Vijf weken Dhaka Project (Engels)

Elke vrijwilliger van het Dhaka Project wordt gevraagd om zijn ervaringen mee te delen.
Goede en slechte punten.
Ik heb volgende teksten naar Dubai gestuurd.
TDP1 is een korte samenvatting van mijn ervaring tijdens 1 maand in de EK school.
TDP2 is mijn mening van 5 weken in TDP.
(TDP = The Dhaka Project)

TDP1

My time in EK school, The Dhaka Project

Before I left my home country I felt particiularly more tensed about my forthcoming holiday then on previous occasions.
The difference was that now I had engaged myself to do volunteerwork.
An area where I have almost no experience in.

After some communication with TDP I expressed my preference to do more practical things because teaching is not my thing, I thought.
Once I was in Gawair, Dhaka, I came to know that at present the practical things like building toilets or planting trees weren't the most urgent things on the list.
We went on a survey to look in the slum if toilets were needed.
I learned a lot about toilet culture in Bangladesh.
Like if you build a toilet you also have to hire someone te keep it clean. People will not clean it themself, they also rely on the annual floodings to wash away excess excrements.
With all repect but people who daily have to worry about their primary needs don't have a fancy toilet on top of their want list.

There I was, still with a jetlag in my body and the knowledge that I was't going to do any practical things.
What am I doing here I doubted! Teaching wasn't an appealing alternative for me.

I agreed to give it a go.
The first classes I was together with other teachers which helped me a lot.
Mahmuda gave me some Bangla vocabulary with which I could draw attention when needed.
Because of shortage of teachers I was soon giving classes on my own.
English, maths, science and computerclass were on my list.

I became classteacher of standard II-E. This involves that you register who is present, which children feel sick and which children have lunch.

As an English medium school I at least expect english textbook for the subject English but for standard II there wasn't any available.
Teach them anything I was answered but I honestly believe that as a school you should try to follow a curriculum.

Once you get in a routine of having the same classes over and again you know what to expect from the students and they know what to expect from you.

The first days I put a lot of time in getting some discipline in the students. They were talking, running and doing as they pleased. This was disturbing me and others students were easily distracted.
I remember one of my first classes alone I went to a girl in the back with her head on the table.
Like a woodpecker I used my board marker on her table to draw attention but she started crying, I had to get another teacher to explain and comfort her.
It was only later when I realised what an enormous creature I must have been these first days.

Whitin one class you have a big variety between students. Some very clever other lazy or just not smart enough.

It was also important to involve every student. The easiest thing, is to go with the smartest and fastest students.
It was new for most students because I didn't let the good ones always read or answer.
I also explained why, because I could see their disappointments.
To the other I explained why they had to answer and that if it was wrong I would help them.
Showing them that they were here to learn not for knowing everything already.
I explained in simple everyday things why maths is important e.g. going to the baza, possible cheating by others,...
The better students helped them orally in Bangla on the white board doing devisions.
So after a coupple of weeks some of the weaker students started to blossom and take initiative to show themself instead of hiding in the back.
There is still work in getting their level of knowledge to the same level as the better students but extra classes woud be very helpfull.

These children are very spontaneous. The more I worked with them the more I got mesmerized by their natural way of being.
They never seem preoccupied and they instantly forget when you reprimand them.
They don't doubt in their acting towards each other or you as a foreigner.
One day in class 2-E I raised my voice to Masadul that he had to stop talking or that he otherwise could do his talking in front of the class.
OK, but may I do it in Bangla, was his answer.
The next 10 minutes he was talking with a big smile on his face. The others were listening with staring eyes and open mouths, sometimes a massive laughter escaped.
In class VI there was Al-Amin who sang with a lovely voice in front of the class and Sumon from class V he enjoyed singing his whole repertoire while we had to wait for our lunch donated by Emirates.

But in one class I encoutered a lot of struggle. I had to teach English but their level of English was really miserable.
Their behaviour was like lacking any respect.
With a bideshi (foreigner) as teacher it is partytime they presumed!
I was troubled and thinking why the behaviour was so different from other classes.
I was told that these are children from criminals and that's why, they don't have any example at home. That's no excuse!
Maybe it was to hide their lack of knowledge they behaved like this.
It costed a lot of effort to get some authority. Sometimes I had to force myself not to laugh with their brilliant imitation of myself. I knew that I gave in I had to start all over again.
Once they started to try to cooperate they all wanted to be as good as each other.
Altough it was a difficult class till the last day I have fond memories of them. So young, Zahirul, Ranju, Yasin and Rasel and already such a macho behaviour, even the girls had a lot af character.

Sometimes a workshop was organised for to the teachers. The aim was to improve their spoken English.
I don't know whether they liked the workshop or that it was a better alternative to giving extra curriculum activities. Anyway the time spend at this workshop was worthwhile and at times very animated. A pity that only those took word who were already good in it.

There is also a lot of absence by students. Most of them keep it by 1 day a week.

One day we went on studentcounseling, talking to parents of students who are absent for a long period.

For me it was quite an experience. It revealed everything that the teachers said about student absence was somehow true.
Major factor is economical reason. Some of the parents suggest whitout any shame that house rent paid by TDP would solve this problem.
So some children go out working. One girl prefered this to going to school.
Then you have disinterested students and/or parents, they don't really care about long term effects.
The evironment is not very stimulating for children to go to school or even to study at home.
Other have really lame excuses. E.g. I have a sore eye. There is free healthcare for you I responded.
I can imagine that this counseling becomes demotivating but it should be a standardprocedure very soon after prolonged absence e.g. 1 or 2 weeks absence.

