Day 2 - Teaching Beyond Borders

So one of the markers at my table is Jamaican. She says. "Girl you know some children actually refuse to do question 2 in any paper?"

"I like wha? How come"

"What "2" commonly known as?"

Me: "The number 2, or to doo doo"

"Right and that comes from where?"

Another marker: "Your bottom"

"Which is related to what?"

Jamaican: "Bullers."

"Exactly."

"WHHHAAAAAAAAA?????"

You know if was dey fleckin school work dey eh make alllllll the correlation! Imagine that eh?

Stay tuned. Day 3.

Teaching Beyond Borders

Well people...last week of school and I am MILES away from the school yard. I am here in Barbados, marking scripts for CAPE 2009 examinations. How did I end up here? Who knows...all I know is that I here and I getting paid! lol So far it is an exahausting process and well...some STAMINA is required! Scratch that. LOTS of stamina is required!!!

Day 1 of 14:

Amazing to interact with Jamaican, Guyanese, Antiguan, Bagan teachers. Knowing that hey - some kids write shit no matter WHAT country dey from. lol...dey give problems de same way...dey rude de same way and well...dey are the same. I realized that as a marker, you don't see colour, creed, nationality or anythin like that - just ink on paper - points to mark and piles to diminish.

Stay tuned...Day 2.

Winding Down...

Well folks...test time is here again - which means that lovely vacation time is here again! YEA!

I can't beleive that I made it through an entire year! One whole year! Three terms, endless projects, report books like wow, homework correcting, uniform checking...three terms. I am very proud of me.

Tune in for the year in review. lol. Our best moments EVA! lol

industrial action

It has been a mighty interesting term for us here in Saint Lucia...you see teachers were promised a 7.5% increase in April 2009 [ yes I know that you are shocked that we could be offered so much...let me tell you, in all, it was a 14.5% increase teachers were to receive....anyway, I know that you are in shock that we could be offered so much in the midst of the global recession, but this is Saint Lucia for you] and when they did not get it, well union meetings upon union meetings were called as well as strike days....now I do not really mind....I get to sleep and do my assignments but I think about the students 'cause this is what they pay us - minus 7.5% or not - to teach the people's children and while the CXC children can no longer be affected by the strike, what about the form fours whom expect passes from? What about the MST exams slated for June 10th and the Common Entrance Exams carded for June 17th? These children are not getting taught....are we going to purposely going to destroy an entire generation???

The Prime Minister never said that he would not pay, just that he could not pay now and while had had promised the increase, show me one Saint Lucian Prime Minister who has not lied to his people...and I can think of one who was arrogant about it!!!!

Paint me whatever colour you want to Saint Lucia...but you know this, King lied when he said that he could pay and would pay by April but then again he has not said that he will not pay, just that he can't pay now...this time he is telling the truth and don't we want honest politicians? Of course I want my 7.5% but not at the expense of so many other more important things!!!!!!

What will happen tomorrow readers? Will there be no more teaching days for term? Will King give the money he said will come later, not now...will the union fight on principle or just on what they think is right? Only tomorrow knows and I'll be here for as long as tomorrow lasts.

[Just colour me pink!!!]

xoxo
schezzi m