Tuesday, July 16, 2013

July 12

Today I helped with our first ever teacher training seminar. We met right after the graduation ceremony in one of the classrooms of the Mulunguzi Primary School. Forty-three teachers sat patiently as we explained all the uses for the math materials we brought, as well as a lesson on pulleys. It was hard to tell if anything was making sense until we broke into groups and let the teachers explore the materials on their own. That was when the conversations and questions started happening.
 

Later we were able to answer questions, some of which just seemed like personal health questions. Then I got to teach a lesson on phonics and beginning words. Tammy taught more advanced English lessons like making sentences and writing essays. Kathy made a solar oven out of some boxes and we cooked s'mores. It was their first time seeing marshmallow, so we may have started a new trend. We ended our time today with a round of the song, "I like to eat apples and bananas, " which they seemed to really enjoy.
 

It was interesting to hear the challenges the teachers face with classes of sixty to one-hundred children. With no computers and very little training available to them, I hope what we brought will inspire them to figure out new ways to teach all the students in their care. 
-Michelle



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