So you've heard the good, the bad, and the ugly with my teaching experiences... in a down-played version that's approved by Peace Corps, of course. However, I feel like I don't tell enough about my projects.
As a volunteer, my primary project is teaching English at my Primary School. I generally teach 3 1/2-4 hours straight, work in the library with my designated library works (2 each week), and try to keep my sanity by reading, cooking, playing the ukulele, and exercising in my off time.
What what about the other times? Am I doing anything else with my life?
Why, yes, I am. I'm so glad you asked!
On Mondays, I teach a night class for High School and college students. In Tonga, "college" is the same as high school. My students are grade levels 7-10, and they get some say in what they want to learn about. It's a cool class, although sometimes difficult to manage with the age gaps, but I also teach it out of my house. I usually have anywhere from 7-15 kids come (usually around 10-12, though), so it's a full living room. But luckily I have a very spacious house.
On Wednesdays, I have a Creative Writing class for the same grade levels, although I let some of my primary students (the behaving ones) stay. Funny enough, they're the best listeners in this class... and they can state the definition of an adjective faster than the high school kids. (Yes, I'm gloating with pride right now.) Of course, we have started with poetry, and have implemented Joni Mitchell, Rihanna (only to look at "Love the Way You Lie" when we had a class on Sexual Assault Awareness), William Carlos Williams, and others from my limited selection of poetry. Last week, we covered imagery and similes. This week, metaphors. I can't wait for personification!
Thursdays, or "Tokoni Thursdays" are my Community Service group, made mostly of high school kids and some Primary school, but mostly the older ones. I want to implement a little system in the community where I'm not the one who initiates "improvement." It should come from the communities, and I would love for the kids to really take initiative and realize what is needed. I would love to cultivate it to where we help around the island. We shall see!
Starting in July, this "Tokoni Thursdays" will also extend to helping my Class 5-6 kids prepare for the big Class 6 exam in October. My older kids will help tutor and do some "buddy reading" in order to explain concepts to my students, which helps me a lot. Also, you learn when you teach. I'm proof of that.
And last but not least, Camp GLOW (Girls Leading Our World.) This is an initiative in many PC host countries where volunteers help provide the resources to host the camp for 14 year old girls. It's a week-long, overnight camp, where the girls listen to speakers (women and men), do activities involving community service, environmental care, business, arts and crafts, Tae Kwon Do (I probably butchered that spelling, sorry), etc. We train Tongan women as Camp Counselors, and implement Junior Counselors from the previous year. This is the first year that 'Eua (my island) will host a Camp GLOW, so it's HUGE! I am the Counselor Training Manager, and we will start training the counselors by the end of July.
My proposition:
--If you have youth groups, clubs, Bible studies, churches, co workers, ANYBODY who would be interested, we need donations! Here is an excerpt from the Facebook Group (Camp GLOW Tonga):
If you can donate 10 dollars, it will pay for one camper's meals for a day - and 60 dollars can pay for her meals for the whole week!
$30 can pay for all the markers, paint brushes, etc, for the whole camp; $40 can purchase a notebook, pen, and folder for every camper; $100 can pay the cost of using the venue for the whole week; and just $150 can pay for all a camper's expenses for the entire week!
Donations are 100% tax-deductible, and every penny of your donation will be used for Camp GLOW 'EUA!
Here is the link. Thank you!!! I cannot WAIT to do this thing!
https://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=donate.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=421-132
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