For All You Teachers . . . and Learners!

Just before we flew to Galmi, while were still in Niamey getting acclimated to Africa, I had an experience which I think all educators should have:  We had to write a will ---- by hand --- in ink --- in FRENCH --- as a LEGAL document --- with NO MISTAKES --- on one page only --- under time pressure!!!  A WILL!!!  It was actually a will solely for the purpose of what to do with our body in case we should die on the mission field.  Lest you jump to the conclusion that the implication was death is a real possibility, let me assure you that was not the intent.  That is another topic.  


In trying to complete this task, I felt a great frustration that made me think how children must feel sometimes as they engage in learning activities that may have several of the same hurdles or expectations - time pressure, perfection, using language skills that may be foreign to them, an expected format, using hand writing still being developed, all within a boundary of space someone else defined!  We were provided a format to copy, but since Phil and I do not speak French, think about being asked to do that in Arabic, or "North Pole-ian" or any language where you would have to copy letter-for-letter, or character-for-character.  I made mistakes early on in the first THREE copies I attempted before completing one error-free!  And I almost needed to write on the back (big "NO-NO")!  An experience I have been thinking about . . . . .

For those of you who have come to expect photos with the blog, OR for those of you who ONLY follow it for the photos, here is one for you!  It is unrelated to the above comments, but I think it is funny in that who would select commercial airline wreckage pieces as ornamentation for your airport?!!!