The 2015 school year began on Jan.19th. This year's class is a little smaller...we have only 12 students compared to last year's class of 14 students, and the average age is younger this year. We have four 4-year old students, five 5-year old students, and I think the other students are 6 or 7. Most parents aren't sure of the child's age, and we only turn away a student if their age interferes with the other student's progress. This was the case with little Tito. We loved him...he made us laugh...and he was full of personality but he was just too young. He had no desire to learn.
My skills as a teacher are really being challenged this year. These children knew very little when they came to Shaloom. I was fortunate last year because the kids were a little older and seemed excited to learn. That's not the case this year, but we're hoping that attitude will change. We've also determined that a couple of the children have learning disabilities. That fact is adding to our frustration but the Lord is giving us what we need, when we need it, so we are making a little progress. Our biggest challenges are probably in the fact that I am an accountant, not a teacher, and Rehema, my assistant, has only about a 7th grade education! Thank God the parents are just happy that we've accepted the children into our program, and we are doing our best.
Students in the "main stream"
Students needing a little extra help
I must say, though, the students are picking up English quicker than I expected. We work on greetings and familiar objects, as well as body parts and animals. I would like to teach them the alphabet but that would really confuse them because, although we basically use the same alphabet, the sounds are different and the letters aren't "named" in Kiswahili, like they are in English. The children seem to be enjoying learning the animal names most of all. Who knows, this information could come in handy some day!
Benson likes to be creative.
Elias does his best.
Mwaju & Denis work together.
Okto shows off his work.
Besides practicing numbers and Kiswahili sounds, learning shapes and colors, the students enjoy showing us their creative side. They like to use the scrap pieces of wood we have available to make houses, cars and other interesting things.
Rehema also taught the children the "duck-duck-goose" game. In Tanzania they call it "bata-bata-jogoo", which translates duck-duck-rooster...........not sure why!
Bata - Bata - Jogoo game
Jered
Juve
Anita
Samueli
Our students come from different religious backgrounds, but since Shaloom is sponsored by the Catholic Church, sometimes we receive visitors interested in sharing their faith. Mama Agnes came to visit the children and, after praying with the students, she handed out bars of soap to each of them; a very practical gift, for sure!
Finally, I'd like to give you a glimpse of some of our playtime activities. Here is a little clip of the students doing one of their traditional children's songs. Last year's class performed this dance/song, too. I'm still not sure what they're singing but they do seem to be enjoying themselves!
