The Bitter End

 My last post.




South Africa is Beautiful.




Everything I thought it would be and more.

Beautiful Sun Sets

 Trees and plant life were so different.  So many new types of plants.

Amazing Animals and many game reserves

"Make A Friend"  from the first day of lessons at Emafini to the last day celebration.

The Children of South Africa

 The not so beautiful  South Africa.  

The litter - it was eye opening.                                                                   

 Rows of poor housing and squatter's camps

 Just a couple of comments on the litter.

1st -  This is a job opportunity.  When the litter gets bad enough, the government pays people to  clean up areas.


2nd -  One person commented that they were not concerned about the litter.  Even if you did pick it up today, the wind would blow more and it would be littered all over again.   (I don't get that one).

I can look through the thousand and so pictures I took from this month-long visit to South Africa and say to myself, what a once-in-a-lifetime adventure.  I hope I will be able to share my music experiences with other teachers near and far.  Sala kakuhle.  (Xhosa: Goodye! Stay well)

My African Big Five

Most people are familiar with the Big Five African Animals.  Well I have my own African Big Five. These people have left a big impression on me during this African Adventure.  I have been home for almost two weeks and this blog has been on my mind.

Thandile Gladile

I have already spoken about Thandile in an earlier blog.  I have promised myself to make a difference and help her raise money for walking sticks for the blind.  She has touched my heart and I plan on leading my church Pioneer Club on a service project to raise money and send it to her cause.

                 Vernon Naidoo is the second of my big five.  I did not give him credit in my earlier blog "Show of Hands" because I did not understand the intricate part he played in Volkswagen For Good "The Great Show of Hands".  Later, I noticed him at a second location we visited: Kama Elementary School.  During our tour of the school, he showed up 

Vernon Naidoo (not the best picture)

in the computer lab of this school. He made it possible for this school to have this computer lab.  Vernon was talking to a group of us and he explained why he puts so much into this community; Lovelife Center,  Htlemeza Primary School in Uitenhage, and now Kama.  These learners are the children of his current employees and that will one day be the workers in the Volkswagen plant in Port Elizabeth.  He has a genuine interest in these learners' education to help them become future citizens  for the community and beyond.   His work makes a difference today and is building the future.

                  The next person that made my big five is Lloyd Edwards.  He is the person that runs Raggy Charters out of Algoa Bay, Port Elizabeth, which was our whale watching adventure.   During this cruise, we 

Lloyd Ewards, his wife and our tour guide.

did not see whales, but so much more.  Before we went out in the boat, Lloyd spoke to us.  First it was about the election..surprise suprise.   Now you must remember, we were there during the election time.  I didn't blog on this topic...even though I had a rough draft ..never published commentary.  But what really resonated with me was that he said the outcome of the election was not something he expected to see in his life time.  Yes, changes needed to be made and the voters made it happen.  The next thing that I was in total awe about is the fact he made this a learning adventure...not just a whale watching expedition.   He told us about St. Croix and how the African Penguins were not able to sustain their colony because of the fishing boats in the area.  He gave credit to his wife for making a difference now and how they are making a come back.  Finally, he said  for the fuel it is going to take for us to go out and for the foot steps I have made on South Africa, he challenged each one of us to plant five trees, to make a difference for our being.  I accept that challenge.  I will plant five trees or shrubs.

This is Julian, our taxi driver.  He is the fourth of my big five.  He was with us for the entire trip expect for the first two days.  Wow!  I learned a lot just riding in his vehicle each day.   First of all, there is a special  language that all South African taxi drivers speak, and I am talking about their taxi horn.  In America, one blows their 

Julian

horn when one is mad or not approving of how another person is driving.  Not in South Africa.  You blow your horn for positive gestures. (occasionally it was a watch your driving sort of honk).    He was a very safe driver.  Everyday, he got us to our destinations whether it was Emafini or NMMU or even that fantastic farm market he introduced to us on the way to Grahamstown!  When we had questions about the different culture, he would kindly explain.  He even introduced us to the delicious "fat cakes".   Julian would also drive us to locations on the weekends.  If a large group of us wanted to go somewhere, not on the original itinerary, he volunteered to drive us.  (We did pay him for those trips).  He located the monkeys on the campus of NMMU and drove us to see them.  He researched places we asked about and shared information about them.  Thank you Julian for your gracious service and making our Port Elizabeth visit  a wonderful experience.

