Week 8- 24/03/14

Professional

‘The ‘knowing of knowledge’ is no longer enough to succeed in the increasingly complex, fluid, and rapidly evolving world in which we live.’ (CCEA,2007,p.1)

Guess what my job is?

After only a few days in City Parents school I was astonished by the wealth of knowledge that my class displayed. Yet the skills to apply this knowledge lacked. Over the past five weeks I have been determined to integrate as much active learning into my lessons in the hope that children will develop skills to become independent thinkers and problem solvers.

Showing off their hard work

A pupils impression of the job of a teacher

Art with 73 pupils 

Furthermore I have a keen interest in active learning and have taken the opportunity to carry out research in City Parents School which will form part of my final year dissertation. Observations have taken place, questionnaires were happily completed by members of staff and pupils have participated in active learning lessons to explore the barriers associated with active learning.

Finding a space to draw

Cultural

Enjoying the thrill of a Boda Boda journey

‘Keep your wits about you when driving; cyclists, cows and large potholes often appear from nowhere.’ (Fitzpatrick, 2012,p.532)

News spread quickly within Kampala that the traffic police have declared that Boda Boda drivers can only carry one passenger on each Boda, with the threat of arrest if stopped! Therefore when moving in Kampala City Centre Nicola and I travel separately.  Our Boda Boda driver, Victor explained in his excellent English that the traffic police are corrupt and so periodically declare new laws in the hope that they can stop, arrest, bribe and fine unsuspecting members of the public.

If I was to write a travel guide to Kampala I would definitely advise seeing Kampala from the back of a Boda Boda. Not only do I enjoy the thrill of a Boda Boda journey but I spend every minute taking in the surroundings and enjoying the weird and wonderful things as I pass by.

A normal sighting in Kampala!

Daily life in Budabika

Riding solo

Personal

Weekends are a time to relax and socialise after the busy week at school. Kampala is a City of extremes – extreme poverty and extreme wealth. There are many new and upcoming places to eat and shop and this weekend we enjoyed great food and company!

Natalie and Jonny at the Bistro 

Emma and Cara at the Bistro

A favourite place for a mid - week treat

La Cafesseire serves a super meal

Sunday afternoons are spent at Tomorrow’s Heroes and their aim is to ‘provide a safe, secure and supportive environment for the children where they can forget their worries of street life. We also present the gospel of Jesus Christ to these children by practically caring for them and sharing the word of God.’

Michael and Nicola teaching the 'Lions' a dance

Audience for the dance competition

Jonny and Joshua 

Looking great in my shades!

Each and every moment spent with the street kids is special and each and every child touches your heart. Not only do we provide medical care, food and entertainment for the boys but we show them love, support and help them to know someone believes in them and cares for them. Boys who are ‘tough’ and hardened by street life call me ‘Auntie Naomi’ and love a hug or a chance to rest their head on your shoulder.

On Saturday we planned to visit the home for street boys who have received sponsorship but the boys informed us that their school was hosting a concert and so we decided to attend. On arrival we tried to find a space at the back of the audience but instead we were paraded to the front and welcomed personally – having to stand up and wave at all those gathered. The concert was wonderful with a variety of cultural dances from all regions in Africa and we were amazed by the community spirit displayed.

Kids and parents at St Peter's Primary School

Dancing and singing 

Super costumes in P1 

References

CCEA (2007) Active Learning and Teaching Methods for Key Stages 1&2, Belfast:CCEA.

Fitzpatrick, M (2012) Lonely Planet, East Africa, Austraila: Trent Holden.

Tomorrow’s Heroes (2011-2014) Tomorrow’s Heroes, Street children of Uganda, available from http://streetchildrenuganda.wordpress.com/  [accessed 30/03/14].

Week 7 - 17/03/14

Professional

Testing under way

“Assessment which is explicitly designed to promote learning is the simple, most powerful tool we have for both raising standards and empowering lifelong learners.”

(Beyond the Black Box, Assessment Reform Group, 1999) (cited in CCEA, 2009, p.v)

Last week in City Parents School marked the time for end of month exams once more in Literacy, Numeracy and R.E. Exams were carried out under strict conditions and I think was as nervous as the pupils, hoping that they would remember all I had taught them!

Glad exams are over!

Assessment sheets

Pupil assessment is very important in this school with pupils undergoing constant and rigorous assessment. Each day I record marks from completed work and complete individual assessment sheets for all 73 pupils. This method is used as class sizes are large and teachers struggle to monitor pupil learning.

Knowing how beneficial self-assessment is for pupils I use techniques such as ‘thumbs up, thumbs down’ to gauge if pupils are confident that they are able to complete work and achieve. 

Thumbs up or thumbs down?

