Being in an African school makes you appreciate how many resources British schools have. There is a big shortage of desks, and chronic shortage of textbooks - the teachers has one from the government, but the children have to buy their own. Consequently, there are usually 3/4 to go round a class of around 70.
Amy, my housemate, has a fund to buy things for the school, so has ordered 15 desks to be made by a local carpenter. I am going to buy, ideally, 3 or 4 off her, and as many textbooks as I can afford. We negotiated desks down to around 16pounds (30,000 Shillings) each, and can have any names hand-painted on the front by a sign-writer. I am investigating textbooks. The price varies hugely - from about 3 pounds 50 to 10 pounds. I know I will buy a bare minimum of three to give as a gift to Allan's children, our Swahili teacher from the first week, and 'Tanzanian Father' (he came round for tea and chocolate pudding on Thursday, I forgot to mention).
I am always so aware and grateful of how much people have supported me in coming to Africa, so am more than willing to fund this personally (and pay it off from working in the summer). If, however, you would like to contribute anything at all, even if it is just a few pounds, it will make a huge difference. If any groups or individuals would like to sponsor a whole desk, I can get the name painted by a sign-writer and take a photo of it in use. This is not a 'charity appeal', it is simply letting you know how I would like to help the schools. If you would like to contribute anything towards the costs, please let my mum, Sarah, know and she can transfer any money into my account. sarah@warefamily.org.uk 01751 430734.
Thank you. I will keep the blog updated with anything I buy.
Lxxx
Tuesday 24 February 2009
Sunday 22nd February
This week has had a number of highlights, of which today (Sunday) is one - we are having a very tranquil afternoon by Lake Duluti not far from Nkauranga where we slept (very uncomfortably!) last night.
Having not used a Dalla Dalla before, I have had so many memorable experiences in the last few days - I love them! Let me talk you through how the whole things works: you see a battered white minibus in the distance which you flag down, you then notice that it is full and will never fit 8 more people on...you'd be wrong! It screeches to a halt and you are manhandled on and the door slammed shut to stop you from spilling out. If you're lucky you get to sit on some stranger's lap, if not, you perch on the engine block or stand with your cheek against the the roof. Dalla Dalla drivers don't know the meaning of brakes - we reached 130km on the main road weaving in and out of traffic! You know you have reached your stop when the man who's attempted to whisper sweetnothings in your ear snaps his fingers for the 25p fare. The brakes are jammed on and you disentangle yourself from the old woman sat on you, and breath in freedom! Love it!
On Tuesday we were invited to a wedding send-offf of one of the females teachers at school. It is a ceremony where the bride's family 'hand over' their daughter to the groom's. Wedding contractors camouflaged the hall in white roses, put on the most collosal spread (I earnt a new level of respect from Mr Kiembe - a teacher who translated for us - by finishing my meal despite his gloomy predictions!), and hired the most fantastic 'rough and ready' band who played almost continually for six hour. Highlights: whole roasted goat with fur entact on the head wheeled down the aisle, the bridesmaids and close friends dancing the conga round the wedding car, and dancing in a procession down the aisle to give the bride her gifts. The ceremony was as big if not bigger than some British weddings, but the actual wedding was on Saturday five hours away at Tanga, and apparently even larger. Astonishing!
My class has finished writing a letter to our friend Adrian's school in Lymington, and I got the photos developed for them today (Tuesday). Unfortunately, and VERY frustratingly, I missed the post by just 10 mins. I will have to e-mail the letter, as I am going away for a week, and will post it when I get back.
Going away, yes, we're off to Zanzibar! Our 10 hour bus journey tomorrow (Weds) means we leave our house at 4.30 am, and won't arrive in Stone Town until about 7pm. I must say, a week of relaxing on a beach with a good book and no little oiks rattling the grate and demanding stickers and money (a really unpleasant turn of attitudes in some of the older kids) will be most welcome! I would like to think I've earned a bit of a holiday. We will be back into full school routine on the following Thursday.
