You know times have changed when you meet learners in grade 7 who are more concerned with their families and being anywhere else besides school. I'm sure some of us had our bad days at this age both socially and educationally but the grade 7 learners at St. Leo are quite unique. When I first found out that I was going to be teaching English, I was nervous that I wouldn't know English well enough myself to be able to teach it to others which is partially true but we have also found the opposite. The extreme differences between the highest and the lowest levels of learners throughout the school is incrediable but the most previlent extreme is within the grade 7 learners. The smartest learner in the school is Ntuthoko who always stumps Matt and I with "exception" questions to the English language. We have a group of 9 advanced learners who we are working extra hard with but I will go into details later on about them. There are some "B" or average learners who can speak well but their writing is rough and then there is everyone else. I hate to clump these learners into "the rest" but their skill level is significantly below all the others and could probably be compared to some of our grade 4 learners.
There are 5 classes in grade 7 including 4 groups of "regular" learners and one advanced group. For the four groups, we have dug ourselves a big hole when we tried to shove noun, verb, adjective down their throats and in their brains for weeks now and they still aren't getting it. This made both Matt and I as well as the learners very frustrated with Fridays at St. Leo. The abnormal scheduling of St. Leo has caused us to not have grade 7 every week and if we missed a group, we have played hangman and had dance parties with some of them which is of course fun but can't happen every week. After a couple weeks of frustration, Matt and I talked about what our goals for grade 7 were and decided that we would try to teach more practical English that will be useful for the learners who will probably not succeed in high school. Some of these subjects will include themes of health, occupations, around the kitchen and others that will help build their vocabulary and English. These average learners who do not succeed in high school will most likely get jobs that will be part of some of these themes and hopefully they can use the words we teach them to speak to their employeers or other people they come in contact with. In the States, it's expected that you continue on to high school and although some people don't end up graduating from high school, it is not really an opinion not to try. In South Africa, it is not necessarily an option either but it can be for some people/Zulu families. All schooling, including high school, has a price and some can be quite expensive. The public valley school is where most of the grade 7 learners will be going if they pay their school fees and make the effort to learn. Unfortunately, we have heard that this "blue school" (they have blue uniforms and is near St. Leo) is very similar to St. Leo in that the structure is disorganized and there is not much learning going on during the day. The other schools in the area are much better but are harder to get into and cost more money. As I mentioned in an earlier post, there is a scholarship program for two learners to go to Hillcrest High School which is one of the best in the area and a good number of them will go to Wybank which another good high school. The goal is for all of the advanced kids to go to either of these schools as well as maybe some of the average learners.
Matt and I teach the advanced group for an hour every Friday which is their normal English class. In this class we have been teaching them noun, verb, adjective, adverb, contractions, pronouns, subject/object, a/an, this that these those, and subject verb agreement. They know most of this stuff very well in addition to parts of the body both internal and external. We are testing them on Friday so hopefully they all do well! In addition to this Friday class, Matt and Kevin have an extra hour on both Tuesday and Thursday afternoons where they have been taking the advanced group during that time for extra tutoring. They will be teaching them maths (no that is not a spelling mistake mom!), a review of English, and some reading comprehension. We have asked the local parish we attend to donate the first Harry Potter book so they advanced group can read that together and have practice with reading comprehension. We will also be giving them homework that they are expected to do and hand in each week. Our expectations for this class are very high and we hope that all of our effort and extra help will help them to succeed in high school and get good marks. This group is one of my favorites because they are excited to learn and ask tons of questions. They are also very social and have great personalities. Londeka is quite the diva and always struts her way into class but does it with a smile! Last week, Kevin told her to challenge me to a dance contest so at the end of their class, some of the kids drummed a beat on the tables and we had a little dance contest. It was quite entertaining and I'm sure everyone thought it was amuzing to see me dance! I have so much faith in this group but I'm sure they will have plenty of struggles both this year and in high school. In addition to the educational help, we are going to try and talk to them about the socialization of high school and what to expect. Unfortunatley, Matt and I have never been the minority in a school like they will be but hopefully we can talk through some of their concerns and give them a positive outlook on what their experience will be in a South African high school. Its going to be a long road for these grade 7s but Matt, Kevin, and I are excited to see how the program expands throughout the year and how the learners group both individually and as a group. I will keep you posted with more information about these special learners as the year goes on!
