Teaching Abilities in a Developing Nation

-Image of the world cup stadium in Durban

Finally having met my home stay family, I am pleased to say they are as normal as expected and quite. I spent most of the weekend either home alone, eating or watching the bible channel. The house is nice with a living room kitchen/dinning room and I have my own bathroom. There is full electricity and running water. No shower but there is a tub (pictures coming soon). I have a little sister names Lipuma, a mama Alice, and Baba Albert.

The neighborhood is safe in the day but is not the best at night. Basically, we have to be escorted places or stay inside. My family is a bit paranoid it seems in comparison to other families. They don’t want me to have my windows opening. Uhh huh sure… not when it is fucking hot and there are bars on the window. Needless to say, at night it usually smells like someone has lit a joint in my room because everyone in Bonela (our township) and South African townships smoke weed. They don’t call it the cape of good dope for nothing!

Days have been so busy I have had very little time to journal think let alone get online. I try to sneak in a facebook peak in between our 2 HOUR LONG lecture and zulu classes. Zulu, well it is going… but that is about all I think I can say about it without ranting!

A NOTE ON AFRICAN TEACHERS

I have noticed there is a clear distinction between the capabilities of American teachers vs. those here in South Africa. I know education in the country is poor and there are constant struggles and strikes around the education system. Many of our readings we receive are written poorly with many typos. They also are poorly organized and that translates into the lectures in class. I know you may be thinking, “what is a dyslexic girl thinking when she is evaluating peoples writing abilities.” All I have to say to that is, if I notice than it is definitely a problem. It also presents a problem when I am attempting to learn something in class and we jump around from topic to another and then back to the old. I do not mean this in a tangent kind of way but in a clearly disorganized writing ability. I believe this shows the level in expectation between the US and other nations. Going to a very good liberal arts school I know my teachers hold a very high expectation of me and even higher of themselves. After seeing the difference, it is not surprising to me that the government in this country is struggling. If the most educated people are still having trouble teaching about their chosen profession then how good is their own working ability. This must be a problem many westerners encounter in South Africa as well as in other developing countries. Long story short, the struggle with education in this country is apparent and shines through when looking at the abilities of teachers and their expectations of themselves as well as their students.