A post from Ben who is teaching in Lesotho:

My start of the year

A lot of the start of my year has involved settling in to the house on
campus, arranging for my work permit and residency permit, and getting
paper work in order.

The other part has been school.
I now see where unions got there start and why some people are so pro
union.

I have always seen them as a hinderance to "good" education. They made
it difficult to remove bad teachers and took away too much power from
administration.

When there is no union though and the administrator is an overbearnig
dictator you feel quite helpless.

At this school the "Head Teacher"/ Principal has complete control. He
rules by fear and can do so because this is the only show in town.
There is no where else to turn to and no one to turn to.

He is installing change in the school and is trying to promote
everything we believe in with teaching. Integrating subjects, emphasis
on learning not work, teaching what is important, less is more. I agree
with his educational philosophy but the implementation is Machievellian
(spelling ?) So therefore people are resistant and simply filling out
the paper work (which there is a ton of) so that it looks like they are
complying. This is a very different teaching situation. Having to be
planned a full week ahead and turn in my plans for approval is not
something I am used to. I also have to turn in my outline for the term.
All of this in theory is good. It is good to be planned and organized
and to be accountable for what you are doing in the class room. I agree
with everything. Something does not feel right though. I think it is
the fear that is in the atmosphere. It is not as though my colleagues
are planning ahead to make their lessons better but rather they are
planning ahead because they have to and do not want to be called in to
the office and or ran out of a job.

This will be a great learning experience for me. One I am looking
forward to finding out how it will change me.
How have your years started?