Today we will again go to two of the schools we visited yesterday. This time we want to distribute the gifts for the pupils. The tiredness caused by the efforts and the heat of the last few days can no longer be denied by all of us. But as soon as we meet the children and see their shining eyes, we have full motivation and energy for the day.?
We split up into two groups to coordinate better. One team goes to Ukombozi Primary School and the second team to Kilimani Primary School. There is a class for children with an intellectual disability, which is integrated into the school yard.
We brought pencils, sharpeners and erasers for the classes of the Kilimani School. The children are very happy about the small gifts and thank us very a lot. Especially for Karolina, as a future primary school teacher, the insight into the learning methods of the local teachers is interesting. We were particularly surprised that the children learn fractions in maths lessons at a very young age.
Unfortunately, we also notice that the classrooms are very crowded. We see children who have to follow the lessons from the floor. We again observe scenes where already crying pupils are beaten with a stick in front of the class. Joanitha from our team, who is also a teacher, immediately approaches the teacher in charge. However, the only reasons given for the beatings are, that the children would not listen to them and that they cannot yet read and write. We emphasise again that this method is unacceptable to us and that we will stop supporting these schools if these methods continue to be used.
We bring small foam balls, tennis balls, massage balls, normal play balls, sitting mats, a puzzle mat, cups and plates as well as learning posters to the Ukombozi School. We spread the mats out on the floor right away to increase the seating area for the children. We use the puzzle mat to practise and illustrate the numbers with the pupils. The foam balls are used to develop the children’s gross and fine motor skills.
The teacher of the class is very happy about the presents and we are confident that they will also be used in class. They immediately start playing with the balls. The mats and posters are also put to use immediately. Every child wants to be hugged and seeks closeness to us. It is hard to say goodbye, but after two hours we make our way back to the common meeting point.?
Tomorrow there are more visits to the other primary schools on the agenda. We will also bring presents and would like to get closer impressions of the differences between the individual schools in this district.
Blog der Pfarre Hildegard Burjan 