An interesting article

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-32397212

The article above is both very depressing (since I'm here in Zambia striving to help the education system) and also freeing (since it does seem to be a very large job in which I can only do my best).

I thought I'd share it with you because the challenges that face my work here are enormous and I often feel like I've gone back to the pioneer days (corporal punishment and rote learning).

I try to keep it positive on this blog as there are many many joys to my job.  I also see small changes (and have hope that my schools will not take the full 100 years to "catch up").  But perhaps this will give you a small glimpse into the reality of education here in Zambia.

Prayers (and ideas!) are always appreciated.

Baobab Fruit and Cooking in Zambia

I posted a long time ago about how difficult it is to have Taco Night here in Zambia. (http://offeringupmylife.blogspot.ca/2014/02/cooking-canadian-meals-in-zambia.html)

I have had a follow up blog on how much more time consuming daily living is here and I'm finally posting it! More on that below... but first - sometimes you just have to try something new!

I saw this today being sold by one of the lady vendors on the street in town. I had been told by a friend that it was a baobab fruit.  I'd never heard of it so I didn't pay much mind but today, since I was buying some vegetables already I got it tossed into my bag just to top my purchases up to a nice even number (sometimes you can wait a long time for change!)  It's good to be curious.  I had heard you can buy baobab powder and Andrew had eaten (a fresher, not so dried) one of these while working at Chodort.  So I had a slight idea of what to expect.  See photos for the process.....

A (dried) Baobab Fruit.  I bought this in town for K2 (about 30 cents)
Baobab Fruit is supposed to be super nutritious for you (google it)
It's also super sour (at least I found it to be!)

The inside, after I scraped out all the white goodness
I didn't think to take photos until after we had started.
Note: they are very hard to open - Andrew used his saw!

The good white stuff that I scraped out of the pod (we had already started
pounding so picture more white powdery material around these black seeds)

I used child labour to help me pound :)

The white powder from the Baobab fruit

I got at least a cup of it - I'm pretty sure you'd pay at least
$20 for this in the USA! Probably more.
We put some on our rice at supper time.

Now that the fun of the Baobab fruit exploration is over - on to the everyday!

I must admit I don't even think about all this much now.  It was quite a difficult adjustment when we arrived here though.  Everything was just so much more work.  (And I can't complain because I actually had the money for the food, running CLEAN water, and electricity - most of the time!)

Believe it or not - there's rice in there....

After about 10 rinses I finally get it clean enough for my taste

Beans: no canned beans in Choma.  So it takes planning to
soak them overnight and cook. I now keep a stash of
cooked beans in the freezer for those meals (like Chilli) that
I just want to toss in a "can"

Fruits and vegetables are bleached and then rinsed, and then dried.
If you happen to eat one before it's dried you risk getting a bit of a tummy
ache from the water (see next picture)

Our water filter (called a candle filter)

All the water we consume (unless it cooks and boils for at least 10 minutes) is run through a water filter. The Choma city water (we'e been told numerous times) is "safe" to drink.  We always seem to get a tummy bug if we do accidentally consume it (think how hard it is to dry lettuce!) The kids and I use this water to brush our teeth.  Andrew uses the tap water - except on the sporadic times it comes out of the tap brown. A missionary friend and I just figured out that our hair was often greasy even after shampooing that same day. We finally realized that it must be days they dump chemicals in the water (as it feels like that smooth between your fingers if you get bleach on them). EWWW.  

I didn't drink very much when we first got here, even though it was hot dry season, because (even filtered) the town water tasted disgusting to me (still does).  We found a good solution - we started (and still do) to go to the other MCC family's house who lives in Choma.  They live a bit outside of the city and are very fortunate to have a bore hole (think nice clean well!) that provides their water.  So now we just take the many bottles we've collected there and fill them up.  I drink plenty of water these days! 

Our drinking water - from the bore hole

Needless to say - we really do dry our fruit and vegetables out well after washing!  (Lettuce is always a challenge - even with a salad spinner it never quite gets dry. We still eat it when we can find it as it's a rare treat!  Currently we have LOTS coming up in our garden though we still wash everything in our garden too - even with bleach).

apples and tomatoes

green beans

Another thing that I had to get used to is the sugar. It's not white. I'm still surprised (every time!) when I go to Lusaka and try to put sugar in my coffee.  I always have to taste it to make sure it's not salt!

I thought it was just organic and less processed - but I recently read the label and they add palm oil to it.

