14 February 2009

The Blessing of Schools

First of all, let me say that the following is based strictly on observation. It is neither my opinion nor fact unless specifically identified as such. Second, I have been working on this post for weeks. The reason for its delay has been my inability to carefully weave an informative yet apolitical essay on a matter that involves the interaction between religion and government. After many attempts and several stressful paragraphs, I've decided to cut the informative yet potentially explosive preface and just explain the story. The links used in that prefaces, should you desire to imagine the potential controversy, are: Here, here, here, here, here, and here.

OK, let's see what I can do about a simply retelling. Ready?

A few weeks ago, following several tragedies involving students from my school during the winter holiday, an event occurred at my school which I'm sure most Americans (of the US variety) have never experienced. The school was blessed. Given the fact that the vast majority of Americans are Christian, in one form or another, this probably didn't bother most volunteers. However, I know that a significant portion of volunteers (as with Americans, in general) are non-Christian or even non-religious, and their experiences with such an event are probably beyond my imagining. I suppose I fall into the 'Christian, in one form or another' category, although primarily on grounds of theology, not practice. So for me, the event was intriguing, culturally educational, and even touching.

The school day began as normal. After the second or third lesson, all of the students at school convened in the foyer and milled around, chattering, while the priest prepared the ceremony, the three or four choir singers discussed something inaudible, and the teachers passed out thin, yellow candles to the students. Just before the ceremony began, one of the teachers noticed the absence of a candle in my hand, and (after confirming whether I wanted one) quickly found an extra for me. The ceremony was relatively brief, with the priest singing some beautiful prayers and the whole crowd repeated making the sign of the cross with dizzying speed and synchronicity.

At one point, a list of names was read, which I deduced to be the names of people specifically being blessed, of which my own name was one. Shortly thereafter, having finished the initial batch of prayers, the priest walked around in the crowd, flinging holy water onto the students and teachers using a bouquet of fresh basil. It should be noted that basil is only used for religious ceremony, here; despite it's delicious effect on food, adherents to Serbian, Macedonian, and Romanian Orthodoxy abstain from using basil as an ingredient.

Once the students had been blessed, they returned to their classrooms and continued with the daily lessons. But the ceremony wasn't quite over. Back in my English class, I explained that this was the first such event I had ever experienced. Then I asked them, "Why do you think that is?" Some of the students suggested it was because we don't have Orthodoxy in the States, which is a good guess. When I explained that such events would be considered illegal in schools in the USA, most of the students seemed very surprised. It stimulated a lot of interest in hearing about why government in the States is (supposed to be) secular -- where the idea comes from, and why such separation of church and state is so important for such a culturally (and religiously) diverse place as the USA.

About ten minutes into this discussion, the school blessing ceremony caught up to us. While we were discussing why religion is necessarily absent from public schools in the States, the priest and his choir were walking from room to room in the school, blessing all four walls and singing further prayer. The priest entered our classroom, threw water on each wall (and on any students or teachers in between), said another prayer (accompanied by the choir, in the hall), and then moved on to the next room. The ceremony wasn't very well explained to me, but it left me feeling honored to be included in such an event. It also left me with a feeling of curiosity and intrigue, which I hope to answer with discussions with the priest and other members of the community.

05 February 2009

On Cheating

People here often ask me what the most challenging part of my service is. It's a difficult question to answer, sometimes.

Teachers all over the world, in all subjects and all levels, have the unfortunate responsibility of dealing with cheating students. It may come in the form of subtle (or not so subtle) plagiarism or seemingly innocent glances (or staring) over the smarter kid's shoulder. Often, these cheaters are students who lack self-motivation to learn the material, who lack interest in the subject, or who simply think it's not going to matter. And it doesn't. Well, maybe not at first.

I wasn't the sort of student who even considered cheating in school. I would rather take an honest zero (and I did) than take a grade I hadn't earned. Sometimes it had to do with not wanting to lose the respect of a teacher whose opinion I valued, although such figures in my academic history are few and far between. Instead, my excuse for not cheating was simply that I was not in class for a grade; I was in class for the knowledge. For those who cheat, even with the improved academic record and any accompanying rewards, the fact remains that no knowledge is gained. That record is only a thin, brittle shell over an empty mind. Ultimately, that lack of knowledge will begin to show, and no amount of cheating, lying, or deception can hide it.

It seems to me that the concept which underlies cheating is the same which supports bribery, fraud, and other forms of corruption. I'm not an expert on corruption, but I know that any action that unjustly and selfishly propels one person above the rules or laws of a system is extremely destructive to that system. In a school system, cheating causes disruption in the classroom, undeserved progression from one grade to the next, and a sense that no student really needs to study in order to pass. What does it say about a student when their high marks conflict with an essay copied from the internet or a book? What does it say to the students who actually try when the student who only lies is still allowed to pass? Doesn't it say that lying is acceptable? Doesn't it say that cheating is an OK way to live?

I find it not only frustrating but utterly disappointing to see my students so completely reckless with their education. It's my responsibility to teach my language to students in a country on the opposite side of the world from my home. What is the most difficult part of my service? Convincing myself that the students who try outnumber the students who lie, and that I wouldn't be more productive helping Sisyphus with his boulder.

All the medicine and technology in the world can't heal a person who doesn't want to get better. All the books and teachers in the world can't teach a student who won't lift a finger for his own education.