We’ve now been back at school 2 days, and it’s definitely a tough time on The Rock. This afternoon (Tuesday) we finally got power back at school. The school schedule is all mixed up and hundreds of kids haven’t returned and may not for a while. The administration is trying to figure out the best scheduling solution during this trying time to accommodate the kids’ emotional needs and family obligations, the number of absences, and problems of school lunches and contaminated water.
School Lunches and Contaminated Water:
All of Samoan students are on the Free Breakfast, Free Lunch Program. This is provided by the U.S. government to accommodate underprivileged kids; rather than paying for school meals, they eat for free. The program is especially important to Samoan families. for the government pays for 2 out of 3 meals for students. This eases family burdens, as they only have to provide food for 1 meal a day for their kids. Well, since the tsunami, the Food Division has been feeding the tsunami victims. We weren’t prepared for an event of this magnitude, so all the food in storage is now gone. Some kids are now going hungry because there just aren’t enough lunches for everyone.
Also, the pipe water is contaminated, so kids have nothing to drink from while at school. We live on an island near the equator and have no AC for most of our buildings....big problem. In class, kids ask to get water because they are so thirsty, and I have to tell them no....there is none to drink.
Absences:
Samoan education is infamous for its low attendance record. Kids miss days and weeks at a time, and it’s frequent for kids to cut class simply because they are tired. My students can’t wrap their head around the idea that skipping is bad. There isn’t a good prevention or discipline plan to cut down on the number of kids who skip class, so they grow up thinking you’re just allowed to do it.
With absences a normal obstacle for teachers to overcome, now they are a much bigger deal. Kids are supposed to be coming to school, but who can blame them for not showing when family members are dead and they have houses to rebuild. Teachers, though, are supposed to carry on with our lessons, but what do we do? We must hold class as normal for the half of the students that are attending, but do we just leave behind the other half? There is no way they can make up excessive amounts of work, but then they will be lost for the rest of the year. It’s going to be a struggle finding a good classroom compromise.
Emotional Needs and Family Obligations
This is the issue that still boggles my mind. Every teacher has been assigned a homeroom group of students. They now come to us each morning for 1 hour. We are supposed to find out their individual situations and needs, counsel these kids, and try and provide them a sense of normalcy. Over the past 2 days I’ve heard so many stories that break my heart, I don’t even know what to do. Tell them it’s going to be okay? A few kids have been wearing the same clothes since the disaster, many have no possessions, and others have been orphaned. How can I expect kids to perform well in school when they have just lost both their mom and younger sister?
With all of these issues plaguing the territory, my class hardly seems relevant. I’m sure each day will get better, but it will take The Rock a while to recover.
I really don’t mean to sound terribly depressing, but these are just the realities right now. While many things are a struggle, I am continuously impressed by the Samoan spirit and outlook. Their relentless faith, peace of mind, and family values are pulling them through, and I am amazing at the strength my students possess!
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