Playing in Preschool

Euranda Mwiinga (left) and Ruth Hachitema stringing beads at a fine motor skills center

I was invited to help out and mentor the teacher of the preschool at Hamoonde Basic School. Last year I had done a preschool teachers workshop for a group of about 15.  I pretty much had to plan again and review what I had done for that. Good thing too as I’ve been asked to do the same workshop again during the term break coming up here in April for another 10 or so preschool teachers. It is the Brethren In Christ Church Children Development Center (BICC CDC) that has requested me to do this again for them. In turn I’ve asked the director to present the idea of a Child Protection Policy to the head teachers for the schools MCC funds through Global Family.

But back to the fun stuff!  I had a great time planning some play based learning centers for Hamoonde preschool whose teacher asked for me to come do some teaching (mentoring through example) as well as meeting afterwards to do some mentoring.  It was great because I got to show with children how play based learning can work in the classroom as well as answer questions and concerns about it afterwards. I was lucky as this class only has 16 students (only 13 that were actually there on Monday). I’m not sure what her reaction to it was or if she will do the learning centers again as it’s a big leap from what teachers are used to doing in Zambia.  I left supplies so she can do at least some of the centers again (play dough, beading, building boxes, paint - which will only last a couple more days as it was homemade, coloured chalk, lacing card, and math games). 

So, let me have the pictures do the rest of the talking. Especially since I forgot to take any photos when I did the last preschool workshop! (It’s more fun to see the kids instead of the teachers anyways!)

Gift Chilwalo (left) and Namakau Haluumba finger painting (most likely their first time ever)

Euranda Mwiinga (left) and Ruth Hachitema playing a math game: "Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear"

Phanuel Malumani looking through his building
"boxes" (blocks) creation

Gift Chilwalo (left) and Namakau Haluumba playing with play dough

Euranda Mwiinga (left) and Clarina Mudenda finger painting

Phanuel Malumani stringing beads

Gift Chilwalo (front) and Namakau Haluumba playing at the
writing station (drawing pictures on the chalkboard)

Namakau Haluumba stringing beads

Lukondo Hachisaala show off her
building blocks creation

Ruth Hachitema playing with
building blocks (boxes)

The job is faithfulness, not changing the world

A praying mantis

We've hit 1.5 years in Zambia.  This sums up my thoughts perfectly for being halfway through our 3 year term. I hope you enjoy it too!

Archbishop Oscar Romero Prayer: A Step Along The Way

It helps, now and then, to step back and take a long view. 

The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts, it is even beyond our vision.

We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction of the magnificent

enterprise that is God's work. Nothing we do is complete, which is a way of

saying that the Kingdom always lies beyond us.

No statement says all that could be said.

No prayer fully expresses our faith.

No confession brings perfection.

No pastoral visit brings wholeness.

No program accomplishes the Church's mission.

No set of goals and objectives includes everything.

This is what we are about.

We plant the seeds that one day will grow.

We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise.

We lay foundations that will need further development.

We provide yeast that produces far beyond our capabilities.

We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that.

This enables us to do something, and to do it very well.

It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an

opportunity for the Lord's grace to enter and do the rest.

We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the master

builder and the worker.

We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not messiahs.

We are prophets of a future not our own.

Bishop Ken Untener of Saginaw 

*This prayer was composed by Bishop Ken Untener of Saginaw, drafted for a homily by Card. John Dearden in Nov. 1979 for a celebration of departed priests. As a reflection on the anniversary of the martyrdom of Bishop Romero, Bishop Untener included in a reflection book a passage titled "The mystery of the Romero Prayer." The mystery is that the words of the prayer are attributed to Oscar Romero, but they were never spoken by him.

Taken from:

http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/prayers-and-devotions/prayers/archbishop_romero_prayer.cfm

I had a TIA (This is Africa) day last Friday!

Lilac Breasted Roller (they are beautiful and probably the bird I see the most often)

It started with another flat tire, but since we saw it was flat on Thursday before heading to bed, once again it wasn’t a huge deal.  Andrew put on the spare on Friday morning and took it to the tire place while I enjoyed a cup of coffee, checked work e-mails, and stayed with the kids. The rim of the tire was bent (same one as 3 weeks before) but in no time at all (close to 10am) I was on the road and heading for one of my schools. I had communicated (text message) with the head teacher (principal) about being a bit late due to the flat tire. I know he received my message as I got a short response.

Andrew changing the flat tire
 (this was the first Friday)

On the way I had to slam on the brakes so I didn’t hit a baboon. TIA. (Trust me - I thought about hitting it - I have about the same opinion of them as a gopher - but they are quite a bit bigger). I had seen another one dash in front of me, but these two must have been hiding in the bush just waiting for the car to get closer.

A small mammal also ran across the road in front of me (no brakes needed this time). I’ve decided to just tell myself, “it was a mongoose” so I don’t keep getting frustrated about not being able to ID it. (I’m 90% sure it wasn’t a mongoose!)

I showed up at the school a bit after 11. (No animals were harmed during the mornings travels). The head teacher (principal) proceeded to tell me that all his Grade 1-4 teachers (the ones I came to see) were at a workshop at a nearby school.  TIA.  After we discussed that yes, when you contacted me this morning it would have been okay to let me know and reschedule. TIA. And oh, there was one teacher who would come at 1:00.  But the kids have an “assembly” at 1:00 so perhaps it would be better to come at 1:20 or 1:30. Okay, so I’ve been in Zambia for a year and a half now so this didn’t phase me.  I figured I was supposed to be mentoring this one teacher specifically this time. I also realized I didn’t want to sit there and get stared at by the head teacher or the pupils for 2 hours. So, off I went to the next town, where there happens to be a private BIC school that I check in on once in awhile as time allows. Plus lots of new missionary friends who have recently come to work at this school.  I hadn’t planned on driving the extra 15-20 minutes down the really badly potholed road (takes 5-7 minutes usually during dry season) but who makes plans?  TIA.  I was welcomed at the school and jumped into helping serve hot chocolate to almost the entire school (they came in shifts, a couple grades at a time). 

A bit after 1:00 I went back to the first school. The Grade 2 teacher welcomed me into her classroom warmly and together we set up a word wall (in Chitonga) in her classroom. I was even able to teach a bit.  It made me realize how much I actually miss teaching.  In typical fashion the class was sitting quiet and still in their desks while we put sticky tac on letters and put them on the wall.  As I was putting the letters on the wall I heard whispers “F...... G..... H..... I...... J”  I took the teachable moment and I started to hold up the letter and ask them what letter it is. (The teacher translated at first, but then we got into a pattern). What is a word that starts with (this letter)? When they were silent I was able to provide a word in Chitonga, though my pronunciation was off, I’m sure!  We eventually started putting up words on the word wall and I had fun going around the class asking them to read the words (which most of them didn’t know) and then sounding it out until they recognized the word.  Then the whole class would say it. I’d pretend to put the word on the word wall under the wrong letter, and the class would say “PEEPE” (NO!) loudly. I’d move it to another wrong letter and once again “peepe!” Finally I call a student to come and help me put it in the right spot.  We had fun. 

Driving home later that afternoon (with only the usual animals: cows, guinea fowl, chickens, goats, and sheep) I realized that I had had a really good day.  

Because THIS IS AFRICA.

A cow wandering near a school (safer to take a photo of this instead of while driving!)
They sure look different compared to the cows we see in Canada! Eh?