Oh Oh, we're HALF WAY there, Oh Oh, Livin' on a Prayer

I am at the halfway point. I just can’t believe how quickly the time has gone by. I feel that this is both good and bad; good because I am looking forward to friends, family and toilet seats, and bad because I am truly having an amazing time.
We have been participating in the Invisible Children Teaching Conference. Yesterday the focus was on teacher empowerment. We discussed ways that the teachers can have control. I feel that the educational system in Uganda is not conducive to teaching and learning. Teachers are some of the lowest paid government employees in the nation and often they do not even make enough money to make ends meet. Some of them have to travel very long distances to get to and from work everyday; others are able to live in staff housing, but often it is substandard. They have a teacher union, but evidently it is not supportive of teachers. I think this has to do with the power of the current administration of Uganda. They have no control over the curriculum they teach and are judged only by test scores. Attendance of students is not compulsory, so students can come and go as they please. Spending time with these teachers demonstrate how fortunate teachers are in America. Yes, we do have our problems, but we can make a living and are taken care of. It has been so frustrating trying to teach without the access to supplies and technology that we take for granted in the US.
The second day was about student empowerment. This is a novel concept. One of the tragedies of this curriculum and this system of teaching is there is NO critical thinking. These kids are taught the information and then expected to regurgitate it. They are never asked why or how. It really is sad because there are many adults around this society who cannot think critically. I think it hurts them now that the area is in peace because they cannot think forward. Hopefully by encouraging these teachers to try new activities that focus on creativity and thinking, the students will begin to learn the critical thinking process.
After the conference, Sharon, Kate and I went to the market to shop. There is no such thing as instant gratification in retail therapy, but the process if pretty fun. You walk through the market, find the fabric that you like, and then take it to a seamstress and describe what piece of clothing you would like. So far I have bought a skirt, a blouse, and two button down shirts. Today I ordered a pair of baggy pants and a skirt. I am always a little nervous about what the final product will look like due to the language barrier, but it is so inexpensive that it ends up okay. The fabrics here are so awesome. Shopping here is a test of determination and patience.