Final Exams Already?

Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.”

Mark 9: 36-37

Final exams have started here at KEMPS, which means the end of the school year is drawing near.  Following Tanzanian Independence Day this Wednesday, we will review the exams with our students and tie up any loose ends before closing the school on the 17th.  

It’s hard to believe that I’ve already been at KEMPS for a year because, really, I haven’t.  I arrived in February and taught for only one month before returning home from the middle of March to the end of July.  That’s why it is especially amazing for me to see the progress that my students in fifth and sixth grade have been able to make in such a short time.  Both grades are reading, writing, and comprehending and levels much higher than their own, and both have grown their vocabulary immensely.  While those skills are necessary for them to perform well on their exams, and consequently be more successful in all of their future endeavors, in my heart that is not the progress that makes me the most joyful.  The relationships that were built over this extremely tumultuous year are what allow me to really view our short time together as a success.  The level of trust and respect, of love and appreciation that I have for my students here at KEMPS, and that they share with me, that is what has made this year so wonderful.  It’s the reason why I love what I do, and the reason why I no longer have that Sunday evening dread as the work week approaches.  

When I look back on my experiences, both teaching in the U.S., and teaching at a private, non-boarding school in Morogoro, and compare them to my experience at KEMPS, the positive differences are so apparent.  I have witnessed firsthand the impact that stability can have on a student.  
When I say stability I am referring to:
Safe, comfortable housing
Access to water for bathing and drinking
Medical care
Consistent, healthy food
Adequate school supplies
Electricity
A parental figure who knows, loves, cares for, disciplines, and guides them
Designated responsibilities 
Adequate time for play and rest

While you may be thinking of the children in your life and ticking off all of the boxes on this list, if you think outside of your immediate circle, you're sure to find that there are children in your life who do not have this kind of stability.  Many of my students in Plano did not have this kind of stability, and I’m not just talking about discipline or responsibility.  I’m talking about food, and electricity, and love.  Students who lack that kind of stability at home need more from us in the classroom than just regular instruction, and any teacher I know would tell you that they strive to make up for the losses a child faces at home, however impossible it may be.  It’s why, among many other reasons, teachers get so burned out.  It’s what consumes our thoughts and prayers and keeps us up at night. 

Now when I make these comparisons let me be clear.  There were many things that I LOVED about my school in Plano and my school in Morogoro, and I hated to leave both of them.  Also, KEMPS is not a perfect school.  We don’t have all of the resources and luxuries that most U.S. schools have.  But again, as any teachers would tell you, while abounding resources and technology are wonderful, an effective teacher doesn’t need those things.  I feel extremely lucky to teach in such a healthy environment, and I dare say, when it comes to teaching not only effectively, but happily, that is much more valuable.  

Mungu akubariki,
Allee

If you would like to donate towards my work in Tanzania, you can send donations electronically using: 

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Alison Gomulka

15601 Shady Brook Lane

College Station, TX 77845