There is so much more to say, but I am having to be selective because of the sheer volume of stories and anecdotes.
You probably won't hear from me for over a week, as I imagine it will be quite difficult to find an internet cafe (for a reasonable price) on Zanzi.
By for now! Lxxx
Having not used a Dalla Dalla before, I have had so many memorable experiences in the last few days - I love them! Let me talk you through how the whole things works: you see a battered white minibus in the distance which you flag down, you then notice that it is full and will never fit 8 more people on...you'd be wrong! It screeches to a halt and you are manhandled on and the door slammed shut to stop you from spilling out. If you're lucky you get to sit on some stranger's lap, if not, you perch on the engine block or stand with your cheek against the the roof. Dalla Dalla drivers don't know the meaning of brakes - we reached 130km on the main road weaving in and out of traffic! You know you have reached your stop when the man who's attempted to whisper sweetnothings in your ear snaps his fingers for the 25p fare. The brakes are jammed on and you disentangle yourself from the old woman sat on you, and breath in freedom! Love it!
On Tuesday we were invited to a wedding send-offf of one of the females teachers at school. It is a ceremony where the bride's family 'hand over' their daughter to the groom's. Wedding contractors camouflaged the hall in white roses, put on the most collosal spread (I earnt a new level of respect from Mr Kiembe - a teacher who translated for us - by finishing my meal despite his gloomy predictions!), and hired the most fantastic 'rough and ready' band who played almost continually for six hour. Highlights: whole roasted goat with fur entact on the head wheeled down the aisle, the bridesmaids and close friends dancing the conga round the wedding car, and dancing in a procession down the aisle to give the bride her gifts. The ceremony was as big if not bigger than some British weddings, but the actual wedding was on Saturday five hours away at Tanga, and apparently even larger. Astonishing!
My class has finished writing a letter to our friend Adrian's school in Lymington, and I got the photos developed for them today (Tuesday). Unfortunately, and VERY frustratingly, I missed the post by just 10 mins. I will have to e-mail the letter, as I am going away for a week, and will post it when I get back.
Going away, yes, we're off to Zanzibar! Our 10 hour bus journey tomorrow (Weds) means we leave our house at 4.30 am, and won't arrive in Stone Town until about 7pm. I must say, a week of relaxing on a beach with a good book and no little oiks rattling the grate and demanding stickers and money (a really unpleasant turn of attitudes in some of the older kids) will be most welcome! I would like to think I've earned a bit of a holiday. We will be back into full school routine on the following Thursday.
There is so much more to say, but I am having to be selective because of the sheer volume of stories and anecdotes.
You probably won't hear from me for over a week, as I imagine it will be quite difficult to find an internet cafe (for a reasonable price) on Zanzi.
By for now! Lxxx
Wednesday 18 February 2009
Good week
I said that next time I write I am sure to have had a much more eventful week, and thus it is!
Where to start...
Thursday
A very stimulating day. Mads visited the school and took us to see the special needs class at the neighbouring school, Naurei. We are all keen to help out when possible, because it will be a better opportunity to do more creative things like face painting and music-making than at Sekei. The kids have a variety of 'disabilities', that in England might not necessarily mean being separated from mainstream - down syndrome, autism and deafness are some.
In the afternoon we went to the UN! The countless trials for the Rwandan Genocide have been taking place in Arusha for 5 years, and due to last for 5 years more. We watched the defence of a Catholic Priest who gave shelter to two fugitives at his college. The question was whether he then organised their murder. I'm so glad I went - I think it could the basis for numerous stimulating discussions at university!
Friday
Nothing particularly eventful, but a good day's teaching. I did my first singing club, which was great fun, but not particularly harmonious! My xmas present from mum and dad was a very amusing little keyboard powered by a tube you blow down. The teachers in the staffroom were even more excited by it than the kids, and I had to promise to bring it in again on Monday for them to play!
