Advertisement
Published: February 1st 2010
Edit Blog Post
Photo 2
One of my classes working quietly with the decorated bulletin boards in the back of the room, just waiting for some awesome learner work! I just thought I would go back and describe our time on the safari and then also the last week of school. On the first day entering the park, we were just headed through pretty quickly so we could get to our bush camp on the other side before dinner. However we did stop about 20 minutes in because we saw an elephant in the distance. Mr. T knew that he would come closer as there was waterhole close to our truck, so we stayed for a while and sure enough the old male did come quite close; within nearly 15 feet! He started walking down the road so we followed him for about 10 minutes until he went back into the grass. We saw lots of other animals like steenbok, springbok, kudu, giraffes and zebras the rest of the way.
That night we stayed at Onguma Bush Camp in very nice hut-like rooms. We had a delicious three course dinner and ended the night with a night safari. We were on the look out for lions and rhinos because they are much more active at night. Unfortunately, we did not see either but we did see a bush baby,
Photo 3
More learners and the bulletin boards with posters on them. which is a very small nocturnal primate, a spring hare, other rabbits, and a small-spotted genet, which is a nocturnal cat.
The next morning we left the bush camp and headed back into Etosha National Park. We saw giraffes, zebra, and steenbok all throughout the day, but we also saw a cheetah, jackel, ostrich, and part of the leg of a rhino for about 5 seconds. After leaving the park we went down south of Outjo to another hotel to stay the night before we drove the rest of the way back down to Windhoek the next day.
This past week has been full of excitement, fun, and endless learning. There is not one day that I have not come home with something new to think about my teaching, this culture, or about my students back home. I have been working hard with my classes to teach routines and expectations in the classroom. For example, this week I focused first on our class rules: Be respectful, be responsible, and follow expectations. We talked about these rules as a class and what it meant for them as learners and for me as a teacher. These students have never
Photo 4
This is the teachers' desk with my teacher, Belinda Njembo, working at it. encountered this type of classroom before so it was a bit like pulling teeth to get them to answer and contribute to the conversation. After some pushing and pulling from me we were able to come up with examples of these rules and how we should act in our classroom. I really believe that I must abide by these rules also in order for us to cooperate and our classroom to run smoothly.
It has been great getting to know my teacher more and today she referred to me as her own daughter! I know that this is a compliment and that we will make a great team. She is continually telling me how much she is learning from me and how her teaching will be better because of me being there. Of course, I know that I am learning so much from her about the culture and the lives of our learners. She has invited me to her house to try some traditional food, and to wear a traditional dress. I am so excited to meet her family. She has two sons, 12 and 9 and also a daughter that will turn 1 on February 7th. She asked
Photo 5
Such a big class but they are all just awesome kids! if I could come on her birthday to take pictures of her daughter and also a family picture. She also said that she would take me out into the community to see the homes of our students.
Each day I have been bringing more decorations and supplies into the classroom and it is starting to look more and more like an enjoyable place where kids can learn and thrive. I am still trying to figure out the best way to organize the use of the supplies in order to keep track of them but also to let the learners have access to them.
It has been both a challenge and very exciting to be teaching sex ed! I never thought that I would be able to do this and yet I am! Each day I am feeling more and more compelled to teach these kids about their bodies and their health, and how to protect themselves from the threat of HIV and other illnesses. It is a very rewarding feeling to build a true connection with these kids, which they usually do get, and to be able to teach them about something so important.
This weekend we
SANY0042
The elephant came to check us out are travelling to the southern part of Namibia where the world’s largest sand dunes happen to be. I did not even know this until a couple weeks ago. I am very thankful for the opportunities that I am getting to see this beautiful country and to work with these wonderful children!
That is it for now. Hopefully I will have good pictures and some cool stories when I get back!
Advertisement
Tot: 0.082s; Tpl: 0.012s; cc: 6; qc: 44; dbt: 0.0404s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb