Somedays this word comes easier than others. I am having a bit of trouble finding reasons to motivate the students I teach, and trying to find the motivation to teach them. I feel at times it would be easier to send money and then just remove myself from the situation.
This is problematic for two reasons. 1) I don't have the money to fix a problem. 2) Money will not fix the problem.
The main problem I am facing is again how to motivate people to change. I took a course on persuasion in college-seems I have forgotten the basic priciples of said course. I know what the basic problems are: they lack clean water, proper nutrition, sanitation, and education. I know the priciple area to focus on is education, although at times it seems hard when very few students attend classes or there is not sufficient light to teach basic grammar.
I am not writing this blog to complain about my lack of resources. I have been blessed by the my family and my friends and Uncle Sam to learn that most of your resources lie inside, which basically boil down to...do you have the desire to create change, and if so...what are you willing to do to accomplish said change?
I honestly do not have a background in teaching education nor seriously the credientials to teach, but this should be the last thing on my mind-even if it isn't...
I am trying to make a change, but it is difficult when trying to overcome the most simplest of obstacles-I beg of any of you that have backgrounds in teaching to help me-
I once heard while deployed to Bosnia that when trying to make a change, "It's like watching the grass grow. You will never see the effect/change you made until you return-then it becomes like a wide open field."
Well said Mr. Osmanovic (my former interpreter).
Somedays here it feels like the blind leading the blind-but in that case, I leave you with some pictures of Cerrobala (where I teach) and a quote:
En la tierra de los ciegos...el tuerto es rey
"In the land of the blind...the one-eyed man is king"
I hope to be "el tuerto"
hasta...
t~
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About Me
- Tomas
- Lima, Peru
- I am a recent graduate of Minnesota State University Moorhead (MSUM) with a double major in Spanish and Communication Studies. I am currently traveling to Lima, Peru to be a volunteer at "Sonrisas de Esperanza" (Smiles of Hope) which is a non-profit agency. I will be teaching English and giving nutritional workshops while there. This blog will serve as an update site for activities I am involved with as well as a site to reflect on issues and feelings.
5 comments:
I wish I could provide an instant solution for you Tomas, but alas, I cannot. All I can do is provide support by saying you're doing the right thing...and you're doing the best you can. I also think your interpreter in Bosnia had the correct view...change sometimes takes a long time.
On the other hand, you might be surprised at what your students are saying amongst themselves...it could be things like: "that guy is real nice, I like him as a teacher." Ya never know...
I believe you are making a difference...you just may not know it.
Keep up the good work. Weather here has been rainy all week. The window in your car is fixed. Have you gotten any word on the fate of your drums? We haven't heard anything. Patrick said it snowed in Bozeman today...go figure.
I'm off to host a news crew at the from FUJI-TV tomorrow at the gasification plant. At some point, I guess, I'll be on TV in Tokyo.
Lake levels on Sakakawea are rising, which is good.
Keep in touch...love, dad
It's so hard to put things in perspective while you're in the thick of it. And nobody back home knows what it's really like there.
Start here: you've only been there a few weeks. If this were a relationship (and it is), you'd say you barely knew the person. This is just when the seams start showing.
Two: remember, the first part of any journey is getting set up and acclimated -- it's normal and necessary to take a few months to get situated. And then you can use that energy for change.
Three, you're probably finding out that the org you're working for -- and your whole mission/plan -- are not what you expected. Normal. Accept that knowledge and let it change your expectations.
Four, the kind of positive changes you can make in mere months are not the kind you can see in days.
Five, don't try so hard. You own your students' success only as much as they do (this is the hardest of all). The ones who fail would fail without you, too. And they can sense if you want it too much.
Drop the idea that sending money would be better. You're doing the best anyone can do -- it's just become too personal. Remember, man, you're in Peru experiencing stuff that few other people get to experience & understand. Truth is, you may be the only thing that changes. That's worth more than you think.
My arm is broken&I typed all this with one hand. If you want to talk more abt teaching strategies, gimme a call.
The weight of the world is no joke here in the states, I can only imagine in a place like that. It must be like pushing something up stairs compared with pushing something on wheels. The house has yet to burn down and time seems to be flying. Can't wait for you to return.
Hang in there, you impact certain people more than you realize even if it doesn't show.
Looking forward to your return!
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