LITERALLY AWESOME

Last school term I would incessantly ask myself the same question. How am I supposed to teach these kids how to read if I don’t have any books? The school gave me a single textbook per subject, only enough for the teacher, and I mimicked my colleagues’ strategy by copying the information in that textbook on the chalkboard as my only means to dispense information. Copied words on the chalkboard was the only source of reading material for the children. This process is extremely slow, tedious, and even painful for my hands, and doesn’t leave much time for actual reading, let alone critical thinking and discussion. The poor reading level of my students is the unfortunate testament of this issue.

Now on the first day of this new term, I had a very different question to ask. I walked into the headmaster’s office, and what I now calculate to be over five hundred books were leaning against the wall. Over 500 books. Storybooks. Chapter books. Books for babies. Books for early readers. A few pieces of classic literature. Science and nonfiction books for all ages. Books. Books. Books. Turns out those boxes piled up in the office last term were exactly what I was looking for. Most of the books were donated to King David School by a church in Longmont, CO who has a longstanding relationship with Rev. Tembo’s congregation. Some came to Zambia just last November after his trip to the States.

I was flabbergasted by this turn of events, but didn’t it give much thought because I was trying to figure out what the heck I was supposed to be doing on this first day of school. Many students attended but many were absent. The day was reserved for cleaning out classes and I spent the first part of the morning chaperoning this process as the headmaster, deputy, and headteacher deliberated and assigned classrooms and grade levels to teachers.

During this time, I had a lot of time to think about all the books that were sitting in the headmaster’s office that weren’t being used. How could I make them more accessible not only to me, but all the teachers? I approached Rev. Tembo with an unassuming idea. If we could make it happen, great. If not, that was ok, too. I asked him if it would be possible to make a bookshelf for the headmaster’s office. I knew many in the congregation, and even around Chawama, were crafty. “Ah, that’s a beautiful idea!” he said. “I’ll call the man today.”

Wow, that was easy. Sure enough two hours later the carpenter was in the office taking measurements. A teacher even told me the project could be complete by tomorrow.

With a bookshelf on the way, I started brainstorming ways I could categorize the books and even make a library. I spent my afternoon logging book titles, author’s last names, book subjects, and reading levels to get an inventory of the literature so I can sort it better. Thanks to those who’ve donated, built bookshelves, and organized other details, King David School is getting a library!!! It’s going to take time to organize and to teach the teachers and students how to use it, but I’m so excited! I felt like something was missing from my job last term, like I wasn’t giving enough, and now I feel like that void is being filled.

Now the question is how do I make this resources sustainable? The teachers have had these books for two years, I believe, and have barely used them. Why? “We didn’t know how?” one openly admitted.

And why should they? All books are in English and most titles and characters are unfamiliar to them. Maybe they didn’t have a library or very many books in their school or community. How would they know how to incorporate all these books into their lesson plans when they aren’t mentioned in the Zambian curriculum? How would they have known what book to use when there are so many? If they aren’t used to having books in their lives, how should they know how to use them?

These books are such a gift to this school. But its funny to realize how gifts and donations can do no good at all if the receiver doesn’t know how to use them. Assistance only works when the gift can be used in a sustainable way. We need to think everyday how we can give more and make the world a more equal place, but we need to think twice about how we do that. If we give someone a bandaid and they put it on a wound that needs surgery, we didn’t help. If they put it on a rock, we just wasted a bandaid. The way to remedy this situation is relationship and communication.   When the giver and receiver are on equal terms and know each other they can find out what each other needs, how to give it, and how to use it. These are important issues to ponder, but that said, I’m so glad these gifts were given, even were sitting in boxes for years, because they made my day today!!!!

So stay tuned, lovely reader, as I sort out these issues, and try to learn how these books can be useful to Zambian teachers and students. My inclination is to make the library as streamlined and systematic as possible, but I will try to stay flexible as people react and use the materials. Who knows what the end product will be? Maybe library isn’t even the right term.

On a similar note, I got some amazing new textbooks for grade eight and nine, including a new subject I will teach: Information and Communication Technologies! I’m very excited, but also attempting to remain flexible, as my class schedules are not firm without all students reporting. Right now only one 8^th grader has confirmed their attendance.

After a long time away from Chawama and even what felt like a hectic first few months here, I’m so energized to be back in school and back living and working with such amazing people. It feels good to be looking forward to so many things and having so much to dive in and work on. AMEN!