mended, and most were strengthened. Expectations where met, and disappointments were minimal. Overall I am 100% satisfied how things ended and if given another chance, I would do the whole thing over in a heartbeat. The PC saying is true, it is " the toughest job you'll ever love". 

 The weeks counting up to my departure, I was pressed with making sure I got all my life skill lessons taught. My class had to work at a fast pace which was the opposite of what they were doing with all their other classes. Instead of taking a break during their exam weeks, we kept working and made up classes throughout the term. I wanted to do more activities with them, but realized that it would just be too much. Thankfully, the English teacher saw that we were working on job skills and writing resumes. I wanted to take the classes into the computer lab to type them out, but time did not permit us with that luxury. So instead of using the limited amount of classes I had left, the English teacher is going to continue with the writing if the resumes in her class.... At least that is the plan. I am proud of my Grade 11 class through. Sure there could have been a lot of improvements with that class, but they have been dealt a bad hand; however they are handling it as best they can without much help. For example, my class didn't receive books, so everyday I had to print out pages of their book from my one copy (which yes I know is also a privilege that my school even has a copier). The students weren't given folders or anything else to secure their papers. Knowing that these students are still young, I didn't expect them to keep perfectly a years worth of information in their bags, but to my delight maybe only one or two ever lost their stuff. We also crammed  three terms of curriculum in two. Now typically I normally bash teachers who just rush through the syllabus to get it done, because I feel the students don't really learn the information. This was not the case for my kids. The national standards say that students only need a 60 to pass and be on track, well my students had a class average of 89% with no one below a 60! There were only two lessons that I did not get to with the students, but once I met the new PCV replacing me I knew that she would be a perfect fit to teach those last sessions and it would be a good way for her to warm up with the students. Wishing the best for her! 

I was a little bit nervous about leaving because I thought everything I did might just fall (and it still might, only time will tell), but again I am so thankful that my site was replaced by a new PCV. The library I started at the primary school was still far from being finished and the new PCV was willing to continue it when I left. In the beginning of this blog I said I had some stressful and disappointing times, well this was one if them. If there was one thing I could change about my service, it would have been to have spent more time at the primary school. The library project was probably the biggest thing that needed to be done, but for many reasons it was a hassle to get started. My final months, literally down to my final days, I was held up in the library for hours a day trying to get it done. Personal feelings aside, I didn't want to complete it for my own glory; never once was this one of those " look what I did" situations. My sole purpose for being so stubborn and wanting to get this library done was because this is the one thing that the kids wanted. Everyday the kids would come up to me and ask me if they can have library class, or if they could check out a book. I so much wanted them to tell them yes! If anything, the biggest lesson I've learned here, development wise, is how important literacy is. The kids at the primary school, eventually will be kids at my high school. If we could improve their literacy when they are in grades 3, imagine how well they will test in Form 3!  Nelson Mandela said that "education is the most important factor of sustainable development",oh how I wish this concept would resonate! My mind will always be on those kids and that library; I pray for the new PCV as she is walking into this big challenge. I also pray for the teachers  that they catch on, and for the students that they hang on.