Making Plans

The day hardly ever goes how you plan it to, or even expect it to. :) Today, I thought I’d be on top of things, and make a list of stuff I needed to remember to do today- what I needed to work on with the girls, how I would approach our trip to Quatata’s school, what documents I needed to create for the library binder...

I also have to remind myself to not cram in too much during the day – for myself and for the others I work with, to tackle the day with enthusiasm and fun as well and to consciously keep myself in check to let the groove of the day work out. Getting better at it.

Jess has been sick, and it was clear she needed to go home and rest, so that changed things, for example. We realized grade 2 was coming for the story time Jess has been organizing with all the grades and Rosita, so we had to prep for that. Jess is establishing it and Rosita will carry it on, so now's the time when the two need to communicate efficiently with each other, though that's been a bit rough for some reason. The day was an example of the need for facilitation on my part with that communication.

Marva let Rosita and I know what they had been working on, and we established what the hour would look like with Rosita – Marva would do her phonics work with the class as Rosita helped, then Rosita would do the RALP readers story and vocab exercise with them. From Marva, we both learned they do one story per two weeks, and Rosita got a copy of the next story so she could prepare for it for next week. I checked on them once, and talked with Rosita about it afterwards. Now Rosita understands what should happen, more or less, for her story time with grade 2, once a week, and we can report back to Jess on the progress made.

Meanwhile, I was having Alicia think of our word of the week, and we were mini planning our ASP, the theme being “Language.” Alicia was participating well in the brainstorming, and then we were interrupted by one of our guests, a woman travelling on her own who came in and said she would like to help out today if she could. We explained what we were doing and she mentioned communication in general, and gave some activity ideas, one being “How to Make a Hamburger,” where the kids have to describe, in great detail, the exact process of making a hamburger as one person acts out what they describe. We tailored this game to be “How to Make Farine” and I left her and Alicia to plan the activity and to come up with a Word of the Week. I could hear Alicia's giggles as she and Melissa planned together.

We didn't have the time for a gaff session, nor had I had the time to work on the documents I planned to do, but that's not what the day was able to fit in; so be it.

I then decided the next possible thing I could do was give attention to the trip to Quatata Felix and I had planned for the afternoon. Between checking on Rosita and Alicia, eating lunch and checking in with Felix, I polished my plan for how our visit would go. The purpose of the visit was to check out their classroom library. Besides checking out the quantity and quality of their library books, Inez had said the kids were mistreating them, so I had a talk and activities planned with the school to get them more aware and respectful. I would do a story time with them using select demo books, get them to brainstorm adjectives that describe the wonder of books, come up with rules for their classroom library and inventory all their books. Novice mistake, Ambriz, novice mistake. An A for planning and ambition, a C minus for practicality.

Unaware of this at the time, I made sure the girls had a plan for the afternoon, and Felix and I headed out that way.

I took one look at their dusty bookshelves and then completely abandoned my plan. With a short speech about books that reflected my earlier inspirational oral plans, I directed the older kids to put the damaged books to one side, move the textbooks to a separate shelf, pull out the impractical numerous adult level books and then bring the other usable books into piles to be counted.

I did a little math with these older students using the books. I directed the teachers on the importance of getting proper shelves for the books, because how their books are set up now, of course no kid will go to them and use them. The teachers admitted to not using the books with their lessons, either, to which I encouraged them to set an example and use the books. I realized that simply calling attention to these ignored books was the biggest task I could accomplish today

Felix and I made plans to come back once a week for a few weeks, and I realized that my plans for Quatata could/should probably span over this period of time. We made plans to meet the teachers here in Yups on Friday for them to pick out the books (I took the wise detour of first getting the teachers to admit to wanting new books, THEN asked them to give a day to come and pick them out themselves, thanks to Felix for that one). We had some shebay at Inez’s, and she sent me with some farine and sweet peppers.

I get back a few minutes before 4, and I hear laughter coming from upstairs in the library. Apparently Melissa’s involvement in the library went well. I rest my blistered foot (effect of previous day's hike to Katoka) as Verline comes up behind me, wraps her arms around my neck and talks with me. Verline poked my neck tattoo and asks “Does it hurt, Miss?” I tell her no, and she pokes another place. “Hurt?” “No.” A guest comes and shares a Cliff bar with Verline and Tresslyn, telling me “You’ve got some beautiful girls here.” I proudly agree.

I get home, with the intention to put my feet up and watch some TV on my computer, when Wendy meets me at my gate. I haven't had many kid visitors lately, so I invite her in and ask if she wants to read something with me. She snuggles next to me on my couch as we read two books together. So sweet.

So, a full, useful day. Not what I thought, but then who am I to call the shots, anyway?