Laughter

It was a wild day at school, but so much fun at the same time! Today was their math exam. This was a standardized; however there are many things that are different from their standardized test from the standardized test that we give in the states. There were some interruptions during the test and the teacher read majority of the questions to them. Emily and I will mark (grade) these tomorrow, which is another thing that is very different from our test.

We have a day filled with joy and a lot of laughter! I am so thankful for the opportunity to love on these learners everyday!

Here is a list that Emily and I came up with today.

South African Lingo

·         Teachers refer to their students as learners

·         Students sweep and clean the room before leaving in the afternoon

·         Band-aids are called plasters

·         Points on a test are referred to as marks

·         Teachers do not grade they mark test

·         Review is referred to as revision, so teachers “revise students”

·         Students write test, not take them

·         There is no raising quite hands here, students snap their fingers and respond “yes miss” to answer questions

·          They ask may they go to the toilet

·         Kindergarten through grade 3 is referred to as the foundation phase

·         Kindergarten is called grade R

·         They say “mornings” instead of good morning

There are many more that I am sure I have forgotten, but I will continue to add to this list as my journey continues!

Mary, Me, Emily, and Ashley! This picture makes me laugh! It was a great day but there were many different emotions throughout the day and this is us reenacting it!

Flexiblitiy

Excited about the game!



The Soccer Stadium



A new week begins with these wonderful learners at Emafini Primary School. We begin our week after a wonderful weekend that had a lot of fun filled events. The soccer game on Saturday was so much fun. Mr. January the principal of Emafini joined us at the game which was so much fun! It was a great game; the final score was one to one! Bufana Bufana was the home team and they received a lot of support from their 22,000 fans that were in the stadium on Saturday! It was a blast and we sat on the edge of our seats for the whole game!

Sunday we woke up early to go to church with LeAnn who is a friend of Doctor Roseboro. It was a really great experience! I enjoyed participating with them and hope to be able to go back again.

Today was Monday and it was the beginning to their exam week! To start off the day they had a morning meeting that included the entire school. I really like the sense of community that I received from this meeting that takes place weekly on Monday and Friday. The students sang songs, prayed, and listened to a scripture reading together. It was nice that it was something that all of the students could participate in together. After the meeting Emily and I were off to our third grade class. The students seemed to be ready for their exams. Some of the students seemed to be a little nervous, but for the most part I think that they felt comfortable and ready for the test.

As we do in the United States all posters around the room were taken down on Friday, student desk were separated, and there was no talking during the test. However, the regulations did not seem to be as structured as they are when we give standardized test in the U.S., but they were still taken seriously. Today the students took their reading exam in their native language of Xhosa. There were 14 questions, but most of these questions had multiple parts to it. The test also included an essay question. In their school they refer to grades 1 through 3 as the foundation phase and these students all do one exam per day! Tomorrow they will revise (which we call review) for their math exam that will be on Wednesday.

After the exam one of the teachers in the second grade class had to leave, so Emily took over her class while our students finished their exam. We read to them and then taught them some songs! We really enjoyed our time with them and I think they did as well! They listened very intently and were excited about singing and reading with us! We had them go around and tell us their names and we did receive a few laughs at our attempts to say them, but we just responded with “we are trying our best!” My flexibility skills have truly been tested through this experience and I am becoming more comfortable with this task. I have always thought of myself as being a flexible person, but in the schools here that has a whole new meaning! It is my fourth day in the school and I have been in grade R, grade3, and today we taught in grade 2! I am learning how to think of activities that are appropriate for any age group and take advantage of each moment that I am given with these children.

After lunch we were back with our third grade class! We started some revising with them for their math exam and we will continue with this tomorrow. I look forward to seeing how their math exam goes! It seems that their math curriculum is very similar to our third grade curriculum in the states!

It was another overcast afternoon here today, so hopefully tomorrow will be sunny and warm!

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.

Day Two at Emafini



A Few students in Grade R Classroom



Day two in grade R (kindergarten)! I love walking into this small classroom where there are 42 sets of eyes twinkling that I know are ecstatic to see me and wondering what I am going to teach them today! It is a wonderful and welcoming feeling that gives me chill bumps! Today I have sung the days of the week song for what feels like 20 or 30 times! However, it is exciting that most of them now know the days of the week in English. There first language is Xhosa, so I am not sure how much they understand when I am talking with them! They have been very receptive when I have been talking with them today!

I had the unique experience today of passing out coloring books. I never thought that passing out these children’s books could be so complicated! The challenge was in the task of pronouncing all 42 of their names! They are all very unique and pronouncing them with the correct Xhosa sounds was very challenging! I know that it is going to improve as time goes on. I am excited to improve and continue to learn them more.

They have to review the date everyday just like we do in the states, so maybe tomorrow we will learn the today is song! They love to sing, so I think that they will love that!  

 





Grade R Daily Schedule

                                                                                   

                                                                                   Puzzel Time!

Play-doh! 



We Have Arrived!

We are here! Today we arrived in the beautiful city of Port Elizabeth! It took us a long time to travel to our destination, but oh how it was worth it! The bed and breakfast where we are staying at is wonderful and everyone has been so hospitable to us. The town is beautiful and we are in walking distance of the beach, which is amazing!

There have been so many laughable moments, but we got here so smoothly without any problems. I am excited about all of the wonderful experiences that are in store for us here. We have seen only a few of the many fabulous things that this town has to offer! I am excited to see what is in store for us as we venture to school tomorrow!  

Here we are at Port Elizabeth! Right off the plane! I can't imagine the memories we will have once we return to this place in a month! So excited about what is in store!

I can’t believe that in less than 24 hours I will be boarding an air plane and traveling to South Africa! Woo Hoo! I am super excited.

On Friday I spent my last in my Murrayville Classroom with my Kindergarten students and wonderful partnership teacher! It was a day filled with a lot of love and exciting surprises for me. I could never have imagined all the exciting things that the class along with their parents and my teacher had in store for me! I received a poster about why my class loved me which stirred up many different emotions inside of me! It made me laugh and struggle to hold a few tears back! For example with kindergarten students one of the statements was “she is good at tying our shoes.” One of the many things you learn in kindergarten is the ability to teach and tie shoes at the same time! However, this was the first of many wonderful things that my class provided me with! I received a bag with a class picture on it and many wonderful things inside that teachers can use in their classroom! The joy and kindness that I was receiving from each of these parents, students, and teachers was overwhelming to me! Little did I know the surprises where far from over! At the end of the day during snack time one of the parents made a cake and cupcakes for me, the class, and other visitors. Words cannot describe this cake so I am posting a picture below!

I think that this is the coolest cake I have ever had! It had Wilmington and South Africa on it a lot with a cookie cut out of each child and the cookies are holding a flag with their name on it! And it was delicious!

I am going to miss these wonderful students, parents, and teacher while I am in South Africa! However, I am so thankful for technology and the ability to take them with me through the internet! They will be traveling with me on my journey through this blog and Skype! I am sad to leave this wonderful class, but excited about the journey ahead!

One Week!

Wow! In one week from today I will be embarking on an experience that is a once in a life time opportunity! I will be traveling half way across the world to Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Here I will be immersed in an unknown country where I will teach travel and live for a month.

My name is Lindsey Deans and for the past few years I am been studying and working toward becoming an educator. I am a life long learner and know that while I am going to be teaching in this new country I will indeed be learning many things myself. I am excited about the journey ahead of me and know that it holds many exciting new friendships, life’s lessons, and amazing adventures.