Class One

A little bit about my students:

Phancy

Phancy is the Kenyan equivalent of “Dennis the menance.”  He’s a smart little guy who gets into mischief.  Him and his partner in crime, Rufus, are always getting into something.   One day, I came home to discover that my bread was missing.  I am certain that those two little rascals constructed some device that could reach into my window and grab my bread.  These two are perhaps the most frequent of visitors to my window.  They never listen to me at all.

Maureen

I concede that Maureen is the teacher’s pet.  She certainly has a tendency to whine whenever she doesn’t get what she wants.  She is hilarious and makes me laugh.  She loves to tease me and I tease back.  A few days ago, while one of the new teachers was teaching a lesson, I sat in the back of the room while she finished.  Maureen, looked at me with a very puzzled look.  She then slowly, signed “God” then “Jesus” and then very excitedly signed “KENYA!”  I had no idea what she was trying to say, but the way that she said it just made me laugh.  I’m sure her intent wasn’t to be funny and that she actually was trying to say something to me, but I was cracking up.

Glory

Glory is cute as a button.  She is very smart and with hard work she has very bright future ahead of her.  She actually has not been around much as her parents took her home during the strike and she has only since returned about two weeks ago.   She has a hard time of paying attention.  But they all do.  Glory cannot keep a straight face and always giggles whenever I make a funny face at her.  She follows me around and always wants to see the book that I am reading.

Rufus

Rufus is the youngest in the class. He is always sucking on his middle and index fingers, and it is no surprise that it has become his sign name.  Rufus and Phancey are best friends.  Rufus has a short temper and a few times has even succumbed to throwing rocks at me.  But it makes me want to take him home as I think he may be the next Ben Sheets.  He’s got a good arm.

Lorna

Lorna is crazy as she was the one who ran around the room and than swallowed a piece of paper.  Initially I thought she would be the death of me, but to my amazement she calmed down and was actually paying attention most of the second half of the term.  She loves the fist pump.  I’ve spent some time with her outside of class and I have seen a lot of improvement.

Jackline

Jackline is one of the older students in class one.  She has her struggles especially with math but she tries hard.  She frequently gets sick and it shows because she is always sleeping, but I’m sure that may be due in part to the boring teacher.

Domenick

Domenick drives me nuts.  He always shows up late for class.  When I tell him he is late he promptly signs sorry, but it never ends.  He insists that everything he does is right and that he never answers a question or problem wrong.  All he wants to do is play soccer.

Joseph

Joseph can never mind his own damn business.  He is very smart but he always worries about the rest of the class and thinks he has a responsibility to help me discipline the class.  He probably is just trying to help but it only makes matters worse.  Like most of the students, he tries to steal things from me.  And if I catch him, he insists that what he took is rightfully his.

Felix

I can never understand Felix.  He is very smart and could probably be moved up to class two.  But he’ll start pouting about something and put his head down.  I’ll have no idea what is wrong.  He will throw his arms up in disgust and whine.  Sometimes he will even throw his pencil or his book off the table.  If someone mocks him or does anything to make him mad, he will get up, shove them into the wall or even throw fists.  He is very sensitive.

Moses

Moses is the perfect student.  He always shows up on time and does what he is told.  Sometimes I feel that I am not challenging him enough and oftentimes he finishes his work and sits quietly.  I usually forget about him because he is so quiet.  He is the first to show up and never is a problem.  He always pays attention and does what is told.

And then there is Kelvin

Most of you know Kelvin as PENCIL.  He has only been here for the last month, maybe more.  He oftentimes appears very frustrated which is understandable since he just recently lost his hearing and can’t communicate with anyone.  We have made a lot of progress.  He now knows basic introductions, the alphabet and how to sign his name.  So now, no one will mistake him for PENCIL.