Another interesting fact: I heard a group of children answer this question at school once, "What is a good source of Vitamin A?"  They shouted out together, "SUGAR!"  That one puzzled me until I realized that they enrich the sugar here (and a lot of other common foods) with Vitamin A.

Our sugar container

Baking.  Sugar and Flour.  You can really see the colour difference in this one!

EdCamp: May 6, 2015

I was enjoying myself so much I didn't even take any photos!  Sorry!  You'll have to visualize the experience through my words.

This EdCamp experience was probably the smoothest of all the ones I've done so far, though it did have some bumps. The venue was free (because of what happened last time with us getting bumped the morning of - read that post here: http://offeringupmylife.blogspot.com/2015/01/edcamp-again.html).  I went on Monday to confirm it wasn't booked. I went Tuesday morning to make sure I could come clean the classrooms in the afternoon.  I went back in the afternoon with Memory (who works as our house help on Tuesdays and Thursdays).  She actually let me sweep and dust the classrooms with her this time.  The times before this she  "chases" me (shoos me out of the room) and doesn't let me help.  We were done in a record 30 minutes or so - that included finding keys to get us into the classrooms.  (It usually takes 30 minutes just to do that but they were ready with the keys when we arrived!)  I peeked into the hall - which for every other EdCamp has been presentable. It had a load of garbage on the floor.  I figured Memory could do it in the morning before everyone arrived (it was locked).  

The next morning, Memory didn't show up at my place so I left without her - but with fellow MCC worker, Stacey.  (Small glitch, I knew she'd show up eventually).  We arrived about 8:30 (I've gone at 8 before and just waited for keys). The program was set to start at 9.  I went to the office (without checking the lock) only to be told that it was already open!  Sure enough! That was a first!  Stacey was a dear and started sweeping the garbage up. I started up the large tea kettle and then started with my general setting up: putting out the tea items, putting up posters helping to explain things, setting out the sign-in book and topic list, laying out the door prizes.

The posters to help facilitate EdCamp:

When you arrive at EdCamp

General agenda for the day

The first teacher showed up right at 9:00 just as Stacey was almost finished sweeping.  Memory showed up on foot shortly after.  About 20 minutes later another teacher showed up.  By 9:40 we had at least 14 people (I was told 25 teachers would attend by the schools).  

Topics: pick 3 or write your own new topic on a blank (and check it!)

We filled this out based on topics that were most
popular

For the first session we had Classroom Management and Remedial Work as the options.  Everyone ended up in Classroom Management.  I started the discussion by asking everyone to share something that they do in their class that works. Some good ideas came out (though many seem obvious to those of us who are teachers in Canada / USA, the ideas presented are not always done here).  Such as walk around the classroom monitoring instead of just sitting at the teacher desk up front.  (I see the latter very frequently).  Some had class rules posted. Others shared openly about using punishment for classroom management. (Such as one teacher who makes disruptive students sit in the corner - with their hands in the air). We discussed putting rules into positive wording and why.  "No noisemaking" was a popular rule.  I demonstrated how we could make the classroom rule "Be Respectful - of peers, teachers, others, classroom materials" and it covers almost all of the "No…." rules.  We also discussed making expectations achievable and how to vary the day so the students didn't need to be quiet all day.  I also used the opportunity to have them help me write a list of expectations that the students have of the teacher.  

The buzz word "Teacher Attitude" is something I learned here.  Something I've never thought about in Canada because in Canada you only become a teacher if you care for the students and like the job (at least all the teachers I've ever met! Or you quit after a couple years tops!) Here, when many of the teachers chose teaching because they didn't get accepted to their preferred profession: doctor, nurse, accountant, teacher attitude is important. One interesting moment during EdCamp (and I'm loving EdCamps - especially now that the teachers know me and feel very free around me) one experienced teacher put out the question, "Should a teacher go teach if they are having a bad day?"  (There's no substitute teachers around here)!  After a minute of silence I asked a question back, "Do you expect your students to come to school if they are having a bad day?"  There were a lot of smiles, smirks and laughter at that!  Others pointed out that they've had teachers who you can tell when they are in a foul mood and you try to jump out the window (they have no glass and are on ground level) to skip out of school if you notice in time! One teacher brought up a good point that it depends why you are in a bad mood.  There are obviously reasons (death in family, etc.) where you should miss a day or two. Discussion followed stating that a teacher needs to separate professional and personal lives.  Students shouldn't be able to notice personal issues. Another teacher noted you could plan differently for that day (have students read books and do less up front teaching), finally one teacher just said out loud that a teacher shouldn't miss class due to laziness. It was a very interesting discussion.