Cultural

A Christian message on a Matatu

Walking through the supermarket on my first day after arriving in Uganda I found myself singing along to the music blaring through the speakers. It wasn’t the usual secular music played in shops at home but I realised that it was a worship CD playing.

Over the past weeks and months in Uganda I cannot help but realise the extremely open Christian culture that exists. Buses, taxis and boda bodas display signs that declare ‘God is love’ or ‘The Lord is my strength’. 

‘Unlike Westerners, most Ugandans see physical and spiritual life as a continuum, where spiritual life as a continuum, where spiritual and material reality blends so seamlessly that the two are inseparable.’  (Otiso, 2006, p.21)

Morning prayers in P2Y

On Wednesday morning I began to teach my first lesson of the day. In a matter of minutes my lesson was stopped and the boys and girls were asked to kneel down and pray the Lord’s Prayer, the Grace, the school prayer and offer their own individual prayers. Religion is important in the Ugandan culture and this is reinforced to children from a young age. 

Even notes I receive from the children finish with ‘God bless you’.

'May God bless you'

             

This street kid Solomon, like many others has been immersed in the Christian culture in Uganda and told me on Sunday 'God loves you'. 

Solomon is always smiling!

Unfortunately despite the ‘Christian culture’, ironically there are people especially in the government of Uganda who do not uphold Christian moral standards.

Personal 

Worry does not empty tomorrow of its troubles, it empties today of its strength.” ― Corrie Ten Boom 

(cited in Franklin, 2008, p.175)

Despite this truth as expressed by Corrie Ten Boom I am known to be the world’s biggest worrier. I worried before I arrived in Uganda that I would find settling into a new culture difficult, but this was most definitely time wasted. With the development of technology the world is a smaller place and the warm welcome extended by those I meet has help me to relax and settle. I am enjoying the relaxed lifestyle, characteristic of the African people. I have grown closer in my relationship to God, have read book after book on kindle and look forward to a few lengths of the swimming pool each day after school. I hope not only to make the most of this in my time here but when I go home to integrate elements of this lifestyle into my own life thus relaxing and enjoying the little things in life.

Enjoying time to relax with friends 

 References 

Otiso, K (2006) Culture and Customs of Uganda, USA: Greenwood PRESS.

Franklin, B.(2008) When You're Down to Nothing, God Is Up to Something, USA: Library of Congress.

CCEA (2009) Assessment for learning, a practical guide, Belfast: CCEA.

Week 6 - 10/03/14

Professional

Nap time in P2Y

As afternoon approaches I notice how my usually lively class of P2s begin to fidget, lose concentration and look rather exhausted. Unfortunately brain breaks and a game of ‘do this, do that’ isn't enough to help them waken up. Some of the children have been in school from six o'clock as their parents have left them off before they go to work and many stay until half past five. Nearly twelve hours in school is tiring for a young child and so after lunch time my classroom is transformed and 73 sleepy children have an hour and a half to rest. Very little learning occurs in the afternoon as much concentration is lost. Hays explains that ‘light to moderate fatigue affects performance, while heavy or extreme levels of fatigue affect both performance and learning.’  (Hays, 2006, p.150)

Dinner time at City Parents

Cultural

‘The rainy season swaggers in off Lake Victoria with sleeves rolled up and both fists flying, in massive soul- stirring thunderstorms, frequently at night, or just at dawn, as if nature were warming up for wither a heavyweight championship or exuberant orchestration of Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony.’ (Shullenberger  and Shullenberger,1998, p.16)

After six weeks of intense sunshine and scorching temperatures the weather took a turn for the worst. Rainy season has arrived in Africa and despite our Northern Irish origins the rain made things much more difficult and a little unpleasant!

Feeling cold and wet

Invitation to the ambassadors party

The Irish community in Uganda had an exciting weekend of activities lined up to celebrate St Patricks day. Nicola and I had the pleasure of attending the Irish Ambassadors garden party on Thursday night. It was a night for those with Irish roots and friends to mingle and appreciate Irish traditional music and native Ugandan dance and song. On Friday night we went to Bubbles to savour Irish stew and take in some more traditional Irish music played by a band flown from Ireland for the occasion. It was a great opportunity to meet others who are visiting or who live here and share experiences with one another.  

Uganda dance troop

Dressed and ready to go

Garden party at the Irish Ambassadors house

Personal

‘Kindness is a language the deaf can hear and the blind can see.’ (Twain, 1998, p.2)

On Sunday 16^th March I celebrated my 21^st birthday and what a memorable birthday I had! On Saturday I was treated to a massage, manicure and pedicure followed by a delicious evening meal in Cayenne with Nicola, Natalie and Jonny.

Birthday treats!

