Day nine: two schools
This morning we got a late start because Francisli (our host teacher) does not teach Monday mornings. If you remember, she is a full-time teacher but teaches at two different schools as a public school teacher, and to supplement her income she also teaches at a private (Catholic) school, as well as at a university several hours outside of town. Her schedule is grueling, and not at all uncommon. Being a faculty member at four different schools means that she never finishes lesson planning, making accommodations for special schedule changes, and grading papers. She cannot afford a car, so she also must rely on public transportation to get to classes (including the Brazilian equivalent of Greyhound to get to another city and back). She is also a single mother and finished her Masters Degree the week before we arrived. Yes, I know Wonder Woman, and just being in her presence for a few days has exhausted me!
Francisli has the mike, and is leading an impromptu concert for us
Here's our first school on Monday. It is a public school, and runs three five-hour shifts. Elementary students use the school in the morning, it is a high school in the afternoon, and provides what we would consider GED-equivalent courses at night. And I found out that these two fabulous administrators have to split the work, and make sure that at least one is present for each shift each day. Overworked, but so kind, positive, and enthusiastic!
Classes ran from 1:30 - 5:00. Here are my guides, who chose to spend the afternoon with me because they wanted to speak Spanish rather than English:
This is a middle-class school. Education is valued, but students don't always stay and work through graduation. Class size is typically between 30 - 45 students. There is a computer lab with about 20 computers but they are not hooked up to the internet, so if used, they are word processors. The classes I saw were lecture-based, and students love and admire their teachers. Emerson, the male student who was my guide for the afternoon, asked me what I thought of the school. I told him that I admired the students who worked so hard to graduate and the teachers who also worked so hard. He told me that most Brazilian families love the teachers because they know that they work hard and live in poverty. I asked Emerson if he would ever become a teacher and he said no, because he did not want to work so hard for so little pay.
We had 1 1/2 hours to eat dinner and get to our next school. Brazilian pizza is great--they have some wonderful cheeses here. I know that Francisli would not typically go out to eat, and would probably be doing paperwork, but it was great to take a break. Next stop: Adult education classes from 7:00 - 9:30. This school was obviously not as well funded as the first school. It is right across the street from a beautiful soccer stadium that was built for the World Cup, since Natal was a host city. We had a nice break before classes, but many of the students who attended this school worked all day and came straight to classes. Students range in age from 17 - mid-50's. Imagine trying to create activities that will appeal to your class when that is the age range!
Here we are with an assistant to the Secretary for Education for the state. At each school we have been warmly welcomed and given such nice recognition for our visit. And it is more than a little unnerving to be in so many pictures at the end of each visit. Students line up to have a picture with each of us. I'm not quite used to the fame!
The school library. This was an exhausting evening, and I was glad to get back to the hotel at 10:30. Francisli took the city bus home, so I do not know what time she finally got home to see her daughter, but we are back at school at 7:30 tomorrow morning. Good night!