South Africa Fact: On Wednesday, their was a national strike in South Africa but the reasons for the strike were quite different according to different people. One person said it was for roads that need to be fixed and another person said it was for the teachers who want more money. It's quite ironic because most of the teachers at St. Leo left for the day to go to the strike but the education they give and the work they do is a pretty low amount compared to teachers in the States and within South Africa as well.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Friday, March 2, 2012
Cultural differences: Zulu vs. American
Have you ever thought someone said something but they really said something completely different? I feel like this happens all the time in English but now it is happening in a completely foreign language which makes things so much more difficult to understand and react to. The country of South Africa is full of diversity and cultures. The people we interact with most are the Zulu people who live mostly in the Valley and speak fluent Zulu which yes has some clicks but not as many as other tribal languages you may be thinking of. From the Zulu learners and teachers at St. Leo to the Zulu toddlers and women at 1000 Hills, I am learning more and more about the Zulu culture, their language and their lifestyle.
At St. Leo, I have learned that structure in the school and classroom is not necessarily a top priority and homework is rarely given. The lack of schedule and clocks around the school make it very hard to run a classroom but again, timing may not be a priority to the Zulu people for one reason or another. I have learned that prayer and singing are important parts of the Zulu faith life both at St. Leo as well as 1000 Hills. Throughout the weeks I have been awfully frustrated with the learners who do not understand what an adjective is only to take a step back and remember how hard it was for me to learn French when I was their age. Everywhere I go I have seen the affects of HIV/AIDS on the Zulu people. The physical size of the learners bodies have many extremes within the grades as well as their learning abilities. We do not know the exact number of learners that are affected but we can make assumptions about some of them by their small figure or other physical deformities. Most of the learners understand the importance of an education but as in most lower income school settings, how are you supposed to focus on the class or teacher when you stomach is growling because you haven't eaten in two days? How are you supposed to pay attention when you are worried about your family back at home? Thankfully the teachers, and school itself, are very supportive of the learners needs both emotionally and physically by giving out food parcels to bring home to their families and throughout the day.
At 1000 Hills, I have learned about Zulu weddings, traditions, and about the stigmas against the Zulu culture itself. It is expected that the Zulu woman marry at a fairly young age (I am not sure of the exact age but one woman told me early 20s). There is a dowry that must be paid to the brides family from the future husband. This can be anything from a cow or goat to food or cloth that is made by Zulus. Mpumah is a 21 year old Zulu woman who has a two year old son that is in my class. She is currently studying Education at the University but helps out in our toddler room in order to get more experience. Puma, for short, was telling me about these wedding traditions and mentioned that Fikle (the head teacher) told her that she must get married even if it isn't to the father of her child. Puma said that she didn't ever want to get married and Fikile was completely shocked by this statement saying that it is Zulu tradition to get married and have a big ceremony. One of the problems for Puma is the cost of the wedding itself. There are many ceremonies and lots of costs that go into the wedding before the actual marriage of the two people. When she asked me about American wedding traditions, I told her that they cost a lot as well but there is usually only one official ceremony that costs the most money, as opposed to many different ceremonies like in the Zulu culture. The customs of the Zulu people also include the wearing of the strings around the child's waist, as mentioned in a prior post, and traditional dancing which I hope to learn part of while I am here.