Saturday
Our Valentine's Day party. I spring-cleaned the house, decorated, bought veg locally, and purified huge amounts of water while the others did a bigger shop nearby. I have to say, we put on a decent spread on a tight budget - pruscetta and salsa, guacamole, bucket-loads of toast, and a few crisps and marshmallows. We had a bonfire (with our rubbish - the only waste disposal method in Tanzania) which attracted lots of the cheeky kids.
In the evening, I spoke to our teacher and IT guru friend, Adrian, about swapping letters with his school (Hordle Walhampton near Lymington in the New Forest). More about this later...
Sunday
Utter bliss. The day was spent under a palm tree pool-side at a local hotel, having refreshing swims and eating black forest gateau. And there were fluffy towels! All this luxury only cost me around 8 pounds! Sunday is now officially holiday day :-)
Monday
I did a test of what we have covered so far. I thought the results were pretty bad - most got 4 out of 12 - but I showed them to some staff who were delighted, and said it was above average...oh dear! In my second lesson with 6A I introduced this exciting new letter-writing set up by writing them a letter from me that they had to read out. We will write the first letter to Hordle Walhampton's year 4 pupils altogether as a class. I plan to get the kids to draw lots of pictures etc in clubs this week, and I will take lots of photographs to send as a package to England.
Ooooh, in the afternoon I went to pick up my fabulous dress I have had made for me! It has endeared me to the elderly female population of Arusha hugely!
I am about to run out of time, I'm afraid, so will finish the post on Saturday. Lxxx
Where to start...
Thursday
A very stimulating day. Mads visited the school and took us to see the special needs class at the neighbouring school, Naurei. We are all keen to help out when possible, because it will be a better opportunity to do more creative things like face painting and music-making than at Sekei. The kids have a variety of 'disabilities', that in England might not necessarily mean being separated from mainstream - down syndrome, autism and deafness are some.In the afternoon we went to the UN! The countless trials for the Rwandan Genocide have been taking place in Arusha for 5 years, and due to last for 5 years more. We watched the defence of a Catholic Priest who gave shelter to two fugitives at his college. The question was whether he then organised their murder. I'm so glad I went - I think it could the basis for numerous stimulating discussions at university!
Friday
Nothing particularly eventful, but a good day's teaching. I did my first singing club, which was great fun, but not particularly harmonious! My xmas present from mum and dad was a very amusing little keyboard powered by a tube you blow down. The teachers in the staffroom were even more excited by it than the kids, and I had to promise to bring it in again on Monday for them to play!
Saturday
Our Valentine's Day party. I spring-cleaned the house, decorated, bought veg locally, and purified huge amounts of water while the others did a bigger shop nearby. I have to say, we put on a decent spread on a tight budget - pruscetta and salsa, guacamole, bucket-loads of toast, and a few crisps and marshmallows. We had a bonfire (with our rubbish - the only waste disposal method in Tanzania) which attracted lots of the cheeky kids.
In the evening, I spoke to our teacher and IT guru friend, Adrian, about swapping letters with his school (Hordle Walhampton near Lymington in the New Forest). More about this later...
Sunday
Utter bliss. The day was spent under a palm tree pool-side at a local hotel, having refreshing swims and eating black forest gateau. And there were fluffy towels! All this luxury only cost me around 8 pounds! Sunday is now officially holiday day :-)
Monday
I did a test of what we have covered so far. I thought the results were pretty bad - most got 4 out of 12 - but I showed them to some staff who were delighted, and said it was above average...oh dear! In my second lesson with 6A I introduced this exciting new letter-writing set up by writing them a letter from me that they had to read out. We will write the first letter to Hordle Walhampton's year 4 pupils altogether as a class. I plan to get the kids to draw lots of pictures etc in clubs this week, and I will take lots of photographs to send as a package to England.
Ooooh, in the afternoon I went to pick up my fabulous dress I have had made for me! It has endeared me to the elderly female population of Arusha hugely!
I am about to run out of time, I'm afraid, so will finish the post on Saturday. Lxxx
Wednesday 11 February 2009
General chit chat!
