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.