The one challenge I have had with the Zulu people and their culture is their defensiveness of their actions and their opinions about educating their youth. As mentioned in another prior post, the Zulu women believe that you should not interact with any child until they are of school age and their baby teeth have fallen out. This statement has still baffled me to this day but that may be a cultural difference I may never understand. It is common knowledge for me, and I'm sure many of you, that between the ages of 0 to 5 years old, children's brains are like sponges and they are able to learn and develop so much during that time period. It is a crucial part in a child's life to learn how to speak, interact, and explore at that young age. Luckily the 1000 Hills Community Center has a great person, Julie, who has come to teach and help the teachers understand why this age range is so important for the child's development and future. Julie has spent the last year working with the teachers of the 3 to 6 year olds. She has been teaching and showing them different things they can do throughout the day as well as setting up a schedule that include a fine motor, gross motor, and physical activity every day. This task of showing the teachers what is needed for these children to develop properly has been quite difficult for many reasons but one of the main reasons was the cultural differences she experienced. Not only did they not know anything about the tools needed for a child's development but the teachers also had a hard time accepting Julie as a teacher. She is a white South African and not Zulu which in turn caused the Zulu teachers to become defensive against what she was trying to say and teach. The Zulu women thought that Julie was trying to overtake their roles as teachers as well as cross cultural barriers about the development of their children. It took Julie about 4 months to be accepted as a superior but also as a person from the Zulu teachers. Currently, all of the teachers have a set schedule and list of activities to do with the children each day. Julie is very pleased with this accomplishment and hopes that my toddler room with be the next one to take that leap in the developmental process.
My experience with the Zulu teachers in the toddler room have been both good and difficult at times. The teachers all enjoy having an extra set of hands to help out with the toddlers but sometimes my role as a volunteer can be confusing to them. Up until about a week ago, there was no one in the classroom with me that spoke enough English to hold a conversation or get a point across. Luckily, Puma is there now and she is able to translate needed questions or comments between the Zulu teachers and myself. The problem becomes when there is a difference in opinions between us in terms of what to do with the children each day. Sometimes the women are extremely efficient with the changing of the nappies (diapers), at breakfast and lunch, as well as nap time; while at other times they are slow and a little bit lazy. I have tried to do my best by stepping in during meal times and nap time but when it comes to activity time, the teachers often make excuses or are very unmotivated to do what I suggest. Part of this can be a misunderstanding and language or culture but sometimes it is also laziness. The challenge becomes what my role is as a volunteer but also as co teacher in the classroom. When I was first introduced to the classroom by Julie, I was asked to help show the teachers how to interact with the kids with puzzles, drawings, and other activities. I have made groups of toddlers according to age as a way of organizing them and have the idea to have each teacher take one group at a table with a specific puzzle or activity. I have the approval from both Julie and Dawn, the director of the whole center, to do these things but recently the organization of this idea hasn't been present. Luckily, Puma and I are on the same page with this and hope to get this system up and running soon. The problem becomes the culture difference of a white girl from America coming into the classroom and telling the teachers what to do with their Zulu children. When I talked to Julie about this concern, she told me that because I am "hands on" with the kids and not sitting back barking out orders, I should be able to have a system that is efficient and effective. On Thursday, we were able to break up into these groups/tables and have each kids color a picture of a cloud, moon, and sun. It was a great idea but because of the language barrier, I was not able to tell the kids to color inside the lines so mine all turned out to have scribbles all over them but that is a typical toddler picture! The Zulu teachers on the other hand were able to talk to the kids and guide them to color the correct thing. In my opinion, it doesn't matter what their picture looks like as long as they are doing something throughout the day, they will be having fun and not crying or trying to hit another kid with a toy. O the joys of working with toddlers!
I'm sure as the year goes on and I get to know more about the Zulu culture, there will be plenty of more differences and clashes but I am ready to embrace everything these people have to offer. So until I experience another lost in translation cultural difference, I leave you with a poem I wrote during Kellie's prayer about prejudice and the stigmas people have against people we have met here so far.
My name is not lazy Zulu woman. I am cultured, spiritual, and proud of who I am
My name is not Mama or Auntie to just my son. I am a mama and Auntie to all the Zulu children, and especially to the three other children I take care of.
My name is not uneducated and dumb. I am currently studying tat the University for a degree in education while supporting my child and family
My name is not AIDS stricken person. I am blessed to not be HIV positive but many of my relatives and close friends are.
My name is not unsupported and helpless. I may have made some mistakes in the past but I am a daughter who is loved by a mother and father. My father may have two families to support, mine and his new wife's, but I am still loved.
My name is not lazy Zulu woman. I am gifted, spiritual, faithful, happy and most importantly, proud of who I am.
