Maybe it's my teaching

Every Tuesday, I have an 11th grade class from 9-11am. Today, I gave a test. It was an open note / group test. First, each group measured a different wall outside. Then every student, with help from their group and their notes, had to sketch the front, top and side views of the wall then calculate the reduction scale of the front view on a piece of A4 (8.5” x 11”) paper.

For two hours, the students repeatedly came to me for help, despite having clear directions, group for help and their notes. I got frustrated, then angry, then as my head usually does, tried to figure out what the real problem was that going on in my classroom.

Development work is only good for so long. I’ll be in Assomada for two years. Afterwards, I’m gone and will likely be replaced by another clueless American who will teach a class they may or may not even know themselves in a language they probably haven’t ever spoken.

The problem is that the sustainability of my job rests squarely on my shoulders. If I choose to just put in my time, maybe try out some ideas and then bounce, I can tell myself I’ve accomplished something, but there’s a good chance there will be little or no movement behind me.

I think to solve the problem of apathy of the underdeveloped world will involve an entire social movement. You have to make development cool to make people want to work. You have to offer incentives not only to the volunteers, but to the students your teaching.

My students see me as just another person they have to convince to get a good grade. They have no confidence in themselves to figure things out and always feel like they have to break the system or cheat or get the teacher to give them special advice to make them feel like they’re doing alright.

Maybe it’s their confidence, maybe it’s my teaching. But there needs to be a complete shift of influence, within their own culture, that convinces them that work is good, work is fun and you don’t need the approval of some headmaster to feel good about what you do.

Granted these kids are 18 and probably still need guidance, I just think that sending some honky over here to teach technical skills, while it will work for small projects, for two years, is only slightly effective.

I look to governments. Governments set the stage for what is acceptable around the rest of the country. The American Government is no example. It has no idea the amount of influence it sets for the rest of the world.

If governments allocating funds toward prosperity and innovation, it would give people the power to think creatively without having to report to someone with meaningless progress reports. Consequently, setting a moral standard as a government would resonate around the world. Thus, if the American government set a better example by funding programs like the Peace Corps, it would more likely resonate not only through inspired volunteers, but through local governments mimicking the behavior of the biggest, most powerful institution in the world.

Although, I could be wrong. Maybe it is my teaching style.