It's taken some time, but I believe we have the plan in place for the students at St. Theresia to be happily reading novels for the foreseeable future. Thanks to the efforts of Denise and our friends in Berkely, California, the students have stories which they have begun reading with enthusiasm. They are so thankful for these resources.
The headmaster and staff are going to see to it that the withdrawal and return systems are used to ensure the longevity of the books and widespread usage among the students.
I want to convey my heartfelt thanks to our friends in Timmins, Ontario for the books and sports equipment you have provided as well. The Games' Days have a considerably larger number of participants which is contributing to the lives of the students in so many ways beyond the natural benefits of physical activity. They are enjoying the access to games they haven't been able to play regularly before.
I am confident that the rest of the books will arrive soon, and the students will have an even greater variety of reading materials from which to choose. The textbooks have been an invaluable contribution, and now the students will be able to share texts between pairs of them. This is a great improvement which increases opportunities for learning and achievement.
Asanteni sana wote. Thank you so much to everyone. Words cannot adequately convey how much your efforts have meant to the staff, students, and school as a whole. They are deeply appreciative of everything you've done. There is much hope in the potential for success now and for the future.
Safari njema.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Half Way There
I was looking forward to the day even though I had only one class to teach. We would be reviewing the Form III weekly English test, then I would be returning to town to visit a local government school. I was pleasantly surprised as I received word from the school secretary that a package had arrived. I must admit that I have been anxiously awaiting the delivery of the books, and I had begun to wonder if they would ever get here. Well, I was very excited when I entered the office to find a box from Dar Es Salaam. Its contents were the abridged readers from Oxford University Press. I could scarcely believe it. One down one to go.
I took the box into one of the teacher's offices to open it. All of the books had arrived. The headmaster and one of the English teachers joined me. They were so excited to see the books, not to mention all of the titles from around Africa.
It will take some work to organize and log all of them, but this is a minor detail. My associates are eager to share the materials with the students.
They acknowledged their love of reading, and they will strive to transform the students' attitudes towards reading as it is something they haven't had the opportunity in which to engage up until now. They assured me that they will strive to work towards this end. I share their enthusiasm, and I eagerly await news on their progress after I leave the school.
Congratulations to Mwalimu Denise and the friends of Theresia from California for your efforts on behalf of the students at St. Theresia Secondary School. Asanteni Sana.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Cultural Summary
I have had the good fortune to be working with the Ninth and Eleventh Grade English Classes during my time at St. Theresia Secondary School. It's been a treasure really to be working with the new students as they embark on their instruction in the English language. Similarly, I have really enjoyed teaching the eleventh graders as they were the first group I taught when I originally came to Moshi. It has been a pleasure to observe their progress over the past two years.
With the eleventh grade students we have been working from the eleventh grade text which covers various elements of English usage from structures, to forms of writing and communication skills, and a litany of writing topics.
Recently we have been focusing on national culture and its challenges in the global community with the availability of mass communication and open trade policies. In this context we have been learning to write summaries. It is still a challenging task encouraging students to think freely and create original ideas relevant to a given topic. The students were assigned the task of writing their own summary using the information from the finished questions after a brief review of some comprehension questions we completed to evaluate their understanding of the concept of a summary and the role of culture in a society. I relied on a student to translate the instructions I had conveyed in English. The results were very positive as a good number of the students were able to synthesize the information to produce a summary about culture and its challenges in Tanzania. Some even wrote a completely original essay about the subject. The students were anxious to share their work with me, and I was excited about the outcome.
We completed our successful with a song which the students have learned to sing recently entitled One Love by Bob Marley. It was a wonderful ending to not only the lesson but the week as a whole.
With the eleventh grade students we have been working from the eleventh grade text which covers various elements of English usage from structures, to forms of writing and communication skills, and a litany of writing topics.
Recently we have been focusing on national culture and its challenges in the global community with the availability of mass communication and open trade policies. In this context we have been learning to write summaries. It is still a challenging task encouraging students to think freely and create original ideas relevant to a given topic. The students were assigned the task of writing their own summary using the information from the finished questions after a brief review of some comprehension questions we completed to evaluate their understanding of the concept of a summary and the role of culture in a society. I relied on a student to translate the instructions I had conveyed in English. The results were very positive as a good number of the students were able to synthesize the information to produce a summary about culture and its challenges in Tanzania. Some even wrote a completely original essay about the subject. The students were anxious to share their work with me, and I was excited about the outcome.
We completed our successful with a song which the students have learned to sing recently entitled One Love by Bob Marley. It was a wonderful ending to not only the lesson but the week as a whole.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Sports Day
At long last. That phrase means so many things at this point. I will gladly elaborate. Another important aspect of this project was for our supporters to provide some athletic equipment such as soccer and volleyballs. I made a weekend trip to the city of Arusha which is about an hour's bus ride west of Moshi towards the Serengeti National Park. I checked the availability, quality, and prices of the equipment at a few different shops. I settled on one shop which had all of the equipment we were seeking. We purchased 2 soccer balls, 2 volleyballs, and a pump with a few additional pins. These were in addition to 2 soccer balls which I had acquired in Canada prior to my departure. The school would now have access to a greater variety of equipment whereby more children especially female students would be encouraged to participate. I was anxious to return to Moshi to deliver the goods.
