Teaching Olives standard 5

The challenges of teaching standard 5

I’ve been teaching standard 5 at Olives for the past two and a half weeks with Céline and it’s been very hard. The kids kept losing textbooks so now we only have eight. Eight textbooks between forty-two kids. Added to that, half the kids are incredibly naughty, and need to be told at least twice to be quiet. PE is a difficult lesson too; almost everyone asks to play football and no matter how you divide up the teams, it ends up with twenty energetic boys versus twenty reluctant girls.  

Standard 5 warming up for PE with mister Steve

Despite all that, it’s an incredible experience and, although you have your favourites, there isn’t a single kid that I don’t like. Inside the classroom, they’re normal kids, some hate you and some love you, some are clever, some… not so much. Outside is a different matter, every single one is happy and smiling, they all love the volunteers and want to talk and play with us. It’s very rewarding. I think I’ve been learning just as much as them: teaching style, discipline, etc., and I’m definitely sorry for the way I wouldn’t shut up for my teachers. 

Steve reading with one of the students, Carlos

By volunteer Steve Miskulin

Teaching Olives standard 5