July 28, 2016 - Grahamstown

July 28, 2016 -  Grahamstown today!  We listened to an interesting lecture and given by Michelle Cocks at Rhodes University.  Afterwards, we visited Nombulelo Secondary School for another lecture given by Mr. Mlukeli Nkosi, and a toured the garden created by the Science class.   The lectures explained the different biospheres in the area and the importance of the plant life to the Xhosa people who used them in religious ceremonies as well as for holistic medicines.  Ms. Cocks explained that she,  her husband, Tony Dold, and colleague, Mluleki Nkosi were working with some of the Xhosa high school students to  teach them about the different plants and the importance of conservation of the plant life in order to preserve native culture.   During the lecture, I reflected on historical events and felt sad it that Western Christian cultures used their religious beliefs and ideas as an excuse to invade foreign lands in order to make a profit from the natural resources (true in both Africa and America) forcing the indigenous peoples off their land and doing the best to take away their rights to practice their own traditional religions and cultural beliefs.   We finished off with a hike in a mountain forest.  The trail in was a very steep incline going into the forest.  We sat in silence to meditate and use our senses to “feel” nature and then Mr. Nkosi explained some important facts about the surrounding plant life.  Climbing up the steep trail to get out the forest took a great deal of energy and effort for this old, heavy, out of shape person, but I made it!   On our trip back to PE, we were delayed by construction on the road.  Three elderly native ladies walked along the edge of the highway carrying basket like containers on their heads filled with fruits and drinks.  Most of us purchased fresh oranges and pears.  We stopped at Nanaga Farm Stall, and many of us purchased meat pies and treats to eat for supper.  It was a wonderful day, but I am tired, and should sleep really well tonight!

                                                                                                                                  

July 27, 2016 - Efamini Primary School

July 27, 2016- Today was the first time I was given the opportunity to teach a third grade class at Efamini.  The teachers do not seem to have a lesson book with plans written in it so one can look at it to determine what the class was supposed to learn.  When I entered Miss T’s class, the class I observed Monday, she asked if I had planned something.  Replying no, I volunteered to teach whatever she gave me.  After all, she only gave me a pacing guide and not her lesson plan book that indicated what she wanted to be taught each day.  She gave me multiplication/division worksheet and wanted me to pass it out to the students.  After passing them out, she told me to walk around the room and check student work, marking it with a red pen.  It soon became clear that several students did not understand how to multiply or divide many of the problems.  I attempted to demonstrate the multiplication problems by drawing tally marks and grouping them.   Since the students did not have additional paper to use to draw pictures on, I had them “act out” the problems using students at the front of the room, holding up fingers.   After working a few problems,  Miss T.  gave me a box containing several bags of Unifix cubes.  With the aid of a couple of students, I modeled how to use the cubes to work out a couple of the problems and then gave each table group a bag of cubes to use as they worked together in their group to solve the remaining problems on the worksheet. The students were very excited, but Miss. T. told me in a concerned voice that I would really need to watch the students as they would take her cubes and hide them to take them home.     I got the impression that the students had never used the cubes before, because I had to model how to join them together to make the groups.   As I called out the problems, the students begin to work together to solve each problem while both Miss T. and I circulated to observe and give assistance.  Soon Miss T. seemed to be enjoying the lesson as much as the students, cheering and clapping for the each group when they were able to find the correct answer.   The lesson was a lengthy one, but worth every minute as every student seemed excited and actively engaged in the lesson.   During the afternoon, I read a story in English about a giant that cooked a large pot of soup adding different ingredients including a human boy.  While reading, Miss T. translated the story using isiXhosa. Afterwards the students drew pictures of the large pot of the soup with the ingredients, including the boy.  Several drew the giant in their pictures.  Their pictures were delightful.  I had a very enjoyable day.  Tomorrow we go to Grahamstown.

