Learning Inside and Outside of the Classroom



Me and My Coke Light



What a great Friday! Today I have just really realized many things that are different here that were not so obvious the first day we arrived! For all of those who might know me well will appreciate this statement! I have not found any Diet Mountain Dew currently in this country! As a matter of fact I have not seen any Pepsi products at all! I have been surviving on a few Coke Lights occasionally when we go out to dinner! This is another thing that I have found very interesting today is that Diet Coke here is called Coke Light.  It is the little things that are so intriguing sometimes. 

However, we are doing better looking the correct way now before we cross the road. This is another thing that I could have never thought of, but here they drive on the opposite side of the road and we have to make sure that instead of looking left first you have to look right then left instead left right.

The idea behind this journey was that I was coming to teach these children! Although, they refer to me as miss and I am called the teacher I have been learning as much, if not more from these precious children! There are many things that are similar to our schools in the States, but there are many differences as well! We have still been getting us to the way that they run things. I have been moved to third grade today! Although grade R was wonderful and there is so much to be done there I had to move to third grade where the students understand English. I am now working with a fabulous teacher, Mrs. Vava, and also team teaching with Emily Farmer! Today went really smoothly and I think Emily and I are going to be a dream team! When Vava arrived this morning Emily and I were reading a story that one of the students had brought into school this morning. I felt that it was important to go over the print concepts of the story because while most of the learners (this is how they refer to their students) can read the stories in their classroom they have no understanding of the story or literacy directionality. This problem is due to the fact that English is there second language. We then let Vava take over and finish a math lesson that she had began the prior day. They are currently in the review stage of learning because this upcoming week they begin exams. After math Vava wanted us to continue with reading. They are very grateful that we are able to read to the students in English and help them with their English since it is our first language. We broke the students into three leveled groups, which was so beneficial to the students and teachers. As teachers we were able to learn more about each individual in the class and their ability level, while the students received that small group connection with a teacher that they so strongly desire, need, and deserve.

At the end of the day we had the opportunity to talk with the teachers and Mr. January (the principal) about how our experience was going so far. We talked about similarities and differences in our schools. He expressed his feeling of how skeptical he was of our abilities to adapt and teach in circumstances that we extremely different from what we had grown up in and taught in. He then gave me butterflies when he told us that we had truly surprised him with how quickly we had adjusted and how well the learners were responding to us. I also received a warm feeling inside when I had the chance to listen to what the teachers of the classrooms had to say about their experiences with us thus far. They were very positive and excited about the ideas we had, our flexibility, and the extra hands we were bring into their classroom. There is a bond that has been formed between us and them; a level of respect; and a partnership that will not be broken.

There are many more lessons in store at Emafini; all of which will be beneficial to all who are involved, learners and teachers.

Tomorrow we venture to an exciting international soccer game in a stadium that holds 48,000 people. It is a sold out game.