Time to reflect

It is obviously the time of the year when people reflect on their year (even Facebook is now into it) so why not.

It has been a challenging year!  So when Christmas break came along; there was a need to consider what to do.  I had many offers of friendship and places to go, but knowing that it was going to be a difficult few weeks (first Christmas alone!), I decided to go around South East Asia again where I feel very comfortable and the beer is cold and cheap.

So in my first few days lying on a beach I started to consider my year or at least the second half of it.  The space and time were important.  The beer and food also significant.

When I headed off to return to Bangladesh in July, I was not sure if it was the right move.  I wrote 6 goals I wanted to achieve before Xmas.  I have progressed on all of these so for that I am pleased.  Some more so than others.  

One major goal was surviving on my own.  The dream of spending time travelling with a very significant other was my reason for being in Bangladesh.  With Stella's death, I have struggled to think of a good reason for staying.  But staying I am and have signed on for another year.

So the first part of my reflection is why am I staying in Dhaka.  I think it is around the security of friendships and the familiarity of the place.  I don't really want to pack up and move countries.  I also have a sense of obligation to the school for the incredible way they have supported me - they don't feel I owe them anything!  

It is not Dhaka!  I still find Dhaka fun at times when I have the time and energy or do something strange, like riding my bike home at 3 am after to much to drink.  Thanks Ian.  But the wearying demands of the chaos and traffic are no longer fun.  So Dhaka to me is now officially a dump!  

So it is very much around the people!  The students at the school - they are so much fun; the foreign staff are extremely social to the point of excess; and the wonderful Bangladeshi people I really like.  It makes me consider an ancient Maori proverb;

He aha te mea nui? He tangata He tangata. He tangata.

What is the most important thing? It is the people. It is the people. It is people.

Keeping in contact with people and and meeting new people was my first goal.

The second goal was around my teaching.  The school I am at has wonderful staff to work with and great students.  But it is neither progressive in its approach to teaching and learning, nor does it demand academic success from its students.  Both of these are important to me.  There is change occurring but it can feel a bit straitjacketed.  A school with no thinking skills programme, no literacy programme, no extended investigations in science, no curriculum integration, limited data logging, a curriculum overloaded with content, and inflexible learning spaces based on the 'Principles of Scientific Management' which would make Frederick Winslow Taylor feel very proud. 

But it is a good place to teach.

• Students are keen and responsive.  In my end of term feedback from my students they said they liked the different experiences they had in my class.  (They also said they couldn't understand my accent - first time I have had that!)  
• The management is flexible and approachable.  Now that I have grounded myself again, I have been given a role mentoring new teachers.  Thanks to Michael, Christoph and Dennis for being guinea pigs.  Three wonderful first year teachers.  In January a training programme for Bengali teachers - I am feeling slightly challenged on that one.
• Opportunities galore.  I have also worked at mentoring students at risk in Year 11, introducing investigations into science, ripping content out of the Year 9 and 10, decreasing the amount of assessment, and ordered a some data logging stuff (hope the boss approves this - please read Kim!)

So two goals in here.  One on my teaching and the other on the teacher support programme.

Fourth goal is around photography.  Ran a photography club at school, got some new gear, did photography walks around town and a few other things.  So overall pretty ok with this one as well.

So with the new start to my life from June things are pretty good.  It is lonely at times especially at three in the morning but I am in a much better state that expected.  To all you others reflecting people have a good holiday time.