Tuesday
As not a huge amount has happened since I last wrote, I thought I would take the opportunity to write about those little things that always seem to get eclipsed. But first, the inevitable news update:
Saturday was our fancy dress party. There were some stunning costumes including two banana trees, zebra, lion, amazing pineapple, and I was an elephant!
As we had all been into Arusha to have a meeting about our Zanzibar trip (from Weds 25th Feb for a week) and do the weekly shop, I unfortunately exposed myself to rather too much sun. I've taken a few days off school to get back to my normal, hydrated self. The African grasp of the range of maladies is quite hilarious - either you have malaria, or you are fine, and there seems to be a mythical pill that cures all ailments "you must have pill, Lucie, then you will be better"! Monday was a barrage of teachers trying to get me to go to the hospital for a malaria test, but I REALLY do not have it, as I have none of the symptoms and have the best anti-malarials. (I'm writing this on Thursday from Arusha, and I feel a different person, by the way).
Right, Swahili is such a cheerful, expressive language, that I want to share a few of the top 10 phrases we hear everyday:
1) Mambo - hi, how are you? You reply poa
2) Shikamoo - a respectful greeting you are expected to say to anyone older than you. You reply Marahaba
3) Habari - how are you? Nzuri sana - very well
4) Kwaheri - goodbye
5) Pole sana - I'm sorry to hear that (Habari? Nimechoka (I'm tired), oh, pole sana mama...)
6) Jambo - very informal hi/hey. Reply sijambo
7) Mzungu - white person/traveller. We get this all the time!
8) Walimu - teacher
9) Safi - good/great/fine
10) Piga ma kofe - round of applause/clap (we don't hear it that often, but it is a firm favourite as it sounds like 'Pig in my coffee'!).
Let me run you through a typical lesson. The school day is 8 - 2, but pupils must be there there from at least 7.30 - 2.30 to sweep and dampen the dirt. The 40 minutes betgins with the pupils (in theory) standing and saying a classic school greeting to a teacher, often preceeded by a little saying like "if you play you are fine". I tend to have some pupils hand out the marked books while doing a recap of the last lesson. I then introduce a new topic and write definitions they have to copy. Sometimes I do sentences they need to complete, or read out a passage I have written and they have to answer questions, or get them to correct mistakes on the board. One successful lesson was writing a passage devoid of any punctuation, and pupils had to come up and stick some punctuation cards I had made in the relevant places. I try to end each lesson with a game (Simon Says is popular), song, or story. At the moment I am reading Treasure Island to my 6As in installments. They don't really understand every word, but the melodramatic piratey accent is a big hit! My aim over the next few weeks is to get individuals to read bits to the class, and maybe act out a few scenes. I am really looking forward to starting my singing club as soon as I have got over this little blip.
I hope this little vignette has helped you imagine what I am doing here a bit better. Next time I write, I am sure to have had some more eventful days.
Until then, Kwaher! Siku njema (Bye, have a nice day!) Lxxx
As not a huge amount has happened since I last wrote, I thought I would take the opportunity to write about those little things that always seem to get eclipsed. But first, the inevitable news update:
Saturday was our fancy dress party. There were some stunning costumes including two banana trees, zebra, lion, amazing pineapple, and I was an elephant!
As we had all been into Arusha to have a meeting about our Zanzibar trip (from Weds 25th Feb for a week) and do the weekly shop, I unfortunately exposed myself to rather too much sun. I've taken a few days off school to get back to my normal, hydrated self. The African grasp of the range of maladies is quite hilarious - either you have malaria, or you are fine, and there seems to be a mythical pill that cures all ailments "you must have pill, Lucie, then you will be better"! Monday was a barrage of teachers trying to get me to go to the hospital for a malaria test, but I REALLY do not have it, as I have none of the symptoms and have the best anti-malarials. (I'm writing this on Thursday from Arusha, and I feel a different person, by the way).
