The Humility of Homework
There is nothing that brings such instant humility as the homework of a 9 year old.
Seeking to be the hands and feet of Jesus, we asked the mayor for the greatest needs in Aix-les-Bains. Care for the elderly, support for families of small children, and after-school help with homework were his responses. And so, we set out to meet these needs in the name of Jesus.
Partnering with a local association that already provides after-school programs for children of all ages, our team has committed to having volunteers help elementary school students with homework 2 times each week. Bruno went for the first time last week and had a great experience; Jordan and I went [together] for the first time last night and had a humbling experience.
Can you transform these sentences? the assignment asked.
Quite simply: No.
The quiet Algerian, sat with her homework in front of her. I read the first sentence: It is absolutely impossible to foresee an accident. An accident is ________________.
The correct answer: An accident is unforeseen.
The page was filled with 15 phrases and words that needed to be transformed. Oh la la! I did not know all of the words! And the sweet girl didn't have a clue as to how to transform the words either. We started by reading the sentences. "What does this word mean? And what is the opposite of this word?" I asked, hoping that her responses were correct. For the first time in my life, I was wishing for math homework. After several minutes of awkward silence and internal panic, another volunteer walked into the room. "We have a problem," I said. "I can't help her with her homework. It's French grammar and vocabulary!" The woman graciously joined us and began to explain the lesson to the struggling girl while I took mental notes.
It was quickly apparent that this shy child did not understand the lessons she'd learned in school, nor did she understand what the volunteer was trying to explain. It was also quickly apparent that the French and American systems of teaching are completely different.
We wrote the base-word on the dry erase board. REMPLACER. "Now, what do you add in front of the word to change the meaning?" the volunteer asked. Nessrine stared at the paper, unresponsive. "What word means the opposite of this?" the volunteer posed again. I began to write a list of options on the board: IM, IR, IN... The volunteer looked at me, "Oh no. We'll get there." She continued to wait for Nessrine's response. But Nessrine had no idea!
In France, teachers often begin with the result, rather than teaching them how to get to the end result. Rather than explain the rules (such as the table to the left in English) the teachers say, "How do you transform this word?" They expect the students to simply guess the right answer. How discouraging! Then, often, teachers will say, "It can't be that! It doesn't sound pretty." Pretty? Who determines that it sounds pretty? If you don't know the word, how are you supposed to know if it's pretty or not?
Eventually, seeing the possible pre-fixes and endings that transformed the words, Nessrine began to understand the system. By the end of the evening, she had finished her homework and seemed to have at least a bit of a grasp on the lessons. Me, too.
I left feeling discouraged, reminded of how much more I need to study French. I can't even do the homework of a 9 year old! I think I'll trust that God will use me to be His hands and feet in another context and I'll leave the French homework to our French teammates....
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Photo Credit
Seeking to be the hands and feet of Jesus, we asked the mayor for the greatest needs in Aix-les-Bains. Care for the elderly, support for families of small children, and after-school help with homework were his responses. And so, we set out to meet these needs in the name of Jesus.
Partnering with a local association that already provides after-school programs for children of all ages, our team has committed to having volunteers help elementary school students with homework 2 times each week. Bruno went for the first time last week and had a great experience; Jordan and I went [together] for the first time last night and had a humbling experience.
Can you transform these sentences? the assignment asked.
Quite simply: No.
The quiet Algerian, sat with her homework in front of her. I read the first sentence: It is absolutely impossible to foresee an accident. An accident is ________________.
The correct answer: An accident is unforeseen.
The page was filled with 15 phrases and words that needed to be transformed. Oh la la! I did not know all of the words! And the sweet girl didn't have a clue as to how to transform the words either. We started by reading the sentences. "What does this word mean? And what is the opposite of this word?" I asked, hoping that her responses were correct. For the first time in my life, I was wishing for math homework. After several minutes of awkward silence and internal panic, another volunteer walked into the room. "We have a problem," I said. "I can't help her with her homework. It's French grammar and vocabulary!" The woman graciously joined us and began to explain the lesson to the struggling girl while I took mental notes.It was quickly apparent that this shy child did not understand the lessons she'd learned in school, nor did she understand what the volunteer was trying to explain. It was also quickly apparent that the French and American systems of teaching are completely different.
We wrote the base-word on the dry erase board. REMPLACER. "Now, what do you add in front of the word to change the meaning?" the volunteer asked. Nessrine stared at the paper, unresponsive. "What word means the opposite of this?" the volunteer posed again. I began to write a list of options on the board: IM, IR, IN... The volunteer looked at me, "Oh no. We'll get there." She continued to wait for Nessrine's response. But Nessrine had no idea!
In France, teachers often begin with the result, rather than teaching them how to get to the end result. Rather than explain the rules (such as the table to the left in English) the teachers say, "How do you transform this word?" They expect the students to simply guess the right answer. How discouraging! Then, often, teachers will say, "It can't be that! It doesn't sound pretty." Pretty? Who determines that it sounds pretty? If you don't know the word, how are you supposed to know if it's pretty or not?Eventually, seeing the possible pre-fixes and endings that transformed the words, Nessrine began to understand the system. By the end of the evening, she had finished her homework and seemed to have at least a bit of a grasp on the lessons. Me, too.
I left feeling discouraged, reminded of how much more I need to study French. I can't even do the homework of a 9 year old! I think I'll trust that God will use me to be His hands and feet in another context and I'll leave the French homework to our French teammates....
Photo Credit
Photo Credit
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