Electives

Yesterday while sitting on the matatu with the principal, I mentioned that I was thinking about starting some clubs, like drama or photography, that would run after school and be totally optional. She gave me full approval on whatever I wanted to do, and even told me to ask her for anything I might need. I've been trying to think of knowledge I have that might be useful or fun for the girls. There are no arts in their curriculum, and despite the fact that the only arts course I took in high school was grade ten drama, and I only took it because we needed an arts credit to graduate, I most certainly beleive in the merits of the arts. Like, they're so busy being well behaved reluctant to speak that when you give them a chance to let loose they don't know what to do. When we played the wavi game I had to bribe them with extra points to make them cheer.

So my main goal with the electives is to give them a place to learn without being tested. Like, just to express themselves and be creative. That sounds so trite. My secondary goal is just to take full advantage of the fact that I have a different teaching skill set and knowledge base than the other teachers. So in addition to the creative electives like photography and drama, maybe things like first aid/cpr, North American culture, and colloquial English.

During computers today (which doesn't take place in the school house, and therefore the girls are way less taciturn) I asked them what sorts of things they would like to learn. They want to sing American song. Oh man. I said okay, which is hilarious since my singing voice has been described as both shrill and lugubrious. Oh man.

So I'm now trying to put together a little curriculum for each elective. Do you think its fair to say that only students who get above 80 on the next big upcoming midterm are allowed to partake in photography? I'd rather limit the number of people who can learn it because I don't want my camera to get ruined, plus maybe that will be incentive to study? I'm thinking we could do a lesson on working a digital camera, then a lesson on what makes a good picture (its a long story, but one time I snuck into a high school and ended up in a photography class pretending to be a new transfer student. It's a long story, but I know a bit about rule of thirds and stuff. Listen, it's a long story.) Then the rest of the sessions could be taking pictures, and I could print and mail back a few.

Drama...man, I don't know. Where does one being to start there? I guess I could teach improv? Does anybody know of good resources for scripts? Like, three to six characters, no longer than five minutes? I don't know where to start.

For North American culture, I could have a theme each week. Like geography, politics, fashion, media, rights and freedoms, food and cooking, the justice system, ceremonies like weddings or whatever, etc? I think each week it would be easy enough to think of something.

Singing/music. It'll be stupid expensive to stream a song, but it would be nice to let them actually hear the real version of a song while learning to sing in, which would limit me to the things on my ipod... so I guess I'll start by looking through what I've got. I think I'll have to extend my search though. Probably some good Beatles songs will be easy and appropriate, or some show tunes like Any Dream Will Do, or Do You Hear The People Sing? Yeah, do you think? There's a piano in the church that we can access, but none of them play. I bet I could pull it together and play some simple accompanyment, but I'd rather choose songs that can be sung without the need for an instrument. I'm trying to think up good acoustic type sing alongs like Jack Johnson? Dashboard? Even The Mountain Goats? Or some more cheery twee like any Tilly and the Wall? Slow Club? I don't know. Please comment with any song that you can think would be enjoyable for 15 year olds to sing, and not too hard for me to teach. Like harmonies are probably over my head. Also, do you think its important to choose songs with a bit of cultural significance, or just any song that is fun to sing? Also also, comment any ideas for elective classes that you can think of.