Right, Swahili is such a cheerful, expressive language, that I want to share a few of the top 10 phrases we hear everyday:
1) Mambo - hi, how are you? You reply poa
2) Shikamoo - a respectful greeting you are expected to say to anyone older than you. You reply Marahaba
3) Habari - how are you? Nzuri sana - very well
4) Kwaheri - goodbye
5) Pole sana - I'm sorry to hear that (Habari? Nimechoka (I'm tired), oh, pole sana mama...)
6) Jambo - very informal hi/hey. Reply sijambo
7) Mzungu - white person/traveller. We get this all the time!
8) Walimu - teacher
9) Safi - good/great/fine
10) Piga ma kofe - round of applause/clap (we don't hear it that often, but it is a firm favourite as it sounds like 'Pig in my coffee'!).
Let me run you through a typical lesson. The school day is 8 - 2, but pupils must be there there from at least 7.30 - 2.30 to sweep and dampen the dirt. The 40 minutes betgins with the pupils (in theory) standing and saying a classic school greeting to a teacher, often preceeded by a little saying like "if you play you are fine". I tend to have some pupils hand out the marked books while doing a recap of the last lesson. I then introduce a new topic and write definitions they have to copy. Sometimes I do sentences they need to complete, or read out a passage I have written and they have to answer questions, or get them to correct mistakes on the board. One successful lesson was writing a passage devoid of any punctuation, and pupils had to come up and stick some punctuation cards I had made in the relevant places. I try to end each lesson with a game (Simon Says is popular), song, or story. At the moment I am reading Treasure Island to my 6As in installments. They don't really understand every word, but the melodramatic piratey accent is a big hit! My aim over the next few weeks is to get individuals to read bits to the class, and maybe act out a few scenes. I am really looking forward to starting my singing club as soon as I have got over this little blip.
I hope this little vignette has helped you imagine what I am doing here a bit better. Next time I write, I am sure to have had some more eventful days.
Until then, Kwaher! Siku njema (Bye, have a nice day!) Lxxx
Sunday 8 February 2009
Friday, February 6th.
This week just keeps getting better. If I had a list of what I want to get out of Africa, most of it would be ticked off.
Yesterday we were relaxing in the sun, and I was half-heartedly making teaching aids. Groups of kids wandered over and played good-naturedly with paper and pens. One made a crown saying “King Nickson”. When they went, a group of girls came and plaited our hair while some lads played what I can only guess was cricket. My ‘cheeky-chappie’ mate Daniel from class 6A found his vocation as a photographer with my camera and shades.
Mama Hasani and Mama Kessy came over and spent a fantastic few hours making chapattis with us. I taught them an African song which we used to sing at church which sounded incredible and much more authentic!
In the evening we went to Via Via. Thursday is the night for live music and there was the most incredible band playing traditional music, with some enormously energetic dancers! I know it was a show for the Mzungus (a word for white people – kids shout it at us constantly), but the fire-eating witch-doctor was quite a spectacle. I have sampled the Tanzanian Vodka, Konyagi... I Salsa danced for two-and-a-half hours constantly, with pretty much everyone on the dance floor including three Masai tribesmen! The others had a very merry time too, and it was a real effort to persuade them to get into the taxi. We rolled into bed at a quarter to two – and had to be up at seven – Yuck!
There is a bit of an odd situation at school. The Arusha Teacher Training College has sent a group of Sekei for a month’s work experience. This means that most of us have to share our lessons. Some classes will have three teachers – thankfully, the plans for me are that I hand my class 3Bs to a trainee and just help out, and have class 6A as my own.
So that we do not feel a bit side-lined, we might do some days at other places such as the special needs class at the neighbouring school, and will throw ourselves into clubs next week.
Right. I’m off to bake a mango cake!
Bye for now
Love
Lucie xxx
Yesterday we were relaxing in the sun, and I was half-heartedly making teaching aids. Groups of kids wandered over and played good-naturedly with paper and pens. One made a crown saying “King Nickson”. When they went, a group of girls came and plaited our hair while some lads played what I can only guess was cricket. My ‘cheeky-chappie’ mate Daniel from class 6A found his vocation as a photographer with my camera and shades.
