Are You Smarter than a Third Grader?

After the few transformative days that we spent in Negril and Savanna-la-Mar, I didn't anticipate the southern coast of Jamaica to have anything that was too vastly different from everything that we had already seen. Of course, I was very wrong. As we moved further from the western coast of the island toward our next destination, the landscape became decidedly more rural, sparsely populated, and forested. Getting a chance to go through the hills and see so many farms, vegetation, and even a waterfall was incredible; we got a peek at some of the defining qualities of a large quantity of the Jamaican parishes that somehow never make it into the tourism ad campaigns, despite their beauty and the significant role that they play in the culture of the people. Arriving at the second school this morning was also very surprising. As we came upon a large, well-maintained, and colorful building on the bus ride, I figured that it must be another large home or business that we would simply pass. I was very confused as we pulled into the driveway. 

This second work site has a Basic School for children aged 3-5, and a Primary School for children in grades 1-6. The school building is massive in comparison to Gordon's Basic School, and it's evident that the school receives much more funding. The children, however, were just as thrilled to see us coming to work in their schoolyard and to play and talk with them. With the greater age range and student population, there were many more games and activities played outside in the yard, and a huge diversity of subjects and projects in the classroom.

After a couple of hours of painting the fence that encloses the school, I took lunch and played with a group of third graders during their break period. I had expected to go back to work when their break was over, but the group swindled me into the classroom where I proceeded to sit with them and engage in a conversation about the environment, pollution, and conservation efforts (for those of you who don't know me, this is stuff that I find downright enthralling). 

I would never have expected to learn so much in a room full of 8-year-olds, but the teacher went through explanations of how different Jamaican sewage, filtration, and garbage disposal systems operate, and offered up ways that the children can be more environmentally friendly. The teacher shocked me by asking me to talk to the class about how the US handles things like pollution and conservation, as he was a native Jamaican and had never left the country. Soon enough, my Reader's Digest version of American pollution sources and regulations, recycling plants, and waste-water treatment facilities turned into a Q & A session. The students were so curious about things that I simply take for granted in my everyday life and truly opened my eyes to aspects of the daily life of Jamaicans that I would never have even thought about. They asked me what my favorite fruit was, and what fruits we have in America, were enraptured by something so simple as me discussing how and where blueberries and strawberries grow, and responded by saying that bananas are a rare treat for most of the students, but are generally too expensive for families to afford; they asked me if it ever gets cold in America, if I had ever seen snow, what snow feels like, if you can actually make things out of it or hit people with it; they asked what Stevens, my family members, and my house are like, and continued to describe their own siblings and home life. The discussion eventually involved myself, every student, and the teacher, and I think that it's safe to say that everyone in the room learned so many new and incredible things about one another as individuals and about the cultural differences and similarities between areas of Jamaica and areas of the United States. When the dismissal bell rang, we were all sad to have to abandon our conversation, but as everyone (teacher included) gave me a hug good-bye for the day, we all made it very clear to one another that the side-track was more valuable than any class experience that we'd had in the past. Needless to say, I can't wait to go back tomorrow to continue the working and learning experiences that this school is sharing with us.

Alli