CULTURAL DIVERSITY . . .

Emafini Primary is nestled in the township of Kwadwesi, Port Elizabeth. The school is part of the community but most of the students do not come from the area around the school. It was apparent the diverse culture of this community as I traveled down the streets of houses in a taxi and saw people  going about their daily lives. Once at the school the cultural diversity continued in the classrooms. All of the students' "mother tongue" is Xhosa, however, the degree of knowledge of their language is diverse, as well as their exposure to the English language.  This language barrier was by far my biggest challenge to reach the students I'm teaching. As I interacted with students alongside my Emafini classroom teacher, the barriers seemed to soften a bit and melt away as I read to students, helped them understand their vowel sounds, and the usage of pronouns, and reviewed simple math concepts. My language classes at NMMU have been  helpful when communicating with students.

Throughout the days at Emafini, their diverse culture has been revealed in several ways. One is in their school lunch made with all fresh vegetables and 'mealie', which is government provided and free to all students, although, some bring lunch from home;  their clothing, a uniform, which is the same for all students, but some have holes in their sleeves or their pants, and routines, music and dance are threads  that are woven intricately throughout their school day to teach life skills or concepts; prayer to start and end their day and at lunch; as well as students' independence, monitoring themselves throughout the day without teacher supervision and cleaning the classroom. It is a rich and vast culture that intertwines food, music, dance, religion, and tradition.

VISITS TO GREY, KAMA, AND NORTHERN LIGHTS . . .

Grey Jr. High School

Visiting local schools in the Port Elizabeth area has been an honor and great experience.  The administration, faculty, and students have been so welcoming and gracious.  The students from each school have pride in their program that radiates throughout their facilities. I have seen some of the best facilities to some less than adequate ones, however, the administration, faculty, and students are doing the best they can with what they have been equipped with, in each case. 

Grey Jr. High School is an all boys school. Students wear uniforms and it has a strong traditional image. Grey provides strong academic, sporting, and cultural activities. English is used as the medium of instruction. It is a state supported school, however, ninety percent of the fees come from parents, who currently pay R20 700 ($1,526.00)  for their child to attend.  I observed students who were well disciplined and engaged in the band, sports, and technology programs. Class sizes are small per teacher ratio.  Grey's facilities were pristine and organized with the most up to date                                                                 technology.  

Kama Primary School is also a state supported school, but it operates solely on the funds received from the government. Students at Kuma also wear uniforms.  Xhosa is used as the language of instruction, however, English is taught as a subject.  I observed students who were on morning break on the grounds. Some were eating a snack, others were playing on the playground. I was given the opportunity to visit a 2nd grade class of 44 students and teach the class a song in English.   Kuma's facilities were less than adequate to accommodate the number of students enrolled, therefore, class sizes were overcrowded. Kuma's facilities had a computer lab, where students are given instruction in the upper grades.

Northern Lights is a state supported, special needs school for grades R - 12.  All of its funding comes from the government. Students at Northern Lights also wear uniforms.  Northern Lights specializes in teaching students with physical disabilities.  I had the opportunity to visit several classrooms from grades R - 2nd grade. Northern Lights' students were very disciplined and focused in class and class sizes were very small to allow for more individual instruction. Xhosa and English are used as the medium of instruction. I observed students on morning break; they ate their snacks,  played soccer, ran around, and played. Students in wheel chairs or walking with aiding devices were very independent learners. They were treated no different from those who had no outward disabilities. Northern Lights' students were very eager, friendly. and happy students.  

GRAHAMSTOWN . . .

