Friday, April 15, 2016

Nobody Knows Nothing

I've was sick from Sunday until yesterday with a strange and horrible virus. My coworkers all got it too. Today I finally feel normal again. The idea or smell of food no longer makes me want to vomit. But I still have no appetite.

Since my boss saw how everyone else was sick, she immediately told me to stay home until I felt better. That was nice because in the past I felt like a wimp if I stayed home, even with something contagious. This time I was able to relax at home without feeling guilty or like I should rush back to work ASAP. I missed church on Sunday and work Monday through Wednesday. I would tell you the details of this virus, but believe me, you'd rather not know.

Laura got it at the same exact time I did. She woke up vomiting Sunday morning. The doctor gave her antibiotics (as always) for a sore throat. Doctors here give antibiotics for everything. Fany and I figured out that Laura is on antibiotics every two months. I worry a lot about the way antibiotics are used here.

Yesterday I left the house for the first time in days. I went to teach the literacy class.

As I summited the top of the mountain, I saw the table being carried down the back side toward the classroom. By the time I got down the other side, Luis had the whole room set up with the table, chairs and dry erase board. He has taken his role as my assistant very seriously. I love it!

Before I got to the building a lady approached me. She handed me a copy of her ID and asked if she could be in the class. I had textbooks for one more person, but was hesitant to allow another person to join because we are a tight knit group. However, more students arrived and told me this is the lady they've hoped could join. She said she could make a weekly commitment to attend each class. So, how could I say no?

She was so excited! Luis told her the class starts at two. She asked if she had to leave. I said if she had stuff to do at home, she could leave. But if she wanted to stay, we would review what she missed in the first two weeks of class. Without hesitation she said she would love to stay.

As I reviewed with her, the rest of the class showed up. By 1:18 all of the students but one were seated around the table. (One of the students works and gets home at 2 p.m. on the dot. She throws her stuff into her house and runs straight down to the classroom.) The two hour class has turned into a three hour class for the rest of the students.

We also had another new visitor. He is the husband of Nohemi. I thought it was so cool that he would come! He completed 7th grade, so he can write his name and some other words. He was a nice addition to the class. He was supportive to his classmates, without being a know-it-all. I love that he was there to support his wife.

Everyone looked so nice. They always do. They dress in their best clothes and come freshly bathed with their hair all fixed up.

First we reviewed vowels. Some are still really struggling to hear the vowel sounds.

Then, once class officially started, we went over homework. Each page got a smiley face sticker and "Excelente" or something similar in red ink. Some people did extra pages of homework. Poor Doña Francisca is having a hard time. I am going to sit down with her on Tuesday and help, if she is at home when I go up there.

We talked about goals - what each student would like to get out of the class. The three older ladies all said they are desperate to read the bible. Reyna, the newest addition to our class, said she has a bible. She picks it up and looks at all of the words. She wonders what they mean. She wishes she could read them so she could be closer to God.

I am SOOOO glad she is able to join the class!

Luis, who is 15, shy, and struggles to learn, said that he really wants to teach others how to read. I asked who, like his neighbors? He said no, everyone! Whoever! Anyone who can't read and would like to learn. Those are the people he would like to teach. I thought that was awesome coming from a boy who normally has a hard time speaking up in class.

Luis' sister, Erika, is intelligent. She is the only student who doesn't really seem to enjoy the class. I think it's only because of her age. She is 17 years old. She'd rather sit with her head down and not pay attention. She huffs and puffs when called upon to answer. She seems bored sometimes. I want them to enjoy the class and have fun learning. She is the only one who doesn't.

I don't think there is much I can do to change that. It seems like being strict doesn't work well with her. I think I have to let her be and she will learn what she wants to. Anything she picks up will be helpful as long as she is not distracting her classmates.

Luis' other sister, Nohemi, also said she would like to teach others.

Everyone drew a picture of their goal. One day, when they achieve their goal, they will be able write in words what their goal was. But for now they have a drawing of what they would like to accomplish through this class.

It is so interesting to watch them draw! They absolutely love it. We drew for a half an hour. Finally I said we only had 10 minutes left. Then they all grabbed markers and colored in their pencil drawings. They are perfectionists. But I guess I would be too, if I were in their shoes.

Nohemi and her husband drew a school with themselves as the teachers and kids outside on a beautiful playground. What an awesome goal to have together!

Luis had a cool drawing too. It was of himself, standing in front of a chalkboard, with students sitting in front of him. GO LUIS!

The ladies drew their bibles. All of them wrote "Santiago 1:5" on their paper in one form or another. They say they can't write their names, but they each wrote the bible verse which has become our motto.

James 1:5(NIV)

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

I chose this verse after I did the initial enrollment. As I went house to house, I had to assess where to start. Over and over I heard them say, "I know nothing." The first time I heard someone say that I was shocked. I tried to tell them it wasn't true, but they couldn't hear me.

We are now in the third week of class. Yesterday after finishing up our goals, we did some math. We came to zero. They understand that zero is nothing. In fact they came up with other words that all mean nothing in order to describe zero.

That moment was my big chance. They've now had three weeks of class. I wondered if maybe some of them felt differently now. So I asked, "Who in this room believes they know nothing?"

Sadly, every hand went up. So I asked again, "Nothing? You know absolutely nothing???"

They all kept their hands raised and shook their heads. Yes. they said, We know nothing.

A little two year old was standing in front of me. I put my hands on her shoulders and smoothed down her dirty hair. "And her?" I asked. "Does she know anything?"

My heart hurt as they all looked the little girl in the face and said she knows nothing.

There was a dog sprawled out on the floor in the middle of the room. "And this dog? He knows nothing?"

I think they started to get my point right then.

"This little girl. If I ask her who is her Mommy, does she know? Does she know who is her mother?"

Yes they all said.

"So does she know something?"

Yes. She knows who her mother is.

"And the dog. Does he know where to find food? Does he know who to avoid because they are mean to him?"

Oh yes! The dog knows who is mean and who is nice.

"When a baby is first born, does it know to nurse when it is hungry?"

Yes, a baby goes straight for the breast.

"So do you think that you don't know anything?"

Well, we know a few things. But not a lot.

I told them, "Listen. You know more about some things than I know. And I know about some things that you don't. But I don't ever want to hear any of you say that you know nothing. Is it true that you know nothing?"

No, they said. It is not true. We do know some things.

"Great! I said, "We all know some things. Nobody knows nothing."

Today we worked on vowels, our bible verse, recognizing and putting significance to numbers, personal goals, and writing. We also worked a lot on self esteem, which I believe is equally important in this literacy class.