Mama Hasani and Mama Kessy came over and spent a fantastic few hours making chapattis with us. I taught them an African song which we used to sing at church which sounded incredible and much more authentic!
In the evening we went to Via Via. Thursday is the night for live music and there was the most incredible band playing traditional music, with some enormously energetic dancers! I know it was a show for the Mzungus (a word for white people – kids shout it at us constantly), but the fire-eating witch-doctor was quite a spectacle. I have sampled the Tanzanian Vodka, Konyagi... I Salsa danced for two-and-a-half hours constantly, with pretty much everyone on the dance floor including three Masai tribesmen! The others had a very merry time too, and it was a real effort to persuade them to get into the taxi. We rolled into bed at a quarter to two – and had to be up at seven – Yuck!
There is a bit of an odd situation at school. The Arusha Teacher Training College has sent a group of Sekei for a month’s work experience. This means that most of us have to share our lessons. Some classes will have three teachers – thankfully, the plans for me are that I hand my class 3Bs to a trainee and just help out, and have class 6A as my own.
So that we do not feel a bit side-lined, we might do some days at other places such as the special needs class at the neighbouring school, and will throw ourselves into clubs next week.
Right. I’m off to bake a mango cake!
Bye for now
Love
Lucie xxx
Saturday 7 February 2009
Wednesday, February 4th
I’m pleased to report a much better week. After a talk with Mr Lugenge about how I need more support and fewer lessons, he has made a very noticeable effort. It has been such a boost in lessons for me and – more importantly – the pupils. Just his presence means the classes are very well behaved, and their understanding has increased by several degrees by having him explain in Swahili. The TEFL plan is that only English should be spoken in class, but that is completely unrealistic. How can they produce good work if the only way you can describe an alien new word is in a language they don’t yet understand? They are more responsive in games too when the y understand the rules. Yes, Mr Lugenge is growing on me.
Once you get past the caning, he is good humoured, great with the kids, and making an effort to extend an olive branch to me. He has invited me to his church next week, and I would like to go to accept the gesture. One of Amey’s (or “Emmy” as the kids call her) teachers is going to come round tomorrow to show us how to make Chapattis.
We are in the process of planning the big party on Saturday, some form of birthday celebration for Allan, plus a volunteers party (also a trip to Zanzibar at the end of the month). The party is fancy dress with an African theme so I am going as an elephant and Kat’s going as a pineapple! Costume preparation is well underway.
We took a shortcut through forest to Enabuishu yesterday which was breath-takingly beautiful. Banana trees, giant shrubs, a river to wade across – beautiful. And it only took half an hour! Tomorrow we are going to Viavia, a popular bar/restaurant/club, so I’m off for an early night.
Lucie xxx
Once you get past the caning, he is good humoured, great with the kids, and making an effort to extend an olive branch to me. He has invited me to his church next week, and I would like to go to accept the gesture. One of Amey’s (or “Emmy” as the kids call her) teachers is going to come round tomorrow to show us how to make Chapattis.
We are in the process of planning the big party on Saturday, some form of birthday celebration for Allan, plus a volunteers party (also a trip to Zanzibar at the end of the month). The party is fancy dress with an African theme so I am going as an elephant and Kat’s going as a pineapple! Costume preparation is well underway.
We took a shortcut through forest to Enabuishu yesterday which was breath-takingly beautiful. Banana trees, giant shrubs, a river to wade across – beautiful. And it only took half an hour! Tomorrow we are going to Viavia, a popular bar/restaurant/club, so I’m off for an early night.
Lucie xxx
Tuesday 3 February 2009
A good day
Time is rapidly running out at internet cafe, so I will be very brief.
Had much much better morning. Mr Lugenge with me again, and translating, so kids understand lessons much better. He was extremely pleased after one lesson, and said I was an excellent and creative teacher, which it is reassuring to hear after a pretty difficult week.
I've taken a walk down our dirt road to use computer and buy some flour. One of the teachers is going to show us how to cook chipatis soon, and we want to bake a cake to take to the staffroom for break. No electricity or water, but a gas oven!
