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.