The thoughts and opinions of this blog do not reflect that of the Peace Corps or the United States Government.

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

ISS

Growing up I always wondered what it would be like to go to ISS or In School Suspension. I never tried to go because I knew that my parents would kill me. I am now getting the opportunity to experience what that would have been like. At the Primary School I have a group of about 5 boys that haven't been able to survive in a regular classroom. They constantly get in trouble and get kicked out of class. I mean, 3 out of 5 of them were suspended on Friday. It is interesting to say the least and quite challenging.
But it is oh so rewarding already! Since I wasn't at the school in the morning, one of the boys came to my home at lunch time to see why I wasn't there and to make sure I was coming for the afternoon. My one boy that is in grade 4 (the rest are in grade 6) is learning and finishing his work faster than the grade 6 students. And he's doing a great job. Plus he gets in less trouble when in my class.
We even got the same amount of work finished this afternoon as we did all day on Monday!
On Monday I had the students write 3 paragraphs about the Jounen Kweyol celebration. The first thing the did was look at me and ask what a paragraph was. Square one! This took most of the day. I then had them complete an addition math sheet.
This afternoon, I had them complete part of their grade 6 homework from this past weekend (which they of course did not do). We wrote a letter to a cousin about why they needed to continue to go to school! They then did a subtraction worksheet. Some of them had to take this home and correct for homework.
I know that at least one of them needs some serious help reading, which is why his wiring is so bad, but I'm trying to figure out a way to help him without the other boys being around to find out and tease him. Any suggestions!?!

3 comments:

  1. Peace Corps Books BY LAWRENCE F. LIHOSIT
    (AKA Lorenzo, Honduras, 1975-1977)
    Available on Amazon.com

    Peace Corps Experience: Write & Publish Your Memoir

    The ultimate “How-To” book for former volunteers & staff who have hesitated to tell their story. The author describes what a memoir is and offers tips on how to write, publish & promote.

    “Tell your Peace Corps story, but first study this book.”
    Robert Klein, PC Oral History Project, Kennedy Library


    Years On and Other Travel Essays

    The author describes how he hitchhiked along bleak Arizona highways, hacked a path through wooded Honduran mountains, avoided caiman while riding bulls in Bolivia and grizzlies as he hunted caribou in bush Alaska, ran for his life after getting involved in Mexican politics and more.

    2011 Peace Corps Writers’ Travel Book Award Recipient

    “The best and rarest of ex-pats: the Yankee gone native.”
    Tony D’Souza, author of Whiteman.

    Peace Corps Chronology; 1961-2010

    Includes all notable activities related to the Peace Corps in an easy-to-read style, in chronological order and lists all volunteers who died during and immediately following service.

    2010 Peace Corps Writers’ Special Publisher Award Nominee

    “This is a very impressive book.”
    John Coyne, Editor of Peace Corps Worldwide.


    South of the Frontera; A Peace Corps Memoir

    Following a job loss, a worn picture postcard ignites adventures leading to the Peace Corps Honduras. This is a vivid and humorous description of Mexico and Central America between 1975 and 1977.

    2011 Recipient of Commendation from U.S. Congressman John Garmamendi (CA, Dem)

    “A classic.”
    Craig Carrozzi, author of The Road to El Dorado.


    Whispering Campaign; Stories from Mesoamerica

    A collection of short stories with telling details- a taxi driver unscrews his license plate bulb before driving, a young American bewitched by a female shaman waving a necklace of dried herbs, the son of a salesman who dispels the curse of guilt, freeing the ghost of remorse and much more.

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    “As in Chinatown or Ballad of a Thin Man, they go directly to the gut. The mix is a rich one.”
    Allen W. Fletcher, author of Heat, Sand & Friends.



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  2. Hi Sarah! My name is Nicole and I am a student doing a project on Peace Corps and Diplomacy. I would love to ask you some questions about your experience as a PCV. If you are inclined to answer please email me at ncprojects@yahoo.com

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  3. Hi Sarah,

    Sorry to bother you.  My name is Ray Blakney and I am an RPCV from Mexico (2006-2008). I hope you've adjusted well to RPCV life. I am working on a 3rd goal project with the PC regional offices and the main office in DC to try to create an online archive to keep the language training material made all over the world from getting lost.  I have created a sub-section on the website my wife and I run Live Lingua with all the information I have been able to get to date (from over the web and sent to me directly by PC staff and PCV's).  I currently have close to 100 languages with ebooks, audios, and even some videos. 
     
    The next step for this project is that I am trying to get the word out about this resource so that it can not only be used by PCV's or those accepted into the Peace Corps, but also so that when people run across material that is not on the site they can send it to me and I can get it up for everybody to use.  I was hoping that you could help getting the word out by putting a link on this on your site here, so that people know it is there.  There should be something there for almost everybody.  It is all 100% free to use and share.  Here is the specific page to what we call the Live Lingua Project:


    http://www.livelingua.com/project/

    Thanks for any help you can provide in making this 3rd goal project a success.   And if anybody in your group has some old material they can scan or already have in digital form, and want to add to the archive, please don't hesitate to pass them my email.  Thanks and have a great day.

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