part 3

PART 3- THIRD TERM
FROM MY DAYS AT YONSO D/A 1, MY STUDENTS HAVE OFTEN REFERRED TO ME AS “CHICHIS”. THIS HAS NOT CHANGED AS I ENTERED MY FIRST CLASS OF FORM THREE ARTS CLASS.

NOT REALLY PREPARED BUT FROM PREVIOUS CLASSES FROM MY INTERNSHIP, MEANT THAT I HAD NO ISSUES WITH THE CONTENT AS WELL AS DELIVERY.
CLASS TO CLASS, I FELT THE STUDENTS WERE REALLY WEAK, AS THEY NEITHER COULD EXPRESS THEMSELVES WELL NOR HAD THE CONFIDENCE TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, SHARE IDEAS AND GENERALLY TIMID.

THE PROBLEM, BACKGROUND OF STUDENTS PLAYED A VITAL ROLE, SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION LAGGING WELL BEHIND MANAGEMENT SKILLS, LACK OF MISSION AND VISION TO PROPEL THE SCHOOL FORWARD.

STUDENTS ARE FROM MOSTLY REMOTE AREAS AROUND BOMAA AND THEY HARDLY HAVE ROLE MODELS TO LOOK UP TO COUPLED WITH THE ISSUES OF RURAL IDEOLOGIES AND PHILOSOPHIES. THOSE FROM OUTSIDE THE BOMAA CATCHMENT AREA TEND TO COPY AND IMITATE THE LOCAL FOLKS PROVIDING FURTHER NEGATIVE BACKDROP OF THE SITUATION.

THE THIRD TERM OF THE ACADEMIC CALENDER DOES NOT PROVIDE INTER SCHOOLS GAMES AND SPORTING ACTIVITIES, RENDERING THE TERM LITERALLY WASTED. ALL ACTIVITIES WERE CLASSROOM BASED AND THEY PROVIDED ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW MOST OF THE STUDENTS FIRST HAND.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS, A HEADMASTER WHO WANTED IT ALL, WHO KNEW EVERYTHING AND EVERYBODY, AND HE ASSUMED EVERYONE TO BE LOW AND SMALL IN TERMS OF KONWLEDGE, ABILITIES AND CAPABILITIES.
COLLEAGUE STAFF MEMBERS WHO ARE SPLIT INTO OLD SCHOOL AND NEW SCHOOL PROVIDES MUCH ENTHUSIASM THE OLD SCHOOL REPRESENTED THE “MBA”- WE HAVE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME AND THEIR IDEOLOGIES BOTHERED ON THE OLD PRINCIPLES OF WORKING- THUS TIMMIDITY, STOOGED, SAFETY FIRST PRINCIPLES.
THE NEW SCHOOL HOWEVER WERE TROUBLE, DARING, LUDACRIS AND WANTED TO PROVE A POINT. YOUNG, WILD, FREE, CARELESS AND CAREFREE IS THE MANTRA. THE RIFT IS STILL PRESENT AS THE NEW SCHOOL HAS HAD A VOICE AND PRESENCE FELT BUT STILL LACKS THE METHODOLOGY TO EFFECTIVELY DEAL WITH THE CONUNDRUMS AND POLITICS OF A SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION.

TALENT I SEE EVERYWHERE, BRILLIANT LADS WITH AMAZING TALENT BUT LACKTHE NECESSARY INTRINSIC INCENTIVE TO PROPEL FORWARD. A SCHOOL THAT DOES ONLY BELIEVE IN GARBAGE IN GARBAGE OUT PHILOSOPHY, TRY AS YOU MAY, THE BRAINCHILD IS THAT, NOTHING BETTER CAN COME OUT OF BOMAA.

YOU DARE NOT MISS MY CLASS, AS YOU WILL MISS MARKS AT THE END OF THE TERM OR GET SOME FEW LASHES UP YOUR BACKSIDE. THE BEST SUBJECT OF ANY SCHOOL CURICULLUM IS TREATED AND REGARDED AS THRASH BY SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, TEACHERS AND STUDENTS.

EVENTS UNFOLD IN THE FIRST TERM OF THE 2012/2013 ACADEMIC YEAR.
 HAVE FUN & STAY BLESSED, AMIGOS

memoirs of a ghanaian p.e. tutor: THE JOURNEY

memoirs of a ghanaian p.e. tutor: THE JOURNEY: HAVING PAID OFF AN OLD DUDE AT THE GHANA EDUCATION SERVICE TO FACILITATE AN APPOINTMENT INTO A SENIOR HIGH   SCHOOL IN ASANTE-AKYIM, I H...

