Finally got roped into teaching 4th grade

Hey guys,

I have been meaning to update you all now that I am back in Africa.

I literally jumped right back into things here at Chikumbuso, and have been running non stop! Last week, on Monday, after I held our teacher meeting, we sat down our 4th grade teacher and had to fire him. It was the MOST awkward thing I have ever been through. Especially since I had been co-teaching with him for the week and a half previous, so it really felt like I was throwing him under the bus. But he really was a horrible teacher. He didn't care about our organization, he didn't like the students, and he had no respect for anyone. So when an incident came up with a few girls in our class, it was really the last straw. So we fired him on Monday afternoon, and on Tuesday morning I was the new 4th grade teacher!

And I always said I never wanted to teach above 3rd grade!

It is actually a really interesting experience. It is sort of nice because there is really NO structure to the classroom so I have the freedom to do what I want. It is weird because my students really only take one text/quiz a term (the end of term exam) so there is no real data on any of the students. So I am trying to figure out their levels, and catch them up. But everything takes so long here because everything... I mean everything has to be written by hand. And it is so weird using a chalk board! Well, a wall painted with chalk paint.. and Zambian chalk which has little rocks in it! haha But it is a fun experience. At least I know that whatever I do is like 300 times better than what the teacher was doing before me. But it is a really bizarre feeling having no structure and no resources.

Wish me luck!

Carly :)