After a mix up in the timing of the holiday of Maulidi which actually took place today, Tuesday, I returned to Moshi at midday on Monday with the intention of taking all of the items out to the school.
I arrived early at the campus following my dala dala ride which frankly I had expected to take somewhat longer. In any event both staff and students were delighted with my news. I presented the balls and pump to a staff member who prepared an adequate storage space. She then proceeded to hand them off to two student monitors who were responsible for the taking and return of the equipment.
We proceeded to the pitch at a leisurely pace, still with plenty of time to enjoy a full period at the field.
Along with a couple of the other teachers I began playing volleyball with a small group of students. The group increased in number as we encouraged the girls to participate. Eventually, there were about a dozen people playing bump. We demonstrated the proper hitting, bumping, and passing techniques to the students, so they could play more effectively without injuring themselves. It turned into quite a vigorous game.
Out at the pitch the boys had warmed up and were already having a match. With the extra balls other boys were training/practicing and enjoying the afternoon. They were even including children from the local primary school with whom St. Theresia shares the field. In another area students from Njoro primary were playing with their home-fashioned soccer balls made out of discarded plastic bags and bits of rubber bound together with either some sort of twine or extra piece of rubber.
In yet another area a group of fifteen or so girls were engaged in what appeared to be a game of chase which involved a two handed overhead pass to a partner followed by a short run to replace the other person some 10 metres away. It was quite strenuous as I quickly discovered. The girls were really enjoying the game and the opportunity to actively participate.
There must have been about 120 or more children in total between the secondary and primary students who were actively engaged in physical activity which has so many health benefits. This is a dramatic increase from the numbers of students who were similarly engaged when I started coming to the pitch with them almost two years ago. It was truly a fantastic sight to witness.
We will be attempting to acquire a volleyball net in the coming days, so that we can begin having matches and teaching more skills.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Developing New Skills
Twende taratibu. Go forward in small steps. This morning was the first
time that we were able to distribute the novels and dictionaries to the
Ninth Grade students. I have been eager to use all of the new resources at
our disposal.
We are reading a novel called Mabala the Farmer.
Each student is able to read from an individual copy of the
novel which were distributed first. The lesson began with the students searching for terms from the chapter with which they were not familiar.
We listed all of the vocabulary on the blackboard.
It took us some time to list all of the
unknown words. The students, then copied all of the words into their
own vocabulary list which they could use when they are reading
independently. We worked on pronunciation. Next, I distributed the
English-Kiswahili dictionaries to students usually 2-3 per group, so
they could look up the words. We talked about the proper use and
handling of the dictionaries to ensure long term care. I conducted an
introductory lesson on how to use the dictionary and explain how it is
organised. I described what guide words were which seemed to have been generally
understood among the students. I followed this by allowing the
students some time to search for words and become familiar with how the
dictionary worked. They eagerly looked up the words they did not know.
I then had students come to the main board to write down the
definitions in Swahili for their classmates. They enjoyed the opportunity to write for their fellow students. All the books were checked
for spelling and completion of the task which was done very well.
We proceeded to read the third chapter. Students were eager to participate
in oral reading. Some students needed encouragement to speak loudly and
clearly as this is a feature of classes which they do not typically get to do. I was gratified by the increase of students who wished to read aloud further developing their skills. It was a very good class, and the students enjoyed it immensely. Future lessons will be directed at reinforcing these skills and building comprehension of the story itself.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Pics are forthcoming. Just need to work out file sizes, so they can be published.
time that we were able to distribute the novels and dictionaries to the
Ninth Grade students. I have been eager to use all of the new resources at
our disposal.
We are reading a novel called Mabala the Farmer.
Each student is able to read from an individual copy of the
novel which were distributed first. The lesson began with the students searching for terms from the chapter with which they were not familiar.
We listed all of the vocabulary on the blackboard.
It took us some time to list all of the
unknown words. The students, then copied all of the words into their
own vocabulary list which they could use when they are reading
independently. We worked on pronunciation. Next, I distributed the
English-Kiswahili dictionaries to students usually 2-3 per group, so
they could look up the words. We talked about the proper use and
handling of the dictionaries to ensure long term care. I conducted an
introductory lesson on how to use the dictionary and explain how it is
organised. I described what guide words were which seemed to have been generally
understood among the students. I followed this by allowing the
students some time to search for words and become familiar with how the
dictionary worked. They eagerly looked up the words they did not know.
I then had students come to the main board to write down the
definitions in Swahili for their classmates. They enjoyed the opportunity to write for their fellow students. All the books were checked
for spelling and completion of the task which was done very well.
We proceeded to read the third chapter. Students were eager to participate
in oral reading. Some students needed encouragement to speak loudly and
clearly as this is a feature of classes which they do not typically get to do. I was gratified by the increase of students who wished to read aloud further developing their skills. It was a very good class, and the students enjoyed it immensely. Future lessons will be directed at reinforcing these skills and building comprehension of the story itself.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Pics are forthcoming. Just need to work out file sizes, so they can be published.
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