Thursday, September 11, 2008

JSS vs BHS

I don’t know if it’s possible for teaching at JSS in Jalingo to be more different from teaching in Boerne and to be so similar at the same time! I’ll try to describe this relationship in a sort of Venn Diagram manner for all of you who love graphic organizers! J
Differences

BHS-public day school (though there were occasional prayers, it was still a secular institution) the kids arrive in fancy cars or busses.
JSS-private boarding school the kids are already there and we teachers arrive in a beat-up 15 passenger van (they haven’t been deemed too dangerous here yet! J) because taxis won’t transport down such a bad road.

BHS-A teacher teaches for 22.5 hours in a week
JSS-A teacher teaches for about 6 hours in a week

BHS- about 8 computer labs with about 20 computers a piece
JSS-6 computers…maybe once a monitor gets “fixed”

BHS-A teacher gets paid $40,000+ per year
JSS-A teacher gets paid about $200 per year (fuel prices are exactly the same!) and have gone multiple months without paychecks.

BHS-Teachers groan and complain (me totally included) about going to technology inservice.
JSS-Teachers clapped when it was announced that computer training would be provided and were so excited!

Similarities
*I work(ed) with fabulous teachers totally care about the kids and are doing their best to teach them.
*Some kids want to learn, some kids don’t.
*Teachers at these schools are getting paid less than comparable schools in the area.
*Getting supplies to do labs is challenging…at BHS when I wanted to buy materials to do labs, it took an act of God to get a purchase order, get the credit card with the Tax ID Card, buy the items, and return the card with the receipt…at JSS it takes an act of God to find simple materials like candles and matches at a store and certain chemicals have to be ordered from across the country….but it’s totally worth it to do the experiments!!!
*Chemistry is the same everywhere!!!

3 comments:

Faith said...

I love your Venn Diagram of JSS vs. BHS! So true with PO's! There's a crazy amount of red tape! You're lucky to be receiving $200 per year, when you're blessed. A lot of schools give you nothing, financially. You only teach 6.5 hours per week? Interesting... I especially loved your comment about in service and technology training! I would be excited if you were teaching it though!

mouser said...

Sounds like you are really going back to the basics (experiment wise)! I especially like the last sentence.

the god mother said...

YIKES, I was out of breath just reading your cooking/generator escapade. Good for you for stepping up to the plate and cooking "their" food. Sounds like you are doing great!!!! Do you need to buy more matches??