We moved on to Session #2: Reading Comprehension and PME&R - Planning, Monitoring, Evaluating, and Reporting. (Everyone ended up in the PME&R session).  This is why Stacey was around and she had volunteered to facilitate this discussion and get it started.  Stacey's job with MCC Zambia is PME&R, which means she does a lot of project proposals, planning, reporting, monitoring!  She presented the different ways of learning: 1) Vertical - having an expert or outside speaker come in.  2) Horizontal - EdCamp is an example as you are learning from each other and 3) Action Learning - which comes with the Action Learning Cycle.

Picture it in a circle:

-----> Planning ------> Action --------> Evaluation -------> Learning ------> (repeat)

After she presented I put it into a teaching context using two examples (action): Classroom Management  and Lesson Planning and Delivery.

Then we discussed the importance of planning, how there can be many small action cycles in a larger one.  Stacey shared how you can plot yourself on the cycle if you can see your strengths (and weaknesses!) I fall between learning and planning.  I do action because I have to - but I thrive on the learning and planning.  An interesting part of the discussion at the end was what happens when you skip part of the action learning cycle? Because it's possible. Very interesting. We talked about assessment (it can be an action but you can also put it between the action and the evaluation section). But what if you do your assessment, evaluate it and don't learn from it before you plan again.  (Ex: add another lesson since your students didn't get the first one). Math was used as an example of this, since each concept builds on the next.  If you miss one section you can't catch up until you go back and build that understanding.  

During session #2 there were some teachers who chose to stay in the hall and make teaching resources for their classrooms.  I had brought my bin of supplies for those interested.  There were about 4-5 working at that.

Lunch was only half an hour late. Not too bad for Zambian time. :)

At lunch door prizes were given away (mainly leftover resources from last term that I had extras of sitting around).  The top 3 topics (not yet covered): Computer Studies, Reading Comprehension, Remedial Work were put to a new vote.  Remedial Work lost.  So, teachers divided up into Computer Studies and Reading Comprehension.  It was split pretty evenly.

We continued with our last sessions: Computer Studies and Reading Comprehension.  A couple teachers remained in the hall making teaching aids.  3 teachers continued making aids but attended Reading Comprehension while they coloured.  I attended the reading topic because I've been asked by a specific school if I can do a workshop on this topic!  A Deputy Head teacher (Vice principal), Mr. Mpasela, went to the computer studies discussion.  He's led an EdCamp discussion on it before so I felt very comfortable not even checking in there (except at the beginning to make sure he had chalk to write on the board!)  I could hear that group talking for the entire hour so I'm sure it went well and lots was learned, despite the fact that there was no actual computer in the room!

Reading Comprehension started slowly. Lack of materials were cited as a big challenge.  How true! How can you teach reading comprehension with very little to read?! Especially if you have one book for 60 students!  When I asked if it was just English Reading Comprehension the teachers shared that the students struggled even with ChiTonga Reading Comprehension. Suggestions for teaching it ranged from teaching new vocabulary words, asking questions: What is it about? Who are the main characters? Predicting what happens next? When? Why? And inferring. Then a suggestion to start in the young grades with pictures (ex: a tree) and have them write 3-4 descriptive words about that object.  And then put it into a sentence or a paragraph.  We also briefly discussed (for my benefit) the textbooks used. One teacher stressed the importance of reading daily and also how she puts one group leader in charge of the other group members. The group leaders job is to help those struggling to read.  At the end one teacher asked "How do you teach new vocabulary?" Responses were: dictionary skills, put words on a flip chart paper and explain them, use word cards / flash cards.

That ended the EdCamp day - though when I started to clean up I found teachers still in the hall making teaching aids for their classroom.  We arranged that I would come to their school next week Wednesday so they could continue.  I also discovered the 3 teachers in the Reading Comprehension Discussion room were still frantically making teaching aids.  One said, "we don't have these things at school." Crayons, scissors, paper, markers!  And that's the teachers that didn't have access to these materials. You better believe their students sure don't either! They were from the same school (Nahumba) so I also reassured them that I could come on Weds. and I'd ask their head teacher / deputy teacher if that was okay. (Principal / Vice).

A very good day.  I'm always very tired afterwards!  I was very happy to note that it seems we've made progression.  Instead of discussing Phonics, we discussed Reading Comprehension.  Instead of Corporal Punishment and why it's not okay, we've moved on to Classroom Management (what to do instead!)  The planning and the computer studies also seemed to be very relevant topics.

