This trip is primarily focused on social welfare, but the educational twist placed me in a teaching role during our first day at Ka Pang Primary School. I was ushered to first observe an English class and then told to help out in another classroom with Cita, the English teacher. Having been a 4th grade teacher, I felt excited to be back in the classroom.
A group of 20 retired teachers is working at Ta Pang School alongside the MSW students, so Cita wasn't surprised to see me. He welcomed me in and said, "How about you teach today?" I tried to convince him I was there to assist and co-teach, but he said, "tomorrow, tomorrow."
I winged it, picking out lessons from their introductory workbook to review (Cita told me which letter combinations were the hardest for his students). We chanted, sang, moved around, created TPR (total physical response) movements for each vocabulary word, made sentences, learned about how "s" makes a plural (didn't hit on the exceptions), and even learned the "peel banana" song after reviewing words that stated with b. It felt really good to get into a teaching flow with such incredible children. I desperately miss teaching.
I am blown away by the humility, respect, patience, and affection shown by the students at Ta Pang. These children are some of the happiest I have worked with. They endure multiple mile walks to school, minimal food intake, harsh working conditions during harvest, and poverty, yet still show the utmost respect for their teachers and have a hunger for learning.
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