Donyell Roseboro dancing at Lovelife Center

And finally, but non the least, my last African Big Five is Donyell Roseboro.  She is not from South Africa at all, she is a professor at UNCW and the master mind of this wonderful experience.  She was the lead in our South African Culture, History, and Literacy Program  (SACHL Program) Fulbright-Hays Short Term Study Abroad Project for 2015-2016.  Without her vision and drive to make this happen, I would not have had the opportunity of a lifetime in this African adventure.   Donyell has demonstrated and shared her love for South Africa and Emifini.  I have one video from our last day at Emifini and  she quoted from her favorite American poet, Maya Angelou, "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."   Donyell, you have shared your love and experience of South Africa and Emafini with me and I will not forget how it has made me feel.  Thank you for all you have done.  

The Games They Play

On our last day at Emafini, I walked around outside to just see what the students do during their lunch break.  There is at least an hour of unsupervised time.  Most learners, no matter what age, play in small groups.

Finding some shade to hang out with friends.

 Usually, girls are playing together and have their games while boys have their games.  One thing that struck me as odd is the fact that there are specific girls' games and boys' games.  This first video is jump rope.  This game of jump rope has a different twist to it.  It would be great to teach this to our students.

A wrapped top ready for throwing down and spinning.  

                                   In the second video, the boys are playing with their tops.  It is quite fascinating to see them throw them down and while they are still spinning, pick them up in their hands.   The day before, I traded with a fifth grade boy, a harmonica for a top.  I don't know if I could ever wrap and throw it down so it spins, but I am going to try.Walking around that afternoon, a couple of young girls are just having a nice conversation while using the broken fence slat as a teeter-totter.  Another group of girls played a hand clapping game.  

As I continued to move around the school grounds, I saw some boys playing marbles and also a group of older boys pitching coins.  Pitching coins was not permitted because one of the 7th grade monitors went up to them and broke the game up.  I also saw some boys playing soccer. Soccer balls can be made from a number of types of material.  In fact one of them was made from plastic bags, tape and an old onion bag.

In the next two videos there are are some more jump rope games the girls where playing.  I find it amazing that the different ages of the girls will have different variations of jump rope games.  Actually, I did see the youngest group trying one of the other routines without success.  

And the last game that I watched reminded me of ball and jacks game.  I had a young learner explain the process: Begin with a number of stones in a circle,  Throw a stone up and pull as many stones out of the circle.  Next, throw the stone up and put all but one stone back into the circle.  Each time you are successful you get to keep that point.  The girls would continue throwing the stone up, moving the stones in and out of the circle and catching the stone before it hits the ground.   Only girls play this game.    

Last Day at Emafini

                    Our final day at Emafini on Thursday was bitter-sweet.  We arrived at the school during the noon break. (We went to BayWorld in the morning)  So I spent the 1st hour walking around watching the learners play and just be kids.  We gathered in the "teacher's lounge" area and as the Emafini teachers arrived, they were dressed in their formal wear.  Remember how colorful I said Women's Day was,  well, this is almost a replay of what I didn't take pictures of.  The ladies were all singing songs and dancing as people were arriving for the last ceremony.  Please take a listen to a couple short clips.  The harmony and parts are all without accompaniments and it is just beautiful.

                     During this farewell celebration lots of singing and dancing took place.  In fact, if there was a break between speakers or presentations, there was a song! 

