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| 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.
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. 
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