KHI - Student Lectures 4 & Test

It’s been years, but today I’m administering a paper test as I write the blog. I’ll post and add pictures once I get home. Fifty seven questions covering the twelve presentations and 25 hours of lecture from this week. I created a 2 page sheet of stuff to study and then another study sheet with 66 of the more important power point slides. We made copies and distributed them last evening. I’ve also brought almost all of the books that were donated and the students are referencing them throughout the day.

I’ve tried to take the basic questions and especially concepts that I had covered repeatedly. I also took out any questions that used subtle English language variations. Still I’m finding that there are some words/terms they don’t know. They don’t know the term stretcher (So I tried the word guerney, still blank stares then bed, continued stares and finally table , , , Yes they know table). I should have known not to use ETOH abuse. I was surprised that in regards to menstrual cramping they didn’t know the term cramping. And, although I’d used the term a couple of times the word onset had to be explained as well.

The books, , , it reminds me of when I first picked up my kitten Ariel from the side of the road. She was very, very hungry and scrawny. Food, , she eats, , she walks away, 3 minutes later , , ,Ohhh , , , more food and she eats more, , then walk into another room , , , , Ohhhh!! And here’s some more food let’s eat some more. It seems the same with the radiographers, physicians and students, , , Books , , Lets grab them and read, , , Got a break, , , here is a book, let’s read, , , the students want to grab them and read as fast as they are produced. It is as though they are ravenous for material that they can read at their pace. Their English comprehension is much better when read rather than heard. They don’t have to deal with my accent. I felt like a heel asking them to leave the books when they finished .today.

This building is very noisy. Every car on the nearby street, every person on the three balconies
who is talking penetrates into the room. The windows are open to provide ventilation and even if we closed them there are gaps and they are only single pane. After the test I stay to grade them right away. I won’t see some of these students again and I want them to get their grades and to be able to review the test. After grading them all I decide to throw out 6 questions which the majority of the class missed. Many of these are the questions with misunderstood words. The grades make a nice bell shaped curve with one 100%, most in the 80's or 70's and 2 below 70%. I’m happy that they’ve had a thorough introduction. The top five scores received rewards (three shirts donated by SVU & two ball caps I've brought).

Today, since it was my last day, I decided that perhaps we could enjoy tea together. If I take tea in the faculty tent it costs me $200 FRw max. I’m told that the students take theirs elsewhere because it is cheaper. So I figure, , , no problem , , , It’ll be a bit since there are 30 of us but, let’s see if we can take tea together. I ask Benard if it can be done and he assures me yes. He’ll take care of it. And good as gold at the break I’m told they are expecting us but at KIST Canteen. Not the teacher’s tent or the student’s area. Okay, , , we walk over and there is a room they have prepared for 30.... Tea is wonderful, , we talk about examples the students have thought up to describe motion that occurs because of Pressure gradients that exceed the sources of resistance and the subsequent motion that occurs from high to low. All while sipping the African milk tea and eating Chapats and Sambas. So delightful, , , I send the students back to the classroom and search out the person to pay. I’m sure that I’ve misunderstood because the man says 30....Hmm now that is a great price!!! only 30 FRw for each person Wow!! Now 30 x 30 FRw is 900 FRw, , which would be great but he meant 30,000 FRw. How can this be!! And he writes it down, 1,000 FRw for each person x 30 persons is $30,000 FRw (sixty U.S. dollars). There is no arguing at this point because I didn’t make the arrangements and never asked the price, , , the room was provided and the tea and food have been consumed. Later it’s explained that tea in the faculty tent is subsidized and tea for the students is subsidized and that I’ve only been charged the normal full price... $400 FRw for the tea and $200 each for the 30 Chapats, 30 Samboas, and 30 Taquito type things. When I consider it’s just $2.00 each and it was a delightful time I’m still glad we did it. Nobody was increasing the price because I’m white, , , In my ignorance I just didn’t play the system right. . . . Knowledge is Power!