I don't teach here to help students cheat their way to a certificate so that they can "officially" claim they speak English.
Students tell me that the reason they keep repeating the same mistakes is because they never get the chance to practice speaking English in their lives at home or with friends. They explain this to me in Arabic without even trying to incorporate a word of English. And then when I ban Arabic from the class and conduct the class completely in English, they gang around me at the end, telling me it wasn't fair, they didn't understand anything, and I need to re-explain it all in Arabic.
I've learned that Egyptian students are taught to memorize in school. They aren't given the freedom to think creatively or use their imaginations. They memorize, recite, and replicate on their exams. My student told me that her teacher used to hit her whenever she didn't memorize the vocabulary, or didn't say things correctly. But he let you learn to say 'wiZ,' instead of 'wiTH'?
Cheating is also completely normal and overlooked. My Egyptian friend explained it best. The mindset is, "Hey we're friends right? You're going to help me with this exam. What did you get for #5?" He told me that when they take their end of the year exams, the teachers get shuffled around to supervise other classes- not their own, to prevent bias or cheating. Except those supervisors don't have anything at stake with the students, so they often assist with the cheating anyway. One went as far as delivering the hand written answers to a student's friend in another class. It's all just... helping a friend.
They can get all the homework and sentences right, but when I close the books and try having a conversation, they look completely lost. They have all the vocabulary and grammar, but they can't think outside of "go to the cinema," when I ask them what they did last weekend, or what they will do this weekend. They also only seem to eat chicken, because that's the only thing they ever eat for lunch when I ask them.
I teach an English conversation class each semester. This is the kind of class that isn't focussed on learning grammar, but rather, practicing conversation skills. I am initially optimistic that I can use this as an opportunity to give them creative freedom, and an ability to think outside the box, since I now know that this isn't the way that they're taught in school. I find that they benefit most when the class is structured around a debate. Egyptians love to debate and talk about anything controversial. It's almost torturous to find a topic they all want to discuss. Then even moreso, when I choose the topic and they can't find any arguments because they are not particularly for or against the topic- depending on which side I assigned them to. We sit in awkward silence for a while, despite my many attempts to suggest a way to get things going. Finally, someone mentions politics or Morsi, and they are off in a heated debate. In Arabic.
I made a list of very controversial topics to debate- controversial enough for the US, and especially for Egypt. My fellow teachers had a lot of success with their students. I was really excited to hear how open and intellectual their students were about the topic of gay marriage and adoption. I couldn't wait to test it out on mine and see how they would respond. They denied that gays even exist in Egypt. They denied that gay men often go and get married to women and hide their secret lifestyle from their wives and families. They didn't care that it must be really difficult to live that kind of secret, double lifestyle. They absolutely refused to discuss it further, as it is "disgusting and against their religion." I stormed out of the class and into the Admin's office, really letting my New York out that day. I used every bit of colorful vocabulary to express how fed up I was, and to let them know that I was no longer going to be teaching those students anymore.
The class before the exam, instead of reviewing grammar or addressing questions the students have, they ask if I could tell them exactly which questions will be on the exam, and if they can go home early. By the end, I just want to go home early, too.
It's really rewarding when the rare, one or two students come into class and actually get it. I can see how much they are benefitting from me, and I clap whenever they get a challenging sentence correct. They move on to the next level, and I ask to be their teacher again in the next semester.
But I think the most important thing I've learned from teaching, is how hard it is to be a teacher. I really have developed a deep respect for teachers. It is a very hard job: demanding, draining, not always fulfilling or rewarding, and they (we) are so underpaid. A good teacher makes all the difference to a student's education, and I had some fantastic teachers in my life. I still remember how and what they taught me, both in and out of the classroom. They shaped my life and guided me to where I am. But teachers need more respect and more pay. Supporting a teacher means supporting the student. And as future (or current) parents to our future students, we really need to do something to support the teachers who will ultimately shape our children's futures.
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