Today we traveled to Grahamstown where we toured the campuses of Rhodes University and Nombulelo Secondary School.  The Inkcubeko Nendali Team at Rhodes consists  of Dr. Michele Cocks (ISER), Mr. Tony Dold (Selmar Schonland Herbarium), and Mr. Mluleki Nkosi (ISER).   The cultural development team arranged a lecture for us on Bio-Cultural Diversity which included a trip to the forest.   They also allowed us to sit in on a 10th grade Bio-Cultural Diversity Science lesson which was designed to encourage a sense of pride in cultural diversity through the things in nature. Nature is perceived as a space where ancestors occupied space. On the trip we took to the forest, along with the 10th grade class, we  focused on the value of things found in nature for medicinal, relaxation, or many other purposes.  It was a very meaningful experience and gave us a deeper understanding of the bio-culture diversity program and how lessons like it are important for students.

GUIDED READING . . . XHOSA STYLE

I had the opportunity to work at Emafini Primary with another 2nd grade class today. I worked with Miss Thumi and her 45 wonderful students.  One of the highlights of the day was during guided reading groups.  We pulled two leveled guided reading groups and worked on decoding, fluency, and comprehension.  Miss Thumi has seven guided reading groups in her class and reads with them at least once a week.  She focuses on the skills students need to practice  and reinforces those skills with small group instruction.  We discussed the similarities and differences in our curriculum and how we prepare students to be successful readers.  We also discussed and compared our formative assessments throughout the year.  Although we are different in some ways, we're very much alike in others.  It is always helpful to talk with fellow educators!

MY SECOND GRADE FRIENDS AT EMAFINI

Today I had a great time meeting one of the four second grade classes of students at Emafini Primary School.  Miss Poke and her students greeted me with warm smiles.  We worked on a math least to greatest number activity and then had a  Dental Health read-aloud lesson.  During this lesson we translated the Xhosa  language to English  for key words in the story, and practiced this skill with a matching activity.  It was exciting working with the eager students in  Miss Poke class.  I am looking forward to the continued opportunities to work with the students and teachers at Emafini Primary and  sharing my experiences with my students this year at CFIE.

Students working in small groups on a language translation activity of key 

words in the story, Tanner the Tooth, The ABC's of a Happy Healthy Mouth.  

Dr. Gina Collins Mancini donated copies of Tanner the Tooth,and Tabitha the Tooth

The ABC's of a Healthy Mouth books and dolls.  Dr. Mancini is a family and cosmetic 

dentist in Jacksonville, North Carolina.  Dr. Mancini is the author of the books which promote the importance of eating healthy and taking care of your teeth. 

MOLWEINI EMAFINI . . .

Emafini is the school I had the privilege of observing at today.  The staff greeted our group of 15 with a friendly KwaDwesi welcome.  We had the opportunity to tour the facility and meet their wonderful staff. We were placed in various classrooms to observe students and teachers at work. 

My colleagues and I will be spending the next 2 1/2 weeks  observing and teaching students in our subject areas at Emafini Primary.   We had a wonderful time getting to know the staff and students.   Emafini Primary is a beautiful school for students to learn and reach their highest potential.  I'm looking forward to sharing my experiences at CFIE with Emafini Primary and bringing back fabulous stories and experiences to share with CFIE also.  This will be a great partnership!

HIGH SCHOOL LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT TEAM

I have been so impressed with the South African citizens since I arrived in this beautiful country. Its people have an attitude of love and support for their fellow neighbors that our country lacks in many ways.  I have watched and reflected on this thought for several days and after visiting Solomon Mahlangu High School, and watching an amazing performance depicting leadership and community support by some of their lead students, I understand why.  These students have been trained by some of the best parents, teachers, and leaders in their community.  The message they follow is to respect themselves and others, take responsibility for themselves, work hard to accomplish great things, help others along the way, and to never forget what and who helped you succeed when you become successful.                                                                                                  
                                                                                       

       Mteugwene Mnced, the principal of the school, shared his focus and goals for students' success followed by a student skit, which was performed eloquently.  I was deeply moved by their commitment to community.                                                                                                                 My goal is to convey to my students this same commitment. If you want to succeed in life, work hard and put you all into it and "make a difference" wherever  you are in your community.