School News

THE NEWS TEEAM AT THE END OF THE BROADCAST

On Saturday mornings students create a news broadcast for assembly.  During the first term the class 11 students alternated English and Dzongkha most Saturdays.  This week it was my class 9B who had to create the news in English.  This group is, let's say, difficult to discipline. 

I take the challenge and introduce reading for information, paraphrasing and summarizing in all of my English classes.  I spend time trying to find interesting news items, and get caught up in the King's Cup news from Thimphu. Students summarize, write, interview, rewrite and edit stories for 2 weeks. 

We have auditions for news readers.  Volunteers for the position of anchor change throughout the week. They are shy and the anchor is visible to the 704 students standing in the assembly ground.  The other readers are hidden in a classroom. The final anchor is a student with a high need for attention.  It is challenging.  I am a bit grumpy and lose my cool once. 

On Wednesday I was TOD and had to deliver the announcements at assembly.  There were no microphones. Colleagues said that my  booming voice was actually better than when I used a mike.  I got right on to finding mikes for Saturday morning. 

Mikes have still not arrived.  704 students and many teachers are standing patiently in lines.  I finally go to the Principal and ask him what to do.  Get told I do things too last minute and to put the kids all on stage.  Just as we are about to move tables out the sound system magically starts working. 

My students do a GREAT job of reading.  A few errors (six yearS old girl) jar my ears however we finish with top marks.   Lots of positive feedback from teachers and the Principal gets up and compliments us saying the students could all learn from class 9B.  

A great sense of accomplishment for the class. 
I am exhausted. 

DAWA DEM READING THE LOCAL NEWS