The reality of class sizes in the schools I work with

Mboole - a Grade 1 class (only about 2/3 or a half of the class is pictured)

I’ve collected some data that I want to share with you about my 8 basic schools that I work with in and around Choma, Zambia.  Each school has Grades 1-9.  The difference between a “basic” school and a “primary” school is that “basic” includes grades 8 and 9.  “Primary” is only up to Grade 7.

Before you get “bogged down” or “interested” (depending on your personality and love of data!) a bit of background information based on what I hear from the head teachers (principals) at these schools: Zambia has been one of the countries to offer free primary education to all. The reality of this is that the populations of schools have exploded but there has not been enough money to 1) expand the infrastructure of the schools (ex: more classrooms, more desks) and 2) to train and hire more teachers to help with the increase in students. Schools also are still allowed to charge a PTA (Parent Teacher Association) fee which still discourages some families from being able to send their children to school.

8 basic schools, Grades 1-9

The total number of students is 6,811

(The reality is probably a bit more as at least one school told me 1000 + and not an exact number)

The total number of teachers is 169

That makes the average pupil to teacher ratio 40:1

A break down (see more details following) for rural / urban schools as well as Mboole Basic school - the school that has the biggest challenge in this area of “my” schools.

                                          Rural         Mboole            Urban         Total

Number of schools:       6                 1                    2                  8

Pupils:                      4437         1000            2374          6,811

Teachers:                  94                 15                    75                 169

Pupil to teacher ratio:     47:1         67:1            32:1          40:1

I did notice that the two urban schools had the most pupils but also a significant amount more teachers too - Nahumba Basic, which is in Choma has 1000+ students and 42 teachers.  The ratio pupils to teachers at this school is a pleasant 24:1 (though it doesn’t even out this way in the actual grades!  Some have more and some less).  The other urban school, Batoka, (though not nearly as Urban as Choma) is located about a 30 minute drive down the highway and is right on the Lusaka - Livingstone Highway.  They have the most pupils of all my schools at 1374.  As for teachers, they have 33. Their ratio is still 42:1 because of the high population at this school despite having more than double the number of teachers than the rural schools.

By far the school with the biggest challenge when it comes to student to teacher ratios is Mboole (a rural school) with a whooping 67:1 ratio.  This school has 1000 students and only 15 teachers.  One of the challenges they face is trying to get enough desks so students can share 3 to a desk instead of the current 4 to a desk.

A few students outside at Mboole school

*One thing I’ve noted is that paying school fees for children does not guarantee them getting a quality education. I really appreciate MCC Global Family’s Program as a community-based education program and I can see the difference it’s making in the quality of education within the schools I work with.  It’s been slow but I see progress - especially now after being here a year and a half! (See more about that below).

*Another thing I believed in the first few months of being here (even up to year even!) is that if students get a quality education and pass both the National Grade 7 & 9 exams (in English) that they have a chance for a better life. The reality is that, in a way this is true as passing the Grade 9 exam is a reality for a small percentage of students, however it’s NO guarantee that they can continue through secondary school (Grade 10-12) as secondary school is not “free for all” and the K1000 per term (currently exchange rate makes this about $135 US) is impossible for many students and their families.

If this post stirs a desire in you to “do something” consider giving to MCC Global Family’s Program:

http://mcc.org/learn/what/education/globalfamily/programs

*If you specifically want to help with my project choose Zambia and BIC schools: 

http://mcc.org/learn/what/education/globalfamily/programs/brethren-christ-schools

(the following was copied from MCC’s global family site - see links above)

Why does Global Family use community-based education?

There are a few reasons including:

• Cost: Connecting individual students to supporters takes money and time. By reducing administrative time, we are able to put more of your money toward education.

• Quality: By investing in teacher training, classroom supplies, school meals or library books, Global Family improves education for every child in the program. Instead of only helping students go to school, we make sure they receive high-quality education once they get there.

• Sustainability: Community-based education is a long-term solution. Getting local principals, teachers and families involved means the whole school system will change, not just individual students. Those changes will benefit the community for years to come.

• Impact: Community-based education benefits more children than individual sponsorships.

Grade 1 class photo at Macha Mission school (ratio at Macha Mission is only 30:1!

Grade 8 (?) at Nakeempa school (Nakeempa's ratio is 46:1)

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?