During the celebration, a number of Emafini teachers spoke about their experience with the American teacher they got to work with.  I recorded Ntuthu as she shared.  My heart was overwhelmed when she said she thought she was finished but she learned that teachers are life-long learners.  I am glad to  have the opportunity to make a difference in her teaching career.    

NMMU Xhosa Experience

Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University Choir

What a treat today, listening to the NMMU Choir!  They are a wonderfully talented group of young adults that put their hearts into singing.  I chose to share one of my favorites, a Xhosa song that uses all the different clicks in the song.   First of all, my CFIES colleagues and I can make a connection because we have experience learning these clicking sounds in our language lessons with Ron...also at NMMU.  In the first video, the student explains how to do them...and yes, not everyone can!!!   Second of all, the audience had such a fun reaction, I thought I was in the Rocky Horror Picture Show with all the hooting and participation coming from all around us.  Please take the time to listen to this song.  In fact, I may even put another song on so you can hear just how good this group is.  The second song is a Northern African song about the rain, lighting and thunder.  Enjoy!

  

Women's Day Celebrated in South Africa

         Today, Tuesday, August 9th, is National Women's day in South Africa.  It is to commemorate the 1956 protest lead by Rahima Moosa, Lilian Ngovyi, Helen Joseph, and Sophia De Bruyn.  The protest was against the law that required all black South African women to carry a special identification pass in order for them to travel from one area to another during the Apartheid era.   This year marked the 60th anniversary since this historical march took place.
        For my first time being in SA and to see the celebration, these are the things I saw and noticed:   First of all, schools had the day off.  (They actually had Monday and Tuesday off.)  Then there were road blocks up as we were leaving our B&B for an early outing that day.  I believe our taxi driver said there was a race/walk going on.

Women's Living Heritage Monument Pretoria, SA 

Next, when I took a walk to the Pick 'N Pay market area, the hardware store and all the little stores around were not open for business.  But it wasn't until I walked into the Pick 'N Pay grocery store that I saw all the cashiers and workers dressed in their traditional clothing.  I wish I had a camera to take a picture because they were all so beautiful and colorful.  Then I began to notice all the African women in the coffee shop and the restaurants, they were dressed up (not all traditionally but sharp).  Later that afternoon, I took a walk to the Boardwalk area.  I was naturally drawn to singing...and in one of the Boardwalk restaurants, a  large group of women, again in their traditional dresses were singing what I would have thought a prayer before eating.  What a beautiful holiday to honor their heritage and their history.  Sorry, no pictures because I did not want to be disrespectful.

Recorder Time in Africa!

Hot Cross Buns

If you know me, I love teaching recorders.  I love teaching my learners different instruments.  You can check out my classroom blog I started last February of some of the activities in my American classroom at CFIES. "Making a Joyful Noise"  So, what did I pack in my suitcase....recorders, lots of colored recorders that was purchased with Spring Fling Funds.  This is the third lesson I am sharing with my Emafini learners (7th graders) and it includes reading the notes on the staff (which was applying the information in their notebook notes) and reviewing note values.

                 The activity was fun and most of the learners were successful. There were lots of squeaks and laughs and learners playing with the right hand instead of the the left, but for most part, I would say this experience was probably the first time most of the young people ever got to play an instrument. This is my excited moment.  This is why I love to teach music! 

                  When we were leaving the school that Monday, I found my host teacher looking over the recorder book I had left with her.  She liked the quiz that was included with the book so we went over the questions and the answers.    Now in the short 40 minute lesson that I taught them to play Hot Cross Buns, I did not really get to focus on all the elements this quiz was covering.  My hopes were that she would go back over that material before administering this quiz.  We were away from school the following two days.  I returned  Friday prepared to teach the fourth class of 7th graders this lesson playing Hot Cross Buns.  While I was teaching this time, I made sure to really focus on some of the points the quiz would cover like if you squeak, what two factors should you check? I made sure they understood the left hand was on top and even reviewed time signatures and note values.  I figured this will really help them out when it came time for them to take the test.   Then my hopes of them achieving crashed and burned.  One of the learners took out the recorder quiz that she had taken the previous day.   What?   These learners were not given instructions on playing a recorder but yet they took a quiz and it was graded!   The couple student quizzes I did look at did reveal some fairly high marks. But how?   But then I realized, all the notes were still visible on the board.  Can you tell this  really bothered me?                    

