There is no ambition to be a teacher, but the children ask for it.
In the past classes were organized to learn English, but now they want classes in mathematics.
For the moment the students are two of Norma’s children.
Called Edgar and Rosillo.
They are supposed to be in school in the town of La Ribera, a one-hour drive away from the rancho.
But as often is the case, the children are kept at the rancho and their mother enjoys being back where she was born and grew up.
Edgar is a 13-year-old boy and entering adolescence.
He is at war with life and that sometimes includes the people surrounding him.
His war is rather intense because his father disappeared from his life at a young age.
It can be noticed that he lacks and misses the father.
Edgar likes to challenge authority as if in this way magically his father will appear to put him on the right track.
Fortunately, the people at the rancho absorb his caprices in a sweet and harmless way.
His good sides, and there are many underneath the surface of the angry young man, get a chance to flourish and he understands therefore that they love him no matter what.
His half sister Rosillo is 11 years old.
A dynamic girl who doesn’t seem to suffer too much of the fact that her mother has broken off contact with Rosillo’s father.
Actually, Rosillo is a very gifted girl for singing, dancing and acting but is not in the proper circumstances to have her many talents develop.
Her mother has now a stable relationship for over a year with a man who has a steady job.
This new partner of her mother is very nice with the children and Rosillo has developed a bond with the man.
She might miss her real father but at least she has found a father figure she relates well to.
Something her brother Edgar is unable to do.
The classes are held twice a day.
In the morning at around 11 when a cup of real rancho coffee is enjoyed.
And in the evening at around 7 after the dinner.
Sitting around the large table under the big roof of palm leaves.
To make the teaching effective and interesting the element of competition has been introduced.
Every mathematical problem they are to solve, they can mark a point.
This motivates them enormously.
They want to be successful solving a problem to mark a point.
And of course, they want to finish the class with more points than the other.
What they don’t realize is that the teacher manipulates this process in their own benefit.
Rosillo is not yet at the same level of her brother Edgar.
Hence, she gets more simple problems to solve.
And each class another one is the winner.
It would frustrate one of the two if he or she would never come out as the winner.
The two kids have no clue this is happening.
They don’t notice that every other time they are the winner.
And if they are, they run after the class to their mother and grandmother to scream:
“I am the winner, I am the winner !!!!”
Another way to motivate and enthusiasm them is to have a conversation with their mother when it seems that the adults are not aware that in fact the children are overhearing the conversation.
In such a situation the mother hears from the teacher that the level of the students in his class matches that of the University in La Paz.
That this is really impressing.
The mother, Norma, smart as she is, understands very well the reason for the conversation and knows the children are overhearing it and adds to the glory.
Saying that her kids are really smart and intelligent and may become even a doctor or an engineer.
Result is that when coming for the coffee or the dinner, Rosillo and Edgar storm to the teacher begging him to start the class pronto.
And give more difficult mathematical challenges.
So, they get mathematical problems with an element of surprise in them.
Like: 564 x 67= - 26.677 =
Last year classes to Edgar and Rosillo and some other kids were in English.
To teach them some basic words and sentences in the language of their northern neighbours.
Result is that now they do not remember one thing that was learned one year ago.
It completely vanished from their brains.
The math classes probably have the same result eventually.
But the classes are fun for them and that is the most important.
.
2 comments:
Those children are very lucky to have a friend like you that cares enough to give them your time. They will remember YOU always. Thank you for being such a good friend. There should be more people that care about our children the way you do. It would make for a much better world.
Bless you, Michael.
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