"Teacher, I want to study with you."

- 1/26/10: Today I was teaching the public school teachers (only three of them came, which is kind of the norm for this class.  I don't know why more of them don't come. Probably they're busy at home or something, but it bothers me because I know they need it, and its much easier to create effective activities for a larger class.) 

Naturally, we began a half an hour late. I actually showed up 10 minutes late, not entirely on purpose (but sort of) because I was sure that they would be late too.  Well even those 10 minutes didn't do much good. I still hung around and tried to chat with some kids for like 15 minutes.  Well, when we finally begin class, we go to the really rickety old part of the school with the busted floor and birds nests in the ceiling. 
This room actually had a pretty nice chalkboard that didn't have many cracks in it.  Of course, a group of kids sat outside to peer in.  But this time, a group of older kids were standing there too.  They were all sort of murmuring to each other, a bit disruptively actually.  Eventually one of them knocks on the door (they all knock on the open door when they walk in late.  Its just what you're supposed to do to greet the teacher who's in the middle of teaching).  So one of the teachers in class says "What do you want?"


"I want to ask your teacher a question." he responds

I motion for him to come in.

"Teacher, I want to study with you."

This is a perfect example of the way that Rwandans are really eager to learn.  The humility of this guy to come in and ask me, in English, if he can come study, really inspires me.  They really really really want to improve their English.  Sure, they could choose to play soccer or do any number of things, but they see that education is the key to a successful life, and the major roadblock for academic success is now the English barrier.  So he just walked right in during the middle of a lesson to ask.      What courage. 

So I told him that he can come to my Wednesday and Friday class, and to bring all his friends who were outside listening intently to my answer.  They seemed pretty content.  Most of them disbursed, but a few lingered outside for the rest of the lesson, trying their best to follow it and to study along with the teachers.  I could hear them saying sentences that I had written on the board out loud to themselves. They are really hungry for an education here.   And seriously, who am I to be giving it?!?!  I am not an ESL teacher!!!!!!!

Most of my grammar-related lessons are really bad, and when they ask me questions, I answer them so insufficiently and I almost always have to tell them that I'll get back to them next time.  But to them, it’s a huuuge opportunity to learn English from a native speaker.   I think a lot about what its like to get an education in the U.S.  And about how being exposed to many "choices" really makes you critical.  I mean, its very good to have choices between things.  Competition is good and healthy.  I prefer Skippy peanut butter to Jiff.  But its very easy to then point out all the things that are "wrong" with Jiff, and to overlook the inherent goodness that is found in this delicious spreadable food.  It’s the same with education.  How many classes did I not look forward to because the professor was super boring or talked too slow or was way old-fashioned or didn't use Power Point and I wish he would have?  Any of my Rwandan students would have never even perceived these "flaws," but instead gobbled up every bit of information that came from the mouth of that professor. They really are like eager, ready sponges just looking for a source of water. I'm trying my best to give them a nice big lake to soak up.

These are people of gratitude, who don't take things, like their education, for granted.