Meet my students

I've talked about my students over and again, but I realized that I never included pictures. It just so happens that we had "picture day" last week, so I had a great excuse to get my camera out. Not that anyone needs an excuse to take pictures here. My students will often interrupt class or their fellow students' presentations to take snap shots of whomever. Ok, ok, usually me. I swear they do it just to see me blush, and I oblige every time. Damn bule factor.




More on blushing, since I'm on the subject. Don't let these serious faces or the whole special forces thing fool you. Deep down, they are all 15 year-old boys (which I suppose is universal). At least once a day, they manage to turn a grammar lesson into an inappropriate joke. Like the day we were practicing imperative (commands). I broke the class up into three groups, and each group had to write imperatives as either 1) a parent to a child; 2) a high rank officer to a lower rank officer; or 3) a police officer to a criminal. Group one collapsed into a fit of giggles approximately 5 minutes into their group brainstorming session. When I investigated, among their imperatives was "Wear Protection." Sigh. At least they got the grammar right. I let them get their giggles out, and then as any good conductor would do, I circle my hands round, and the students fall silent as my hands close finger tips to thumb. Works like a charm. 

So, here's the break down. There are 60 students total, but they are divided into four classes of fifteen - two NCO (non-commissioned officers) classes and two Inspector (officers) classes. Typically they wear dress shirts and ties to class, which I recently found out is to discourage higher ranking officers from making the lower rank officers do all the work. (Now that's an educational barrier they don't teach us about in teacher school). But, on picture day, the students wore their uniforms, so I got to ask them about rank, patches, and other honor medals. Neat stuff.

Also, this week I was able to secretly take video of the hilarity that is "physical training." I've mentioned in an earlier blog that PT usually involves line dancing. Sometimes we take a group walk/jog around the city or the complex. Sometimes we play football (soccer) or table tennis. Sometimes we chill out at the canteen and eat fried stuff and donuts. But, usually, we dance.

Somewhere there, near the front, is the Ka Sebasa, or the Head of the school. He rocks those dances.

Hope you enjoyed meeting my guys (and one lady!). They would all very much like to come to Ohio and meet you all, but pictures and videos will have to do for now. If you ever want to visit, though, you'll have your pick of body guards for the city/island of your choosing!