My first days teaching

My first days teaching in Malawi
This was quite an experience. The students here spend 6 weeks in classes and then go to clinical sites for 6 weeks. Consequently theory courses are concentrated and involve many hours of teaching a week. The clinical and theory courses are concentrated because the students are often sent to other parts of Malawi for their clinical experience. On Monday I learned I would be teaching part of the combined statistics and research course for the year 3 students. I am housed in the basic studies department which consists of faculty teaching leadership, communications, physiology and pathophysiology, and research and statistics. Most of the faculty are not nurses. There are two nurses, a psychologist, a physiologist, two leadership faculty (one of whom is a nurse), a linguist and an English specialist, a sociologist, and me.
Last week the students were in Blantyre where they thought they would be all of this term but the decision was made to bring them back to Lilongwe and send the Year 2 students to Blantyre. I believe the decision was made because there were more faculty in Blantyre with expertise in the courses taught in year 2 than for year 3 but I really don’t know. Last minute decisions seem to be common here. The class last week (introduction to research) was taught by the psychologist. I was assigned to teach the rest of the research content (7 hours a week – 4 on Wed and 3 on Thursday). I had to scurry to prepare. The students have a syllabus that is as detailed as many texts but clearly not prepared by a nurse and needing some updating. I learned today that some of the students don’t have copies of the module because they aren’t yet available – a problem with the printer I think. I also did not have access to my books which are the American Embassy but a car has to be dispatched to pick them up and deliver them to the University and no car has been available. I am hoping they can be gotten tomorrow.
I did know that the students are expected to produce a proposal for a research project at the end of the term (at the end of 12 weeks) and that they really had not been introduced to how to search the literature. I had a discussion with the librarian who was very keen to get the students into the library and learning how to use the search engines. So he was able to help a lot.
On Wed I had 103 students half of whom had no syllabus. Few have computers or internet access away from the college. Many lack skills in using the computer and none knew how to use the library on line to access search engines. I began class with a review of the steps in the research process with emphasis on the literature review. It was a good thing I began with a review because even though there was power on campus the room I was in (in the new building) had none so I couldn’t use my powerpoints. I had been told I could only make ten copies of handouts and I hadn’t been able to get my PDF printed. My friend the IT guy was in a meeting and couldn’t help me use their system to post them on line so there we were. The room is large, has high ceilings and lots of echoes. The students had difficulty understanding my American accent and I had difficulty understanding their Malawian accents and sometimes hearing what they were saying from the back of the room. In addition I could neither remember nor properly pronounce their names. I had to speak very loudly to be heard in the back of the room. This was all quite a challenge for both the students and I.
One of the class leaders, an impressive young woman name Esther, contacted someone to try to fix the power and after about an hour they apparently found the switch and presto I had powerpoints and that made a big difference for me and for the students. I sent half of them to the library for an hour to learn to search and I kept the other half then we switched. Students said this helped a lot but they needed more on searching and are willing to go to the library on their own in small groups to get the extra help.
The students are really great. They are smart and clearly have been studying. Many had taken research books from the library – most of the books were very old and worn – but they were using them to supplement especially if they didn’t have a syllabus. The students were very respectful and responsive during class and I got more interaction from them than I do from large classes in Spokane. I gave an in class assignment and they did it without grumbling and I saw no students goofing off instead of working. However, when class ends the noise is terrific – these are not quiet people- they talk, laugh, and even sing.
When class was over yesterday several of the girls said they were tired and feeling sad about sitting in class all day so they began to sing together. The song was in Chichewa but the singing was lovely. Today after class they were singing Silent Night but they weren’t just singing – they were trying to get a particular sound and they did parts over and over as well as trying a number of variations. This too was lovely because these students have great voices.
Today went better because we had electricity the whole three hours. We reviewed a simple research article I had assigned and they did a really marvelous job of identifying the parts of the research process, the kind of research and most importantly why the findings might be important for nurses and especially nurses in Malawi. Then they began to formulate research questions for their propoasals in pairs. They were so eager for feedback that I couldn't help them all while they were working. I have collected the papers and will look them and give them back with comments. Some wrote impressive sophisticated questions others need work. These are really good students and they certainly lack a lot of the resources we take for granted. There are at least 10 students who stand out as having leadership skills and potential as well. If Malawian health care in the future is in their hands the people can be assured of improved care.
I think we are understanding one another better and it is getting easier for me to understand what the students are saying. They told me that I talk slowly enough and clearly enough to be understood but they wish I’d speak louder. By the end of class my voice is hoarse and tired so I don’t know that I can do much better but I will keep trying. I feel lucky to be here and they are teaching me a lot – including a lot of Chichewa because many of their names are Chichewa words for example the last name Phiri means mountain and the first name Madalitso means Blessing. (many girls names are variations of Blessing or Thanksgiving).
Tomorrow pictures and perhaps video of some of my students – with their permission of course.