I have a BS in Religious Studies…and I’m teaching Physics.

In July during our Pre-Service Training, Sarah and I met our Principal for the first time during a supervisor’s workshop.  This was a great opportunity to meet Charles, learn a little bit about the school, and really get an understanding of what was expected of us as volunteers in Maryland County.  One of the only things I remember from this exchange with Charles was him saying that they needed a Physics teacher and a Math teacher.  Those words dropped like a bomb in my world…

For those of you who know me well, you will know that Physics is probably my least favorite science subject.  (I minored in Biology in college, after all.  Not Physics…)  I took it in high school, sure, and then when I had to take it in college, I dreaded it.  Squeaking by with a B-, I was alright, but that 8:00 class three times a week for a year was rather awful.  That day in July, though, Charles was so adamant about me teaching Physics that I resolved to make the best of my situation.

Upon our arrival in Pleebo, we spoke to Sam about what subjects we would be teaching and what classes we would have the opportunity to impart knowledge onto.  Sarah was told she would be teaching 10A & 10B math (Geometry) and 11A, 11B, & 11C math (Trigonometry).  I was informed that I would be teaching 10A & 10B Chemistry, 10C & 10D Physics, and 11A Physics.  We were handed some textbooks to use as resources and sent on our way to start planning out our year! 

I was excited to see my schedule – Chemistry would serve as a refuge for me, should my Physics classes stress me out too much.  Armed with the curriculum, I sat down once I got home and started to plan my first marking period right away.  What originally seemed almost impossible to me quickly became a less daunting idea. 

As I’m writing this post, I am almost finished with the second marking period.  I’m almost ashamed to say it, but my Physics classes have quickly become my most favorite to teach.  While I enjoy teaching Chemistry, as well, I find the Physics lectures to be more rewarding.  My students respond really well to formulas and equations, and they are always excited when they understand a new idea.  Though often times, I have to re-teach myself a new idea or theory, once I have reviewed it sufficiently, teaching it to my tenth and eleventh graders becomes second nature.  To those of you who thought you knew me during that dark phase which was Physics107/108 in college, you really have no idea! 

The most challenging aspect of teaching here in Liberia is the short class period and the large class sizes.  I teach science to each section three times a week, which means I only have 12 hours in a marking period to teach them a multitude of concepts.  It’s not much, but we make the most of our time together.  My 10A class has 52 students, 10B has 51 students, 10C has 54, 10D has 52, and 11A has 62.  That means that I have the pleasure of teaching 271 students each week (if they all choose to come to school, that is).  If I can brag a little, I would also like to say that I know almost all of their names, which has been a challenge in itself! 

When I first started teaching at Pleebo High, I was so overwhelmed by the size of my classes.  Today, however, I feel funny if I have less than 40 students in a classroom.  By combining a quick and to the point lecture with as many examples as I can fit and homework almost every night, my students are quickly understanding that the only way they will really grasp these concepts is if they are practicing.  Sarah and I have an open-door policy to our porch, and often times, students will stop by in the mornings or on the weekends to get extra help or explanation.  We are also at school an hour early every day, and many students will come see us then. 

One of the most trivial things I do as a teacher, but one of the most fun, is giving my students stickers on their quizzes and exams if they performed well.  For me, that means an 80% or higher on a quiz or exam, and my students are always competing with each other to see who can earn a sticker.  Our administration has set the grading scale, and it is as follows:

Quiz 1 – 15%

Quiz 2 – 15%

Homework/Classwork – 10%

Attendance – 10%

Final Exam – 50%

Because the quizzes are so much of their final grade, I think it is only fair they earn a sticker if they have prepared well for it.  Plus, I have so many stickers to give out that I have to give them out whenever I have an opportunity to!  (Thanks Morgan! :)) 

Though I have only been teaching for a short time, I already feel like I have formed great relationships with my classes and with my students.  My only regret is that I will not be here to see my tenth graders graduate, and they are quick to tell me a solution to that problem:  “Miss Moore, you just have to stay for another year.  You can do that, can’t you?” 

Yeah, I could do that, but I’m not sure I want to do that.  Time will tell, but until then, I will just enjoy being called Miss Moore in the market instead of White Woman or Fine Girl.  After all, it’s the little things in life that count.