'Soothing Spot'

Nicola and Natalie at Cayenne

Nicola and I at Cayenne

To top off a lovely day we had tea and a cupcakes birthday cake. Throughout my day I was shown so much kindness, even the staff in the Soothing Spot performed a five minute medley of birthday songs for me – I didn’t know when it would end! Over the past few weeks we have got to know a lady who works with single mothers helping them to make and sell crafts and on my birthday she produced a bracelet for me as a gift. It is true that Ugandans have such generous hearts.

Birthday cupcakes

Blowing out the candles

Evelyn at Red Chilli 

On Sunday I was overwhelmed with cards and gifts from home and friends here in Uganda. A friend from home had created a video of family and friends wishing me Happy Birthday. I also loved having the opportunity to Skype with all my family and to be able to congratulate my brother on his recent engagement! After a lovely lunch I was excited to spend my afternoon with the street boys at Tomorrow’s Heroes. This was the best gift for my birthday. Just as I was leaving at the end of the programme the boys surrounded me and sang Happy Birthday. These boys have so little but they touched my heart with their expression of love.

Birthday wishes from the street kids

Helen Keller ‘The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.’ (Weissman, 2005,p.30)

References

Hays, R. (2006) The Science of Learning: A Systems Theory Perspective, Florida: Brown Walker Press.

Shullenberger, B and Shullenberger, W (1998) Africa Time: Two Scholars' Seasons in Uganda, Maryland: University Press of America, Inc.

Twain, M (1998) Bite-Size Twain: Wit and Wisdom from the Literary Legend, USA: St Martin’s Press.

Weissman, D. (2005)The Power of Infinite Love and Gratitude, United States: Hay House, Inc.

Week 5 – 03/03/14

Professional

It’s hard to believe week two in City Parents School is complete! Once again it has been an exciting and busy week with a successful teaching observation on Thursday.

Getting used to using chalk

My teaching ability has been stretched and more skills have been developed. My computer, data projector, printer and laminator have been replaced by a blackboard, some chalk, card and felt tips. I am definitely not a born artist and so creating exciting and engaging visual aids for class filled me with dread! Yet, my heart was set on making a difference to these children and enhancing their chance of learning so each night I have become more ambitious drawing, colouring and cutting because 'a wealth of historical and recent research has demonstrated that comprehension and retention increase dramatically when visual aids are used.’ (Eline,1984, p.1)

Clever Croc helping us with Numeracy

As soon as I walk into the school gates I can’t help but smile especially when you see the smiles and waves of so many enthusiastic children. After class a pupil asked me ‘why do you smile when you see us?’. I realised that there are many children who don’t get a welcoming smile each morning as they come to school or receive a comforting hug when they are upset. It is easy to underestimate the affect you are having but an African proverb puts it beautifully:

 ‘If you think you are too small to make a difference you’ve never been to bed with a mosquito.’  (Urbanska and Levering, 2004,p.55)

Funny faces in P2Y

Big smiles from P2Y

Cultural 

'However little food we have, we’ll share it even if it’s only one locust. ~Malagasy Proverb' 

Chapatti, beans and rice

I had already noticed the generous hearts of the Ugandan people who would give their last even to us who have so much. In school each day the staff persistently offer us food and won’t take no for an answer. We came to discover that it was important for us to eat the food they offered us as it is rude to refuse and it is an excellent way to integrate with the staff. At break time we are served large mugs of African tea and baps. Dinner time on Friday we had a favourite African meal of Chapatti, beans and rice. It didn’t look so good but we were surprised at how good it tasted!

Personal

Tim Cahill ‘A journey is best measured in friends rather than miles’ (cited in Zaglada, 2010, p.238)

We have been so blessed to have made friends from Northern Ireland and England since we have arrived in Uganda. They have made us welcome in their home and have made sure we get the most out of our time in Uganda, introducing us to their friends from other countries.We mightn't have been at home this year for Shrove Tuesday but on Tuesday evening they invited us into their home for pancakes to celebrate pancake Tuesday together. They introduced us to a Kampala International Church where we now attend and each Sunday I am struck that under one roof there people from many different 'nations, tribes and tongue' worshipping together and sharing in fellowship. Personally this has helped and strengthened me so much already as I have been in Uganda.

 

Pancake Tuesday in Uganda

Kampala International Church

References

Eline, L. (1984) How to Prepare and Use Effective Visual Aids, USA: ASTD Press.

Mulch, M.(2003). Madagascar Saying, Old Sayings and Proverbial Wisdom.Available: http://www.historyofpainters.com/madagascar_proverbs.htm. Last accessed 09/03/14.

Urbanska, W. and Levering, F (2004) Nothing’s too small to make a difference, Library of Congress,Canada:Cataloging in Publication Data.

Zaglada, V. (2010) One Coach's Journey from East to West, Bloomington: Authorhouse.