MEMOIRS OF A GHANAIAN P.E. TUTOR -SYNOPSIS

FROM THE BACKDROP OF THICK FOREST AND PLANTATION OF BOMAA, A TRADITIONAL RURAL SETTING IN THE BRONG-AHAFO REGION OF GHANA IS WHERE THIS BLOG IS COMING TO YOU FROM.

HAVING ARRIVED HERE IN MAY OF 2012, THE QUEST TO DO MY BEST AND GOD HELP ME EVEN IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCE AS I WRITE NOW IS I GUESS ON COURSE.

CHANGE THEY SAY WILL COME, BUT TRUST ME IN THIS TRADITIONAL SETTING THEY DON’T REALLY BELIEVE IN THAT ASSERTION. ONE THING IS ACCEPTING THAT CHANGE IS NECESSARY FOR POSITIVE GROWTH AND THE OTHER IS ADAPTING TO SUIT THE PURPOSE.

IN A TOWN WHERE TEN YEAR OLDS ARE MOTHERS AND EVERY TUESDAY AND SUNDAY SERVE AS DAYS WHERE PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE COME TO APAAP3 (A NATIVE god) EITHER TO SEEK FOR  A FAVOUR OR TO SEEK FOR FORGIVENESS OF A SIN CAUSED.EVERYONE IS BEING CURSED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT FOR THE SLIGHTEST OFFENCE AND OR PROVOCATION .CAN ANYTHING GOOD COME OUT OF BOMAA, BORROWING FROM NATHANIEL WHO WAS PRIVILEDGED TO SEE THE SON OF MAN ASCENDING HEAVEN WITH ANGELS ALL AROUND HIM?

SO I AM AT BOMAA (community) SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL (BOSS), ARISE AND SHINE IS OUR MOTTO. LIFE IS ALL GOOD JUDGING FROM THE FACT THAT WE DEAL WITH EXTREME COLD AND RED MUD THE WET SEASON AND TREMENDOUS HEAT AND DUST IN THE DRY SEASON. WHET YOUR APPETITE FOR RURAL SOME ADVENTURE, DIDN’T I?

AND PLEASE DON’T FORGET TO PUT ON EXTRA ATTIRE TO WARD OFF POTENTIAL DUST AND OR MUD IN CASE YOU ARE VISITING OR IN TOWN FOR AN OCCASION ELSE YOU WILL END UP LOOKING LIKE ONE OF THEM CRAZY PEOPLE WHO I MUST ADMIT ARE NUMEROUS FOR A TOWN OF SUCH MINIMAL POPULATION.

I TEACH PHYSICAL EDUCATION, THE MOST IMPORTANT SUBJECT OF THE MODERN DAY. THE QUEST TO GET EVERY SINGLE STUDENT TO GAIN SOME FORM OF PHYSICAL FITNESS & EXERCISE,KNOW THEIR PHYSIOLOGICAL STATUTES, GET INVOLVED IN GAMES(AS THEIR PAST TIME), RECOGNISING THE IMPORTANCE OF ONE ANOTHER AND DEALING WITH SUCCESS AND FAILURES  OF LIFE IN GENERAL.

IT’S MAY, THE THIRD TERM IN THE ACADEMIC CALENDER AND I AM BUZZING AND ROARING TO GO.THE JOB IS SIMPLE: FOUR YEAR GROUPS, EIGHTEEN CLASSES AND ABOUT SIX-HUNDRED STUDENTS TO GET THEM THROUGH THEIR PACES. 

THIS IS WHERE MY STORY BEGINS………………………………………………………………..

IN THE NEXT FEW BLOGS READERS WILL GET TO KNOW EVERY TIT AND BIT OF WHAT HAVE GONE ON IN MY LIFE @ BOMAA.

FEEDBACK IN THE FORM OF CRITIQUE, BANTER, AND ANYTHING ELSE IS WELCOME. 

DO FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER @TOLLIESLFC1

ON FACEBOOK:NYAMEKYE.DOMINIC@FACEBOOK.COM

AND OH, DON’T FORGET TO READ MY TAKE ON GHANA’S ASANTE KOTOKO – ALGERIA’S JSM BEJAIA CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE CLASH ON SUNDAY 14 APRIL, 2013 ON MY BLOG: FROM THE BABA YARA WITH TOLLIES.LIVE TEXT ON THIS GAME WLL BE AVAILABLE FOR ALL FOLLOWERS AND FRIENDS INCLUDING EXCLUSIVE BEHIND THE SCENE FROM THE TERRACES OF THE WEED SMOKING/JUNKIE SCOREBOARD STAND. THANK YOU.

GOD BLESS AND GOD SPEED IN OUR ENDEAVOURS. AMEN.