Attempting the walk through the forest to Enabuishu school this afternoon. Two volunteers have changed school to be there, so we are going over to have a 'karibu meal' (welcome meal).
Got lots more energy today. Ironically the other girls pretty exhausted!
Most go. My fantastic secretary will put a fuller account up when we next speak.
TTFN Lxxx
Had much much better morning. Mr Lugenge with me again, and translating, so kids understand lessons much better. He was extremely pleased after one lesson, and said I was an excellent and creative teacher, which it is reassuring to hear after a pretty difficult week.
I've taken a walk down our dirt road to use computer and buy some flour. One of the teachers is going to show us how to cook chipatis soon, and we want to bake a cake to take to the staffroom for break. No electricity or water, but a gas oven!
Attempting the walk through the forest to Enabuishu school this afternoon. Two volunteers have changed school to be there, so we are going over to have a 'karibu meal' (welcome meal).
Got lots more energy today. Ironically the other girls pretty exhausted!
Most go. My fantastic secretary will put a fuller account up when we next speak.
TTFN Lxxx
Settling down, Sunday February 1st
My first week at Sekei has been an intense experience. As I suspected, I was well and truly thrown in at the deep end: I watched one lesson at my insistence, then I got handed a timetable of 15 lessons a week, split over two classes. Standard 3b – the youngest you can teach – and Standard 6A – the oldest.
After a whistle-stop tour of lessons and deciding which classes to take with Mr Mkosi, we were ushered into a dark broom cupboard crammed with teachers behind mountain ranges of books. Welcome to the staff room! To be perfectly honest, we got a frosty reception. Perhaps they resented having all white volunteers trailing in and out of their school, or perhaps not. In being introduced to Mr Lugenge (6As teacher) – 3A haven’t got a teacher until March, so I am it! – I got a slightly surly look. Before I let you think it’s terrible, I have to say that the frosty welcome was not from the majority. I usually sit next to Ma Kessi who is in her 20s and we get on well.
So anyway, back to the teaching. Luckily I did a lesson plan on Monday evening. The next day I had to teach 6A entirely on my own. I did a lesson where I introduced myself and they had to write a paragraph introducing themselves to me. There were some hilarious results, because not all of them understood. Mpost cards wrote something like, ‘My name is Loveness Ware. I live in Yorkshire in Tanzania. Next year I will be going to University in Scotland’. The pupils had been well behaved but Mr Mugbmga walked past just as they were over excited about coloured paper and pens, so he canned every single child five times. I have never seen children look so distressed and in fear.
My lesson the next day seemed to go really well and I caught Mr Mugbmga hovering by the window and he gave a real complement on the way back to the staff room. Friday however was an utter disaster. I have been doing numbers with 3B so I came up with a game where we go into the field and each kid has a number, so they have to put themselves in order. They went berserk – running everywhere, screaming, shouting. Lots of the teachers saw which was galling because nobody had seen the lessons which went sell. With 6A I tried pair work, and it was evident that they had not understood the week’s lessons at all..
I have got the negative over and done with first so that I can tell you about the few fantastic highlights:
1 On the first day the kids all wanted high fives. One boy grabbed my hand and said; “You are white. I am black. We are friends.”
2 Teaching 3b numbers from a huge number line I have made. They loved it and they started clapping and swaying in time.
3 I taught a group of “too cool for school” lads how to do cricket bowling, surprising both them and myself! Thanks, Dad, for the – at the time – futile attempts to pass on any cricket skills... it obviously made an impression somehow.
4 The crowning moment of this week was teaching about 30 kids the Macarena. The group of very sweet – but very ‘teacher’s pet ‘– girls came over to teach us a calling and skipping game, which attracted much attention. I showed them the legendary British pub dance and they all clapped!! I have a fantastic video which I will try to up-load whenever possible.
We have seen the other volunteers quite a bit which is so refreshing. We have been in Enabuishu and they to us. The whole group has been out in the evenings for the last two nights. We are planning some fantastic parties!
