Sometimes I upload songs onto my ipod from friends’ computers without selecting each and every one individually but hoping fate will send me the best melodies. Often, though, this leads to utter confusion when I hear a completely random song that I’ve never heard before and have no clue as to where it came from. “Enjoy it!” a Disney Classic was no exception. Nonetheless, it was utterly perfect.
After writing the blog post yesterday, I didn’t know where else to look but for wisdom from my mother. She’s in her second year of teaching at St. Patrick Academy in Providence and has faced her share of language barriers herself. Mom, what do I do? I’m so frustrated and I don’t know how to help these students. How do I reach them?
I was able to vent to an understanding mother and a teacher who has been in my shoes (in English, might I add, which is a nice change of pace). Beyond merely getting a grip of myself, my mom offered me much-needed perspective. “My first day of French class in college, after only one hour of class my head was spinning,” she told me. Oh, of course. My first French turbo (all 2 ½ hours of class for the week all at once) junior year of college gave me quite a headache. Being here in Rwanda, I sometimes get overwhelmed by using only French. Why would it be any different for the students in my class? Sitting for four hours each day in a classroom absorbed in a language you’re not comfortable with? Oh, I can imagine the headache. I’ve been there.
I’ve been putting a lot of pressure on my shoulders to cover as much material as possible in the six week duration of this class, but I realize now that I’ve been going about this all wrong. The purpose of this time together is to prepare the students for January, when their real classes begin. This time now? The focus needs to be focused on the weakest students in order to ameliorate their language, their comfort in use and practice.
Today in class, I started by explaining that we’re starting over and we’re going to do this thing differently. Speaking in French, I continued to inform the class that if you need for me to explain something differently, if you need for me to translate in French, if it is absolutely necessary to have someone explain something to you in Kinyarwanda, THAT’S WHAT WE’LL DO. Because this class, I told them, is to help you learn English – if you have a question and you don’t tell me, I have no idea there’s a disconnect. I’m a tool to help you improve your English, so take advantage of this opportunity.
Together, we then analyzed the lyrics to a Jack Johnson song that I’d put on the board. We read through it once, looked up the words that were new and then, as there were still some blank faces, I had one of the students translate the poem (as truly this is what lyrics are) into Kinyarwanda. “You want me to translate into Kinyarwanda? Really?” Absolutely.
After some more discussion on the song, I gave in to their pleas for me to sing it. “Adrift” is truly a beautiful song, and I was happy to share it with them. “You sing like Celine Dion!” Bahaha do they make me laugh. We then sang it together and continued to roar with laughter as a few of the boys decided to sing in falsetto voices where we girls were singing.
The next three hours flew by, and all of the sudden it was time to go. What a relief – yesterday I couldn’t find enough to do or the patience to get me through class, today 12 o’clock snuck up on me. I just got off the phone with my mother telling her about how happy it made me to see each of the students animated and engaged in class. My first approach at teaching these students absolutely had to be changed because both the students and I were getting discouraged. There was a night and day difference between class yesterday and today and I’m thrilled. Sometimes all we need is a little perspective.
“Enjoy it”Why cry about bad weather? Enjoy it.Each moment is a treasure, enjoy it.We’re travelers on life’s highway, enjoy the trip.
Each lovely twist and byway, each bump and dip.
If there’s a complication, enjoy it.
You’ve got imagination, employ it.
Then you’ll see roses in the snow,
Joie de vivre, we’ll make them grow.
Voila! That’s life, enjoy it.
If you a hurricane comes your way, enjoy the breeze.
If you’re stranded in the jungle, enjoy the trees.
If there’s a complication, enjoy it.
You’ve got imagination, employ it.
Then you’ll see roses in the snow,
Joie de vivre, we’ll make them grow.
Voila! That’s life, enjoy it.
Laura - you ROCK!! Literally and figuratively...
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