Debate and Agriculture

In addition to teaching English, I have been handed the duties of the debate coach and the grade 6 Agriculture class. I was pretty horrified at the debate responsibility, as I have never even taken a debate class or participated in a debate; fortunately my colleague has been helping with the details. We chose 6 capable learners from grades 6 and 7 to attend the cluster debate (the cluster, if you remember, is what we call in the U.S. the school district). Eight schools were supposed to attend the competition, each with a team of 3 to debate. Luckily we brought all 6 of our kids because one school didn’t show, so we had an even number of 3-person teams to compete.

Our team: Tuli, Taamba, Beatha, Hilya, Augustus, and Tomy


Lano kids were AMAZING! We actually had to re-assemble all 8 teams because our kids were so above the other schools it just wasn’t even close. The ultimate goal of this competition was to select a team to represent the cluster in further competitions. Judges awarded points to individual speakers throughout each debate, and the top ten scores earned a spot on the team. All six of our kids made it! In fact, the top four scores were from Lano. It was super exciting.

I was really unhappy about being obliged to coach debate, but obviously got taught a lesson.

(Of course, the requisite hairbraiding while we wait for the debates to begin)

Now, for some reason, I did not feel any apprehension about agriculture, although I am just as ignorant in agriculture as I am in debate. I was pretty excited to learn about it, actually. Another teacher taught it first term, and now in second term we are scheduled to learn about poultry farming! Ah, the irony…so there I am, describing how some breeds are called “table birds” because they are fat and meaty and make good meals, while others are “layers” because of their reproductive capabilities, and did you know it is extremely healthy to feed chickens the blood of other chickens?

“But what if it is a chicken at Miss Lindsey’s table?”
“Then it is her pet!”

The fascination never ends.

"Miss, why do you have so many shirts with animals on them?"
"Because I love animals."
"But why don't you eat them?"
"Because I love animals."

A lovely drawing done by a learner entitled "How to catch the chicken!!" complete with "Don't try this if you want to catch the chicken," "how to carry more than one," and a weapon