A special class was the adult (ranging from 20 to 53 years) English class.
The older students were really keen on learning English. As an excercise they had to tell their favourite memory.
Some unbelievable stories were told with a lot of nerves in this simple Bengali English.
One person told about his childhood adventure on a train.
As a child he always dreamt about a trainjourney.
One day he was about 9 years old he had the opportunity. What went wrong I don't know exactly but he always mist his station and as a result he was on this local train for 3 days whitout any food till somebody helped him.

From this people I learned that they are really concerned about the future of their children.
They wondered if the teaching was OK, if there are similar projects as TDP in the world.
They asked if TDP was able to provide the A or O level certificate. Explaining that this is a long term process which is the responsibility of the school, the child and also the parents I further accentuated that at present TDP is giving your children a better childhood.
You just have to look at these happy children with their eternal smiles.
As conclusion I want to express my gratitude to Maria and everybody who is involved in making this project running whether in Dubai, Bangladesh or any other place.

TDP2

Observation TDP

After reading Christiana's blog and communicating with her I thought it might be wise to use my sense organs to observe daily live at TDP.
I didn't go looking around for mistakes or make extra time to observe everything.
I just looked and felt, talked and listened.
Me as a volunteer, I felt I didn't have any authority to check everyone and everything. I wouldn't even feel comfortable doing this.

So the following are just my interpretations and suggestions. By no means judgements.


Extra classes

I would start extra classes for those students who are weak. Instead of ECA (extra curriculum activities) I would send those students twice a week to extra classes in Maths and/or English.
I encoutered students in class V who couldn't do simple multiplications and henceforth no divisions.
Students in class III who were struggeling with the alfabet or with simple English vocabulary.

Punishment of children

If children behave bad action must be taken. Believe me, these children are not the easiest to handle. They are raised without any limitations like, be careful, behave yourself, that's dangerous...
If they are lazy or not attentive you have to stimulate them.
Maybe they are not attentive because they don't know the matter been thaught.
I put them outside the classroom or separate in class explaining why.
Going from door to door showing they behave bad or put them outside with a paper saying they didn't learn their lesson or put children under the table are no optimum ways of punishing children.
You scare them or ridicule them in this way.
This is my opinion, I have no experience in this or in Bengali culture.

Guided tour

One of the first days I was taken for a tour around the project. The person guiding me was phoning the next visiting place warning we were coming. This created unnatural scenes in the pre school and the medical centre.
For me it created a false scene which anybody could tell it was not real. It is bad advertisement. It shows a lack of confidence.
Honestly I don't why because later when I returned everything always was OK.

Office

In the beginning when I entered the office headquarters there was always made a remark in Bangla that there was a volunteer. This was rather annoying and again honestly I don't know why.
Laughing and joking during worktime is normal!
I had the impression they were sincerely doing their job. Always ready to help or explain.
If there is no electricity so what, there isn't much you can do about.

Clothshop

The shopkeeper always explained his sales without i had to ask. One day I saw dirty clothes because of dust on the street. I made no remark. Some days later I saw the dust was removed.

Groceryshop

Very clean, always.

Food for thought coupons

I learned that not every students/parents accept these coupons.
They use all kinds of reason. I learned also that parents demand more and more.
I think it is a good initiative and that parents should respect this.
Maybe a better way or more frequent way of communication with the neighbourhood could create a relationship of trust between the 2 parties.

Teachers

I didn't work enough together in class with the teachers to judge who is good or bad. I don't even now what the standard is for a good teacher.
From the workshop I have an idea who is motivated and who is less motivated. From the childrens reaction I saw who is cherised and who is feared.
I did spend a lot of time with them and as persons I all value them.
They are willing to listen and to discuss. They take more classes now there is shortage of teachers.
They ask how they can improve themself.

If you want to break the cycle of poverty through education then your teachers are your capital investment and that should be treated this way and they should offcourse work accordingly.

There was a lot of stress about jobsecurity and an Eidbonus not received?

Food in nursery and kindergarden.

I accidently bumped in on a officeworker who went to this places for checking lunch. I could come and saw that everything was correct. The food was prepared as on the list and children were eating.
Everything was clean on every occasion I visited.


Adult training centre above the nursery.

I only went twice in the very beginning, just after Eid vacation.
So my view might be biased.
This place left a rather bad impression on me. Altough there were people sincerely working there were also woman sitting there and not hiding their disinterest. Actually they behaved very annoyed and arrogant.


Adult training (English and computer) in EK school

Very motivated people (most of them) who sincerely want to learn English and computer.
I was very pleased to see this.
Those who didn't pass testing were not allowed on computerclass untill next examination, this as motivation.
I also saw longterm absences here. I think follow up should start immediatly after short time of absence. It is a matter of good practise for your organisation.

Lunch for children

In the beginning I had difficulties with the fact that only some children are getting rice as lunch and others have to eat bread and banana as lunch, the same as breakfast.
The children didn't complain but i felt inequality.
Changes will be implemented.

Schoolbooks

As an English medium school I at least expect English textbooks for the subject English. In standard II there wasn't any available. in general there is shortage of textbooks so a lot af copying as to be done.

ECA in liveskills (eca extra curriculum activities)

This is just an idea.
Often when I asked someone to answer in class they said they couldn't answer without even trying. Also when I surveyed examination some choose to look at others' papers instead of trying themself.
I told them they were fooling themself not me or the teachers.
That this are vital liveskills for later when they are adult, then you have to solve problems without looking with your neighbour.
I told them you develop these skills as child partly at school but also at home.
Some understood other gazed and most of them carried on.

Actually the last day of my teaching I asked a student to answer. Apparently she didn't even had her book on the table.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!!! Aiming my eyes to heaven asking God for assistance.
Just to indicate that a change in attitude would be helpful for weaker students.