                     Now, I have never really observed my host teacher lead a lesson.  I did watch them copy word for word from one of their text books into their notebooks...but that's not teaching.  So this takes me to the article that we have been assigned to read.   An International Look at Educating Young Adolescents in South Africa by Paul Webb.  I enjoyed  reading this article because it started to fill in some of the questions I was speculating about teachers and the education system that I have been observing in South Africa.  This article focused on the concern of what language the teaching and learning should be in.  In addition it makes reference to the competence of teachers teaching and knowing their content material,  How about teaching strategies?   Let me pull in one more thought that has been unsettling to me.  The majority of teachers that I observed in the township schools are older.  Where are the young teachers?  So, what sort of training did they have to help them prepare to become a teacher?  What happens in 10 years when these current teachers at Emafini are retired, do you think a new teacher from the University will be teaching in the township schools?

                    Well today when we met and had a discussion group with Paul, the author of the article, I asked some of these questions.  I did get some answers.  The teachers that are currently working at Emafini, mostly older women, graduated from the teacher colleges that now have been close down.   So I asked.  Is South Africa going to have enough teachers when so many township teachers retire?   Paul sort of smiled and said, yes, there are teachers just not in all those places. I think education is going to be very interesting in the next 10-15 years in Africa.
                        My last thought was about the language again.  From my understanding, the students are to be  taught in Xhosa up to grade 3.  But I have noticed that in more than one of the primary schools that I visited, there is evidence of English in these grades. However all their written work  that I observed is in Xhosa.  But in level 4 and higher, language is suppose to be in English.  As Paul emphasized today, unlike our Spanish immersion at CFIES where the teacher does everything in the new language, here in the schools I have observed, teachers are still giving instruction in Xhosa, but their notes are all in English and the quizzes are all in English, hence the poor results of education.  This was even observed in Grahamstown.  I believe I even mentioned that I was surprised that the lecture was given in Xhosa and when we were in the forest, he only spoke Xhosa.  Language is always going to be a battle.  Students will continue to have the difficult task  of code switching.

Grey Junior School

African March Song

arranged by John O'Reilly

                We were welcomed to Grey Junior school by their 5th-7th band.  They played three great songs for us.  They opened with Captain America, which I thought was an appropriate welcome for us.  Their final selection was African March Song which comes from a traditional African Folk Song.  On Thursday the 4th of August, we visited a couple different school in Port Elizabeth.  Grey's, our first stop, is a state school, just like Emafini, but yet the advantages the learners have are beyond the dreams of Emafini.  At first I was thinking how unfair this is..here are two state schools but two very different school environments.  What makes the difference is the "tuition" that is paid to attend each school to help supplement what the state pays.  In our tours of schools in South Africa, we did not have the privilege of visiting a private school, although there is one right across the street from where we are staying.   Let me just say, it is very nice from outside the fence looking in.
                 While we were being escorted around the school, we got to tour many classrooms including the library and computer labs.  I was extremely impressed with the library and all the different reading programs they have for each grade level 4-7 that encouraged boys to read.  Fourth grade readers participate in the "Amazing Reading Race" while 5th graders are enjoying "Dictionopoly" which is set up similar to Monopoly.  Another level is "Hooked on Books".   Fantastic reading incentives for these boys.   It seems Grey Junior School offers a very rounded curriculum and lots of extra activities for their learners.  But what stands out is the support of the moms that volunteer daily.  The library boasted 70 working moms that help out on a regular basis.  This school by the way hosts around 800 students.  There are 4 classes of every level grades 1-7.  The classes are capped at 28-30 student learners.

