Visiting Schools
Monday July 8 – Visiting schools after the training
Rebecca and I got to visit two schools where several teachers attended training. The first stop was Chawama where three of the eight teachers attended. Two of the three had really taken to heart what they had learned. Rebecca and I wanted to give them written feedback and we could hardly write the engagement strategies we were observing fast enough. Febby was teaching phonics and then using the words to increase vocabulary using the multiple representation method Rebecca had shown. Esther was teaching the multiple representation method with math. Both had students fully focused and engaged!!!
Teacher Febby
Teacher Esther
Rebecca and I were very pleased. The third teacher who attended the conference had some strategies and we found his lesson solid. We especially liked that he used real materials to demonstrate that fire needs oxygen.
Note the candles and open flame right there on the student desks! That’s pretty engaging. Another Fire Marshal alert! (Sorry its a little hard to see)
Rebecca and I were both struck by the huge difference in teaching between those with no training, some training, and much training. In that way it was encouraging. A new teacher with no training was sitting at her desk when we entered her classroom reading her Bible to herself while the rest of the class sat staring straight ahead silently. I asked what the children were doing. She informed me that they had already completed their math assignment. I asked what they were to do now. She replied that it was almost lunch time so they were just waiting. Then I found out lunch was in half hour!! I suggested she give them another assignment or teach something else.
The new teacher
We ended our tour at Mtendere to watch Mabuchi teach. Mabuchi has actually attended very few trainings by me since she has spent the majority of time with Bob in the Strengthening Children program. Rebecca and I loved her charismatic way with the children. They were hanging on her every word. I will miss not having her travel with us to Eastern Province as she has the past two years.
If my teacher looked like this I’d pay attention too!
Rebecca and Mabuchi say goodbye to each other.
We returned home to Nancy’s and waited for the water to come back on so we could wash clothes. Knowing we had little food in the house because we are going to be gone for a while, I suggested we go out and Nancy recommended the local Thai restaurant. It claims to be the only Thai restaurant in Zambia — maybe so… very good food!
We are packing and getting ready for our LONG trip tomorrow to Eastern Province. I bought a “dongle” which in theory should allow me to send and receive email from most anywhere in the bush. We shall see. If it doesn’t work this may be my last email for 10 days.
PS – in reading through my emails I have noticed several typos and errors — I am usually writing early in the morning or late at night – in both cases very tired and not much attention to detail – forgive me… Thanks for your on-going prayers.
Machelle