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Published: February 27th 2009
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School blog 2
As I write this I think you are all looking forward to half term, what ever the weather!! The holidays here do not seem to be so well defined---some depend on the phases of the moon and others on the decision of the government or who ever runs the school. Any how it means that sometimes Geoff and I are surprised to realise that there is no school today! The weather also plays a part in if school happens or not---rain is a problem, even just a little, as the ‘roads’ turn to mud very quickly, the class rooms are dark and the outdoor option not possible so few teachers turn up and even less students. Infact today is a wet day so we are home early and I am writing this sitting by our open fire in the gloom listening to the odd roll of thunder!
How ever we have been busy at our work and have had some great visits to schools introducing new ideas!
Sitting the students in a U shape instead of rows, which can work outside but there is not enough room to do this in small class rooms with
40 or so students.
Displaying students work—we take hammer and nails with us now so the excuse of having nothing to put things up with doesn’t work any more!
Some activity based and interactive teaching—a number washing line made from 2 plastic bottles filled with dirt, bamboo sticks, a bit of string and ,something new, pegs!! It took ages to explain what we meant but we found some in a shop in the local village and now they are all the rage---even for holding clothes on a line!!!!
The singing always goes down well and when we meet children outside call they call out ‘Mango tree, mango tree!! Brush my teeth, comb my hair’!!! We are doing ‘Heads, shoulders. knees and toes’ this week as part of early science and I am painting a big body on the walls, putting nails in strategic places for them to hang home made labels saying—yes—head, shoulder,knee.toes etc!!
The new director of AIE came to visit the other week and Shabana said ‘Jane -make a welcome song!’ So to the tune of ‘John Browns Body’ we sang ‘We welcome you to Sydenwalla--------from the
girls of GHS’! Plus some other verses. The singing was interesting, an Indian/English mix of notes and pronunciation! But they liked it!
I have also done some English teaching in the Girls High School----that goodness for the inter net—as my knowledge of the past perfect continuous tense wasn’t up to scratch!! I have tried to make my sessions on English grammar a bit more inter active using role plays and charts and labels and BLU TAC!!!
The TARC teachers are happy because we have managed to obtain 2 ‘new’ tables and 2 proper swivel office chairs
Geoff is still doing lots of ICT work and making easy to use pro-formers for all the different reports, minuets and action plans we have to send back to AIE in Lahore. He is teaching them how to use Excel.
The photographs we take are also in demand and I have had some printed off to make displays in our office. The office in Lahore keeps asking for copies to be sent as evidence of our work. Wonder what they would do if we hadn’t got our camera?
Right, now for
the bit where you can all help!!! We want to establish a small library corner in each school. I have asked AIE to provide some lockable metal cupboards which will we get the students to paint and label as ‘Our Library’ My first idea was to ask people to send actual books but the cost of postage is high so money would be better!. We would like to buy a set of children’s encyclopaedias as a start for each library and I have seen some in a book shop in Lahore that cost about £30 a set. I would get some labels printed and put in the front of the books stating that they are a gift from friends in England., with more details of groups, names etc if you so wish. I will also take photos and get the children to write letters of thanks. Perhaps we can get some pen friend type activity going?
So, if you want to help start raising some money and I will post details of how to get it to me when I have worked it out!!
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Grace
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Ideas for Fundraising
Hi Jane, it was lovely as always to read your blog. Molly has come up with an idea that she is going to take to school council: children bring in books that they have read and no longer want and sell them in a book fair fund raiser, with all monies raised being donated to your library fund. I'll keep you posted and hopefully we'll be able to contribute enough money to buy some much needed books. Keep the blogs coming, we all look forward to them. Lots of Love Grace, Molly and Liz