"What does 'jam' mean?"

I'll keep this one short for a change -

It's so easy for me to forget the backgrounds of the girls I'm working with until little incidents remind me. Two days ago, I asked my nine 8th grade students to read a short story which contained the word "jam." I asked them if they knew what it was, and no one had any idea. I never realized eating bread and jam was a luxury...

So, I bought a loaf of bread and a big bottle of jam. I'll get the verdict on the taste today. Buying them food is also presents little conundrums - do I buy it just for my 8th grade students? All 8th graders? The whole school?

I also bought the 8th grade girls books. The books goes through the alphabet, numbers, birds, animals, etc. I gave them the book during the beginning of class and half way through, a girl hesitantly asked me how much they owed me. They're the ones low on money and yet, they're willing to pay. The books were only Rs. 18 each, so it was no financial burden and even if they cost more, what's the SOL grant money good for?

So that's the 8th graders and then there are the 40 10th graders. Where do I even start? Two days ago, I asked if anyone had trouble reading or writing and of course, be it because of shyness or arrogance, no one raises their hand. So, I give them a little pop quiz the next day. I read 4 questions about a story we had read and ask them to write their answers in full sentences. Not one single person can write a sentence properly. I got things like "The children was were the giants garden play."

40 students who have been studying English for 2 years now, and none of them know how to form a sentence, so what exactly are they being taught? I still can't get over it. They keep telling me they want to learn to speak English. I've decided they need to learn to write sentences before they can speak in sentences.

So, here are the goals for the 1 month I'm here:

1. The 9-8th grade students should be on the same reading level as everyone else, which means reading on a 1st grade level.
2. The 10th graders should be able to form declarative sentences.

I think that's achievable....

P.S. Pictures of the school coming soon.