July 15, 2016 - Efamini Primary School

July 25, 2016 -Today was the first day that I was able to observe a third grade class and Emafini.  We arrived at the school and started the day in the teacher lounge/conference room.  The teachers from grades K-3 were introduced to everyone since they were not at school Friday due to a workshop they were required to attend.  The principal, Mr. McKay said a few words and a prayer was said and then the teachers broke out into a song that sounded like a spiritual.  Their voices were lovely, but I was only able to make out some of the words due to their heavy accents when they speak or sing in English.  I often find myself having to really concentrate when they are speaking to me in order to understand.  After the meeting adjourned, the lead third grade teacher assigned us the class that we would be observing for the day.  I was with “Tunki” who was very friendly and did her best to explain the lessons the students would be working on for Math and English.  I was a little disappointed to learn that their math lessons were in their native Xhosa language as this means that I will not be able to help teach math classes.  The math lesson consisted of the students chorally repeating in English five three digit numbers she had written on the board both in English and Xhosa.  They copied the numbers in their notebooks and were then required to write the Xhosa word form for the numbers.  Miss Tunki wrote their English assignment on the board then checked their work putting a check mark in their math journals next to each number they completed correctly.  Again, since I could not read Xhosa, I could not help with this.  After the learner’s math lessons were checked, the students stood and chorally repeated a chant about a little bird, while using hand movements and other actions to demonstrate the words they were saying.  Students were told to be seated and then, together, they read a list of words containing the oi/oy diphthongs.  Miss Tunki explained the meaning of the words (oil, boy, spoil… etc) and then the students were given 5 sentences to copy into their English notebooks, and had to insert the correct diphthong word into blank space that was in the sentence.  Students do a great deal of copying sentences and work from the board.  I am not sure as to how much they really understand of the work they are doing.  I am excited to see what the other third grade classes are doing.  Today we stay the entire school day, so I am hoping to begin to understand their schedule. 

July 21, 2016 - Einstein's community

July 21, 2016  -- Yesterday, our group returned to the Love Life Center and one of the ground breakers, nick named Einstein, rode with us in our van giving us a tour of his township.  We visited several community outreach programs that included: – a woman’s counseling center that helps women and children in the community who are victims of domestic violence, a men’s counseling center, and a center set up to assist blind community members.  This particular center helps their blind community members by providing them with white cans canes and fosters independence by teaching them how to cook, clean shop, as well as other necessary life skills.  These outreach centers were housed in an abandoned hostile that housed men during apartheid.   We visited a bakery and several of us sampled their delicious “fat cakes”, a type of sweetened yeast bread.  Afterwards, Einstein took us to his home and we met his family.  His mother and father were working outside in their garden.  Einstein showed us the inside of the house, which consisted of three rooms – a kitchen/living room area, and two small bedrooms.  Einstein lives separate from the family in a small building in the corner of the yard that was constructed by him and his father.  It is the tradition that young men live separate from their family once the boys have gone through the initiation of the manhood ceremony.  Today, we will return to the Love Life center and are to visit a nearby high school.

July 19, 2016 - Nelson Mandela and African community.

July 19, 2016— Yesterday was Nelson Mandela’s birthday and our group visited NMMU (Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University) which is located on an animal reserve.   Afterwards we visited the Donkin Reserve and traveled through the surrounding area with a retired History professor who served as our tour guide stopping at Wezandla Gallery and Craft Center where I found a few items to place in my classroom culture corner to be shared with my third grade students.  We visited The Red Location (a small township) and I purchased a piece of pottery from a local artist that works and sells her items from her house.  Today, we visited The Love Life Center, an organization that focuses on HIV/AIDS prevention through the recruitment of young men and women who become “ground breakers”.  These young people work within their local community offering activities that support and encourage fellow community members to lead a positive and healthy lifestyle.  The commitment and positive attitude of these young workers made my heart smile.  They are definitely living by the idea “My future is up to me-Make your move – that is displayed on the posters in their center.

Day 1, July 16th - Show of Hands Project

Wow! What a wonderful first day in South Africa.  This morning I was privileged to be given the opportunity to participate with VWSA Show of Hands project.  This is a group of local volunteers that worked on making renovations to the Htlemeza Primary School in Uitenhage.  Afterwards, our van driver gave us an impromptu tour through the surrounding area before returning us to our Bed and Breakfast.  We then visited a few shops and ate an early dinner at a restaurant located on the Boardwalk that was within walking distance of our B&B.  Tomorrow we are going to visit Addo and Kragga Game Park.  I have my camera charged and ready!