two new birds, grading papers, and, um, some awfulness....

I was hoping to write a cool blog, but now I'm at the library and my notes are back in my dorm room.  No unified, thematic story today--sorry!

I have two new birds to hang out with, and the photo credits are below.  The guy on the left is a Pin-tailed Whydah, or Vidua macroura.  Isn't he amazing?  Of course, he didn't look this dramatic this morning when I spotted him.

We're down to two remaining months of summer and the grass in the soccer field (outside my window) is chest high.  The tough, reedy grass is attracting a variety of new birds to watch:  they like to perch on the long stems and sway back and forth in the breeze.  They are so much fun to watch.

The other guy is a Kalahari Scrub-robin (Erythropygia paena) and he doesn't like to hang out in the long grass, but I spotted him under a large tree looking for stuff to eat (much in the same way our American robins do, but there are no earthworms here for them to eat.)  I love him for his white eye-brow and his rusty bottom! 

After another round of grading six grade English papers, I thought I'd again share some comments from student writing:

The assignment was to list 3 causes and solutions to illiteracy:  "HIV is not good to drink."  (I'll say!) 

The assignment was to write a paragraph about their family:  "When my Grandmother and Grandfather reproduce..."  (okaaaaaaaaaaaaaay)

My Grandfather is black.  My Grandmother is black.  My mother is white...  :-)

And my favorite: "I wonder what that says?"  (In regards to the question asked.)  :-)

My grading standards have changed somewhat.  Before, when I'm evaluating punctuation and the correct use of it in student writing, I look for how punctuation is used.

Now, when evaluating student writing for punctuation, I ask myself, "Is there any?"  :-)

I wasn't going to say anything but I guess I will.  I saw some shocking child abuse, oops, I mean corporal punishment this morning in a school.  Someone with more authority than the educators carried a 7th grader in by the shirt collar, threw him on a table and forced him to balance himself on the table edge by his front thighs while his punisher went to look for a switch.  (I could never imagine this as a kind of punishment; it seemed much more in line with torture than punishment.)

I did my regular, ineffective cowardly thing of freezing, popping into denial, "Is this really happening?" and then, "If it is happening, what should I do?"

The person issuing the punishment sensed my alarm and took the student into his office to administer the whipping.  I heard 8 whacks, smacks, or whatever you call the sound of a sturdy, thin, pliant branch hitting someone's flesh.

When I witness something like this, it is beyond horrible.  If I saw an adult treating an adult that way, it would be horrible.  But this is a child.

I definitely have a very violent, physical reaction when I witness these kinds of incidents (this is my second of the more alarming whippings): I feel as though I will vomit.

I am going to become very prayerful about what my role with this is: should I stay, say nothing, and model non-violent classroom teaching techniques?

Should I confront the abuser?  (If I confront the abuser, it will have enormous consequences for me, the school, the educators, the community, and the learners...)

Should I ask to be removed from the school?

Peace Corps cautions us to choose our battles carefully...

I don't know what the answer is, but will pray for guidance...  I think I've felt kind of stunned for most of the day...

I'm sorry to share this awfulness with you...

Soon, Karen

picture credits:

www.omanibfs.com/article9621.html

flickr.com/photos/46241880@N00/175358958/