I am not sure what direction to take after this week. On Thursday I had an upset stomach (I put it down to the staff-room Chi which is made from filthy water) and since then I have been pretty exhausted. We are close enough to town to make the long walk an option and to keep our food supplies pretty scant which is not ideal for me. Both of those issues could be resolved by moving to Nkauranga, the school furthest away, because we would HAVE to take transport and we would HAVE to have a lot of food. I am not sure I could face settling in again though. Maybe the answer is alternate weeks at each school.
In the meantime, I have asked if I can do fewer lessons, as I am doing far more than the other volunteers.
Anyway, next week could be an adventure.
Until next time –
Lucie xxx
After a whistle-stop tour of lessons and deciding which classes to take with Mr Mkosi, we were ushered into a dark broom cupboard crammed with teachers behind mountain ranges of books. Welcome to the staff room! To be perfectly honest, we got a frosty reception. Perhaps they resented having all white volunteers trailing in and out of their school, or perhaps not. In being introduced to Mr Lugenge (6As teacher) – 3A haven’t got a teacher until March, so I am it! – I got a slightly surly look. Before I let you think it’s terrible, I have to say that the frosty welcome was not from the majority. I usually sit next to Ma Kessi who is in her 20s and we get on well.
So anyway, back to the teaching. Luckily I did a lesson plan on Monday evening. The next day I had to teach 6A entirely on my own. I did a lesson where I introduced myself and they had to write a paragraph introducing themselves to me. There were some hilarious results, because not all of them understood. Mpost cards wrote something like, ‘My name is Loveness Ware. I live in Yorkshire in Tanzania. Next year I will be going to University in Scotland’. The pupils had been well behaved but Mr Mugbmga walked past just as they were over excited about coloured paper and pens, so he canned every single child five times. I have never seen children look so distressed and in fear.
My lesson the next day seemed to go really well and I caught Mr Mugbmga hovering by the window and he gave a real complement on the way back to the staff room. Friday however was an utter disaster. I have been doing numbers with 3B so I came up with a game where we go into the field and each kid has a number, so they have to put themselves in order. They went berserk – running everywhere, screaming, shouting. Lots of the teachers saw which was galling because nobody had seen the lessons which went sell. With 6A I tried pair work, and it was evident that they had not understood the week’s lessons at all..
I have got the negative over and done with first so that I can tell you about the few fantastic highlights:
1 On the first day the kids all wanted high fives. One boy grabbed my hand and said; “You are white. I am black. We are friends.”
2 Teaching 3b numbers from a huge number line I have made. They loved it and they started clapping and swaying in time.
3 I taught a group of “too cool for school” lads how to do cricket bowling, surprising both them and myself! Thanks, Dad, for the – at the time – futile attempts to pass on any cricket skills... it obviously made an impression somehow.
4 The crowning moment of this week was teaching about 30 kids the Macarena. The group of very sweet – but very ‘teacher’s pet ‘– girls came over to teach us a calling and skipping game, which attracted much attention. I showed them the legendary British pub dance and they all clapped!! I have a fantastic video which I will try to up-load whenever possible.
We have seen the other volunteers quite a bit which is so refreshing. We have been in Enabuishu and they to us. The whole group has been out in the evenings for the last two nights. We are planning some fantastic parties!
I am not sure what direction to take after this week. On Thursday I had an upset stomach (I put it down to the staff-room Chi which is made from filthy water) and since then I have been pretty exhausted. We are close enough to town to make the long walk an option and to keep our food supplies pretty scant which is not ideal for me. Both of those issues could be resolved by moving to Nkauranga, the school furthest away, because we would HAVE to take transport and we would HAVE to have a lot of food. I am not sure I could face settling in again though. Maybe the answer is alternate weeks at each school.
In the meantime, I have asked if I can do fewer lessons, as I am doing far more than the other volunteers.
Anyway, next week could be an adventure.
Until next time –
Lucie xxx
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