Out Of One Job And Into A New One



We got a new ICT teacher this week.  The headmaster did not have a choice in the matter.  The new teacher seems fine, he was a teacher at the local senior high school, but circumstances changed.  I don’t know, and don’t need to know, the whole story.

The big impact is that he is teaching all of my classes starting this week.  It has been nice hearing the students come up to say they would rather have me teach them, but we are making the best of it.

 So now what am I to do?  One thing is certain in the Peace Corps.  You will be placed in an environment that has plenty of potential work.

I hope to be able to take some of the more advanced students through some programming theory and practice using a programming language called “Scratch” from MIT that takes a lego approach to writing programs.  I need to get started on this soon.

There are other things that could be done with the computer to make them more useful at the Junior High level, such as using internet resources offline via a program like “Rachel”.  This requires some research and experimentation.  I plan to work on this in short time I have remaining.

 At least one of the school computers have a virus, likely from some pen drive because we don't have internet connections.  So I need to work out the best way to download and update virus protection software on 20 computers without much internet.  I also should make a good copy of the computer image of how we want the student computers configured and then make a ghost image so we can reload (clean up) the computers each year.

I also plan to work with the teachers to help improve their computer skills so they can better use and teach with computers.

The extra time in my schedule will make it easier for me to work on a world map mural in the library and other such projects.

So, all in all – I will not be teaching, but could be busier by having larger chunks of time during school to devote to education projects.

Girls in the computer room - picture for the grant

Boys in the computer room - picture for the grant.

I’m also working on closing out my computer grant.  I just about spent all the money and now need to complete the paperwork.  Above is a picture with the girls in the school.  Girls still need help getting and staying in school as part of the “Let Girl Learn” project that has a tagline that '62 million girls are denied to right to an education'.  Not to be left out - the boys are also pictured

Health


I’m in Accra for an ENT visit.  So I will see how my ears are – I don’t think they are complete healed and may still be growing a fungus.  But they are much much better.

My shoulder is better but they told me it would take a long time to heal.

My new crown is fine, but there is some lagging pressure sensitivity that I’m watching.

 I might have a mild case of giardia as I started to burp up a slight sulfur taste this morning, not the end of the world, but not all that pleasant.

 All in all I'm fine.  And yes mom (and others) I am taking care of myself.  :-)


Love always,

John

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