May and Random Thoughts

So this is the testing term at school. Going through public schools and having to take proficiency tests, I thought I knew what pressure was when associated with a test. When I was working in Cincinnati at Boys Hope Girls Hope and the 8^th graders had to take a test to determine what high school they went to, I realized my tests weren’t that bad. But even those tests were to get into a good private school. In St. Lucia, the grade 6 students take a test that determines what secondary school they go to for the next 5 years. That’s some pressure! Not all these schools are equivalent, so really you’re taking a test that determines your future. However, at least now all the students get to go to secondary school. There was a time, not that long ago, where if you didn’t do well on the test, you didn’t get to go at all.

It being the testing term means that I’m not doing computer club after school, because I had students that were skipping lessons to come. (Grade 4 also has a huge test which they are taking today, so it’s not just one grade.) This, however, give me more time to plan for activities this summer and the last two weeks of school. The last two weeks, again this year, are throw away weeks because the ministry has planned teacher trainings during those weeks, so we’ll have about 3 teachers for the 155 students. Not a really good ratio, so I’m seeing what kinds of large group activities that we can do that don’t cost anything! Field days, scavenger hunts and things like that look like they’ll be on the agenda. I’m working on a video because our project plan for the Eastern Caribbean is up for review. I’m going to show what the volunteers have been working on this past year!

It’s kind of weird. When I got here I was counting up how long I’d been here. Once I hit the year mark as a volunteer it went more towards counting down. I can’t believe I only have about 10 months left. It’s going so fast.

Catching up!

Wow! Time flies! This month has been going fast. We stared out the month by taking a group of kids to the beach for Labour Day (the first day in May). We had fun, but got rained out in the end. Then some of my PC friends threw an engagement party for Luthur and I. We had so much fun! It was amazing to see how many people showed up to support us. This month is reading month at school, so I'm holding a creative writing workshop at the school on Fridays. The kids are enjoying writing, and are really creative when you let them be! This past week I was "up north" all week at the VAC meeting and MST. VAC is a group of us that get together with PC senior leadership to go through any issues our islands are having. MST is when you're a year into your service, all the volunteers get together and refresh. It was a great time and very much needed. I think one thing you don't see on PC blogs is how much of a struggle it is at times. In PC you have the highest of highs but also the lowest of lows. It was good to get together with other volunteers that are facing some of the same struggles you are!