The library

Moms on Duty  (they had the cold duty
running the snack stand for break)

Photo wall

Student art work as you enter the school.

This was one of the first picture displayed I saw as I walked into this school.  First of all I thought the student art work was excellent, but then I took a look at the content.  It shows how these learners value their families and their family is an important part of their schooling.

Student art work

Student art work

    I love the self portraits.   I wish we would have had time to visit the art room, however, we were running a bit behind schedule.

    A couple of last thoughts:
--- This school actually has 5 music instructors listed on their faculty page.  I know they have band, orchestra, and a couple choirs...but what else?
---I was surprised to learn that they are being cautious about adding SMART boards and technology in the classrooms despite the two computer labs and the rigorous computer lessons we observed.

Computer lab

   

Shine Emafini Shine!

Monday Morning Greeting!

As I got out of the taxi van this morning I was immediately drawn to the sound of singing.  I missed recording the first song, however the sight warmed my heart.  All the students were lined up according to their class and grade level.  The teachers lead this morning assembly.  Yes it was a bit chilly, but everyone gathered.  They said a beautiful greeting to us.  Since it rained last Monday and Friday when they had plans for the welcome, it was accomplished today.  

Shine Emafini, Shine!

After the Greeting a prayer and a hymn was shared.     Interesting though, not all students nor faculty are Christian, but yet it seems that every gathering at Emafini, including faculty meetings, consists of a prayer and a hymn.(beautiful harmony singing)  Afterwards, students were recognized for some great accomplishments.  First, a group of older students stepped forward and they were recognized for participating in the 5 K walk/run that was here in Summerstrand near where we are staying this past Saturday.  The next student  that was recognized was from third grade.  She was honored for being a strong student and asking her teacher to slow down the instruction so she could better understand.  

Afterwards, birthday greetings were sung by the entire student body and staff.  I did not hear whose birthday, however, I think if was for a couple of different people celebrating on the same day.  What a powerful morning assembly, what a powerful feeling of love and community.

Teaching level one

                   

Endinako worked very hard and completed all the work.

The experience in level one in Ms. Lucy’s class is an eye opener.  I love seeing these little ones so eager to learn.  In level one, they are doing their work in Xhosa language, so that is a challenge.  Ndiyakwazi ukuthetha kancici.  (I can speak a little bit)  The classes at the university with Ron are helping, but it is a difficult language with it’s clicks and different sounds.  Ndiyazama.  (I am trying).  So on Friday, I go directly to this class and open with a song.  The students are in their seats with a workbook opened and some are working, most are not.  We sing a couple songs that I have been teaching them.  The teacher still has not arrived so I look at their work book.  Not too much of this work book is complete and since we did just sing the alphabet song, (which the students did know previously) I started on the page that had them work on inserting the vowels into the words.  They also did an exercise where they would connect the dots following the alphabet.  The outline was the penguin.  Now it has been over an hour, an although Ms. Lucy popped her head in the classroom once and thank me for keeping her learners busy, it was time for me to go to my 7th grade music class.  I lead one more activity from the book, and still no teacher...I left the class working in their book.  Do you know how wrong that felt to me...leaving 5 and 6 year old children unattended?  Well, it is very common here.  In fact, there have been classes where the teacher is out and they have no one.  Substitutes are not hired when a teacher doesn't show up.  That puts a burden on other teachers that need to cover that class.

So today, on Monday, I wanted to just stop in the classroom to say hi and bye because our group was leaving the school early.  As I did, another teacher was teaching them in their workbooks.  Ms. Lucy was not at school today.  It didn't take but 30 seconds for that teacher to leave.  But wait, I am also leaving, I just stopped to say hi to the students and give them a lolly pop sucker.  She said she'd be back.  So for a second time, I left this class without an adult.   As I think about this situation, I realize these students are extremely independent and and know how to take care of themselves.  They will thrive.