My placement is as a secondary (high school) math education volunteer, although it is likely that I will teach science classes as well; ultimately, what I teach will depend on the needs of my school. I likely won't know what grades, or even subjects, I'm teaching until the first day of school...stay tuned!
Secondary Education (in addition to health and environment programs) has been a program sector throughout Peace Corps' presence in Tanzania. Currently, the focus is primarily on secondary school math and science teaching with a third emphasis on the development of resources relevent to the educational needs of Tanzania, particularly when applicable to information, communication and technology (ICT). Demand for Education Volunteers is high, as Tanzania suffers from a shortage of teachers in mathematics, the sciences, and ICT. Volunteers are often placed in rural areas or in small towns where qualified Tanzanian teachers are reluctant to go.
The Education Project in Tanzania has four goals:
- Secondary school students will expand their abilities in mathematics, science, and English, and will improve their critical thinking, problem solving skills, and life skills.
- Secondary school teachers and Teacher College students will enhance their English fluency and abilties to develop and utilize a variety of educational approaches and resources.
- Secondary schools and Teacher Colleges will develop programs incorporating ICT resources relevent to the needs of Tanzania.
- PCVs and counterparts, in collaboration with community membors, will identify and address the needs in their communities.
Primary Duties:
I will be assigned by the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training to either a public, private, or community school. These schools are divided into 'O' (Ordinary) and 'A' (Advanced) levels. 'O' Level is roughly equivalent to the first three years of American high school, while 'A' Level is similar to the last year of American high school and the first two years of college. My placement will be determined largely by my academic/professional background, and the needs of schools. I will be expected to teach Mathematics and other subjects as needed, like Physics and Chemistry. At my school, I will carry the same teaching load and responsibilities as Tanzanian teachers. I will also be expected to develop professional relationships with teachers at my school and work with them on improving educational opportunities for students.
Some of the tasks that accompany my work include:
- Teaching 16 to 24 periods (40 minutes per class, up to 50 students per class) each week, supervising student laboratory experiments, and conducting out-of-class activities to reinforce classroom learning
- Preparing lesson plans using a variety of teaching methods and a syllabus developed by the Ministry, and developing teaching aids from locally available materials
- Facilitating ICT activities at my school, if needed, to promote the use of technology in secondary schools, and participating in Peace Corps activities geared toward improving educational standards
- Assessing student learning and self-evaluating teaching and classroom management styles, and making periodic adjustments and improvements as necessary
- Developing professional relationships with Tanzanian teachers, with the aim of collaborating on education activities, and developing community relationships with the aim of cultivating friendship, cross-cultural exchange, and assisting communities in meeting their needs
Working Conditions:
Once I'm at my site, I will have very little supervision by the Peace Corps office. As far as the Peace Corps is concerned, I am given a great deal of independence in taking initiative to design and implement programs and projects. With that being said, I will be carrying the same responsbilities as my fellow Tanzanian teachers, and working within the framework of my secondary school in particular and the Ministry of Education in general.
I will technically be teaching in English, however this may be slightly misleading. Primary school is taught in Swahili, but then students must abruptly switch to English in secondary school. As you can imagine, the English level of students, particularly those just out of primary school, is often extremely low. I've heard this language barrier will be one of the hardest challenges I'll face with teaching, and to expect to use quite a bit of "Swahinglish".
The main teaching materials available to me will probably be a blackboard and chalk. The resources will vary by school and will depend largely on the support it receives from the Ministry level and elsewhere. Seldom are textbooks available on site, but some schools are better equiped with stocked laboratories, libraries, photocopiers, and even computers.
I will naturally be tied to my school's schedule, working during school terms and vacationing during holidays and term breaks. During school terms, I will work a full day based on the school schedule; classes often begin at 7:30 am and continue until 2 pm. After school activities may include clubs, tutorials, sports and games, staff meetings, or other duties mandated by the school. With that being said, the Peace Corps emphasizes that it is a 24 hours-a-day, 7 days-a-week, 365-days-a-year job. When I am at my site, the line between work and leisure can often be thin. For example, socializing with my fellow teachers is as important to developing effective working relationships as meeting them at school. Similarly, attending community celebrations or local ceremonies may do more for promoting projects than months of field work and demonstrations. As a Peace Corps Volunteer, my identity is so closely tied to the organization and its objectives, it will be hard not to see links between my social activities and my "official" responsibilities.
Secondary Projects
Volunteers often get involved in a variety of secondary projects, which provide an excellent opportunity to become an integral part of the community. Although some projects involve outside funding, many do not. Projects can occur during the school term and/or between school terms, and areas of special focus for PC/TZ are HIV/AIDS education, environmental education, and girls' empowerment. All PCVs in Tanzania are also expected to be involved in HIV/AIDS prevention activities.
Activities in which PCVs work to promote these focus areas include sponsoring clubs, promoting peer education, and organizing conferences. Examples of other secondary projects include development of school computer facilities, tutorial projects, clubs (English, science, sports and games, etc.), and improvement of school facilities such as latrines, water supply systems, libraries, and laboratories. Projects are selected based on the community's needs, available resources, continued sustainability, and the Volunteer's interests and skills.
