Math
These days, the second graders are learning to arrange higher numbers (up to 999) in ascending or descending order.
“Range dans l’ordre croissant.” = Arrange [these numbers] in ascending order.
French Communication: Reading
“My goal in reading,” says teacher Wiltha, “is to help the students read a text in a way that brings it to life and respects the punctuation. We also work on pronunciation and their ability to answer questions relating to the text they just read.”
French Communication: Oral Communication
“Right now, we are working on the verbs and expressions to describe personal taste, desire, feelings, and preference,” says Wiltha. “For example, ‘What do you like? I like rice.’ or ‘What do you want? I want to go to school.'”
(Here two of the students practice expressing themselves in conversation.)
French Communication: Grammar
In French grammar, the students are learning about noun complements. “I’m teaching them how to identify the complement, as well as how to ask a question to determine the complement,” explains Wiltha. “These question use the word ‘which,’ as in ‘Which hat?’ or ‘Which dress?'” (This is a little more complicated in French as the word for “which” changes, depending on whether the noun is masculine or feminine.)
Apparently, this is how one student feels about French grammar, and I don’t blame her!
French Communication: Vocabulary
You have probably noticed that the class is spending a lot of time in French. Although Haitian Creole is the heart language for the majority of Haitians, an ability to speak and understand French well is essential to successfully pursuing higher education and a professional career in Haiti. It also exponentially increases your ability to function and be taken seriously in a variety of social contexts. It is therefore important for the students in the early grades to get a solid foundation in French. (In fact, they start as soon as they enter the first year of kindergarten.)
Currently, the kids are learning the vocabulary and spelling for common words in various categories (for example, at school, at home, in the kitchen, etc).
In these particular pictures, the students are writing words related to the kitchen, such as bottle, napkin, strainer, and tablecloth.
Social Science
In social sciences, the students are learning the four directions and how to orient themselves accordingly.
Science
“We are learning the five senses,” says Wiltha. “Our aim is to be able to name the senses as well as to identify the sense organs and their respective functions.
One interesting fact about the second grade class: Their teacher Wiltha used to teach in the Kindergarten. Two years ago, she presided over the graduating Kindergarten 3 class. She then went back to her home in Port-au-Prince for a year. When she came back, she happened to be placed in the second grade classroom…right along with several of her old students from Kin 3! She feels a sense of pride to see how they have grown and learned.
In the next blog post, you can learn a little more about Wiltha and how she feels about teaching.