School days part deux
finally got a picture uploaded!! This is of the house in Yaounde, on the side of it. A typical view of outside a Cameroonian house, where some food preparation occurs, laundry, etc.
I had taken lots of photos here in Batula and also in Bafut but lost them!! How can that happen, you ask? Well, if you know me you know that technology melts under my fingertips . . . but will be taking more very soon! At least I got one uploaded!
Here is the entry for today
A few surprises for Linden in school. One day a goat just sauntered in and out. The school rooms give out onto a sort of courtyard and the doors of the rooms are always open. So that goat just walked on in. The next day, a rather less charming surprise. The principal walked in and examined the girls. He found two whose belly buttons were showing (they are about 14-15 years old; the ages can range) and they were brought to the front and hit with a “whip,” actually a strip of a piece of a tire. Hit on the side and shoulder, apparently. Linden was upset but not terribly; I’m just glad I had warned her this could happen although Madame Michelle said she never uses it. Who knew that the principal could walk in and do that? It is illegal here but there is still the old school that does it. Speaking of punishing students with a whip, it is amazing how much like the French system the system here is (they don’t whip in France anymore, though, although I know some teachers would like to). I knew that the school system followed the French one, since France made sure its colonies used its education system and books, but it is amazing just how to the letter the system is followed. Some of the books are tailored for Africa, of course, such as the history and geography one, but what I mean is the way the teacher writes on the board, the way the kids spend most of the time copying from the board or reading aloud or listening to the teacher read aloud, the way they have to use pen only, no pencil, and they have to write cursive very neatly, alternating red and blue pens. The red pens are for the “important” words, the blue for the rest. I should mention that Linden was in school in France for the first half of second grade, so this is how I know that the system is the same. They have “cahiers,” notebooks for different subjects which they fill with these notes, which cover the blackboard. They use the old type of wooden benches for desks, with the creased line at the top for setting down pens and chalk. They use an “ardoise,” which means slate, and is the small individual blackboard for each student. In France, they used white board, but here it is still chalk and slate. On the back of the slate is an alphabet in cursive. Luckily, Linden had learned French cursive in 2nd grade so she is having no trouble with that. What else? She is in the rather new building (each of the four buildings has several classrooms), which means there is a cement floor instead of a dirt one. In the morning before the teacher comes (she is always ½ hour late), the kids are supposed to sweep the floors and clean the blackboard. Linden did a lot of the sweeping this morning and really enjoyed it! They us a whisk broom, about two feet long. There is a lot of red/orange dirt and little papers; the students throw what they want on the floor since there is no trashcan (no trash service, either, so the trash goes in piles in certain areas of the neighborhood or is thrown in bushes—admittedly, they create a TON LESS trash than Americans!). The other old-fashioned thing is the blackboard, which was cleaned and painted black (with what?) at the beginning of the year. Usually the boys sweep and clean the blackboard, with a sponge and some water. As for lunch, there is usually a bowl of bananas in the room for the kids, I don’t know how that gets there. The kids bring various items: usually a container with some water, yams, plums (not at all like ours), sugar cane, and/or guavas. Linden usually takes some bread or crackers, a banana or some pineapple. At recess the kids stand around or sit outside and eat, then just run around. There is no play equipment, but then again, in her school in France there was none, just a concrete courtyard. Here there is dirt and grass and goats. Linden did not cry when I left today. I’d like to get to the point where I don’t have to wait with her for the teacher to come; I’m sure that will happen. One young boy, who seems to like her, gave me two plums today. Progress on many fronts! We are going to Yaounde today until Sunday. I need to get money at the Embassy and on Saturday there is an Embassy-sponsored canoe trip that Linden, Elvis, and I are going on. Should be full of mosquitoes and full of fun! Oh, and yesterday they fixed our shower!
Comments
Posted by: Bill
Posted on: September 21, 2008 04:36 AM
Wow, an interesting entry. Having had two kids in school in France, I find the reach of the colonial education interesting. Marie, what is your job shaping up like - been to your department yet?