I had a dental cleaning today. My first since arriving because there was a delay in receiving my health card.
The nationals all get free medical and dental health. What's incredible about that fact though, is the number of students who have serious tooth decay. Many kids of all ages - from the smallest I see at my school to high school age - are dealing with this. I mentioned my observations to the hygienist who was taking care of me, and she said it's a chronic issue throughout the country. There is a serious need for dental education. It appears that someone has taken note and is trying to turn the tide as far as making this a priority, but only time will tell how successful they are.
Now to the random stuff -
Today was the first day of home delivery of the newspaper. I was in hog's heaven.
There's a wonderful classical station that I listen to often when Luther (my car, for those of you who are new to the blog) and I are on the road, and they have the typical news breaks. Last week there was a blurb about the students graduating from college with teaching degrees that are not qualified to teach based on the new reform they have and are continuing to put in place. Oddly enough, I understand their dilemma.
In any typical class, no matter what the actual achievement, most students get A's. In fact, they all do. One of the issues that the Western teachers face is how to accurately access and report student progress, knowing there will be pushback for any student receiving less than an A in a subject. Of course, this needs to be addressed if real reform is to take place. So, do you die on this mountain now, or wait it out, hoping it will improve and work itself out?
The local folks haven't discovered blue tooth mobile phone technology. Or, more likely, they know about it, but they want the world to know they're on the phone, hence the wired technology. It could also be the head gear they wear would interfere with reception. Maybe that's it. Anyway, seeing the wires is a through back to an earlier time.
I started this hours ago, but about half way through, I got a call from the post office letting me know the two packages I've been waited for, had arrived. I tracked them a few days ago, finding out they spent almost a month in the US before being forwarded. In fact, they were still in the states as late as the 17th.
And . . . the vibrating pillow arrived, too. It was not confiscated, but the batteries were removed.
Good vibrations will be happening again soon.
The nationals all get free medical and dental health. What's incredible about that fact though, is the number of students who have serious tooth decay. Many kids of all ages - from the smallest I see at my school to high school age - are dealing with this. I mentioned my observations to the hygienist who was taking care of me, and she said it's a chronic issue throughout the country. There is a serious need for dental education. It appears that someone has taken note and is trying to turn the tide as far as making this a priority, but only time will tell how successful they are.
Now to the random stuff -
Today was the first day of home delivery of the newspaper. I was in hog's heaven.
There's a wonderful classical station that I listen to often when Luther (my car, for those of you who are new to the blog) and I are on the road, and they have the typical news breaks. Last week there was a blurb about the students graduating from college with teaching degrees that are not qualified to teach based on the new reform they have and are continuing to put in place. Oddly enough, I understand their dilemma.
In any typical class, no matter what the actual achievement, most students get A's. In fact, they all do. One of the issues that the Western teachers face is how to accurately access and report student progress, knowing there will be pushback for any student receiving less than an A in a subject. Of course, this needs to be addressed if real reform is to take place. So, do you die on this mountain now, or wait it out, hoping it will improve and work itself out?
The local folks haven't discovered blue tooth mobile phone technology. Or, more likely, they know about it, but they want the world to know they're on the phone, hence the wired technology. It could also be the head gear they wear would interfere with reception. Maybe that's it. Anyway, seeing the wires is a through back to an earlier time.
I started this hours ago, but about half way through, I got a call from the post office letting me know the two packages I've been waited for, had arrived. I tracked them a few days ago, finding out they spent almost a month in the US before being forwarded. In fact, they were still in the states as late as the 17th.
And . . . the vibrating pillow arrived, too. It was not confiscated, but the batteries were removed.
Good vibrations will be happening again soon.
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