South African Fact: This weekend we are going to a concert at a restaurant called the Rainbow Cafe that has been open since the beginning of apartheid and was the only restaurant in South Africa to always accept black and white people throughout the whole time it has been in business.
At St. Leo, I have learned that structure in the school and classroom is not necessarily a top priority and homework is rarely given. The lack of schedule and clocks around the school make it very hard to run a classroom but again, timing may not be a priority to the Zulu people for one reason or another. I have learned that prayer and singing are important parts of the Zulu faith life both at St. Leo as well as 1000 Hills. Throughout the weeks I have been awfully frustrated with the learners who do not understand what an adjective is only to take a step back and remember how hard it was for me to learn French when I was their age. Everywhere I go I have seen the affects of HIV/AIDS on the Zulu people. The physical size of the learners bodies have many extremes within the grades as well as their learning abilities. We do not know the exact number of learners that are affected but we can make assumptions about some of them by their small figure or other physical deformities. Most of the learners understand the importance of an education but as in most lower income school settings, how are you supposed to focus on the class or teacher when you stomach is growling because you haven't eaten in two days? How are you supposed to pay attention when you are worried about your family back at home? Thankfully the teachers, and school itself, are very supportive of the learners needs both emotionally and physically by giving out food parcels to bring home to their families and throughout the day.
At 1000 Hills, I have learned about Zulu weddings, traditions, and about the stigmas against the Zulu culture itself. It is expected that the Zulu woman marry at a fairly young age (I am not sure of the exact age but one woman told me early 20s). There is a dowry that must be paid to the brides family from the future husband. This can be anything from a cow or goat to food or cloth that is made by Zulus. Mpumah is a 21 year old Zulu woman who has a two year old son that is in my class. She is currently studying Education at the University but helps out in our toddler room in order to get more experience. Puma, for short, was telling me about these wedding traditions and mentioned that Fikle (the head teacher) told her that she must get married even if it isn't to the father of her child. Puma said that she didn't ever want to get married and Fikile was completely shocked by this statement saying that it is Zulu tradition to get married and have a big ceremony. One of the problems for Puma is the cost of the wedding itself. There are many ceremonies and lots of costs that go into the wedding before the actual marriage of the two people. When she asked me about American wedding traditions, I told her that they cost a lot as well but there is usually only one official ceremony that costs the most money, as opposed to many different ceremonies like in the Zulu culture. The customs of the Zulu people also include the wearing of the strings around the child's waist, as mentioned in a prior post, and traditional dancing which I hope to learn part of while I am here.
The one challenge I have had with the Zulu people and their culture is their defensiveness of their actions and their opinions about educating their youth. As mentioned in another prior post, the Zulu women believe that you should not interact with any child until they are of school age and their baby teeth have fallen out. This statement has still baffled me to this day but that may be a cultural difference I may never understand. It is common knowledge for me, and I'm sure many of you, that between the ages of 0 to 5 years old, children's brains are like sponges and they are able to learn and develop so much during that time period. It is a crucial part in a child's life to learn how to speak, interact, and explore at that young age. Luckily the 1000 Hills Community Center has a great person, Julie, who has come to teach and help the teachers understand why this age range is so important for the child's development and future. Julie has spent the last year working with the teachers of the 3 to 6 year olds. She has been teaching and showing them different things they can do throughout the day as well as setting up a schedule that include a fine motor, gross motor, and physical activity every day. This task of showing the teachers what is needed for these children to develop properly has been quite difficult for many reasons but one of the main reasons was the cultural differences she experienced. Not only did they not know anything about the tools needed for a child's development but the teachers also had a hard time accepting Julie as a teacher. She is a white South African and not Zulu which in turn caused the Zulu teachers to become defensive against what she was trying to say and teach. The Zulu women thought that Julie was trying to overtake their roles as teachers as well as cross cultural barriers about the development of their children. It took Julie about 4 months to be accepted as a superior but also as a person from the Zulu teachers. Currently, all of the teachers have a set schedule and list of activities to do with the children each day. Julie is very pleased with this accomplishment and hopes that my toddler room with be the next one to take that leap in the developmental process.
My experience with the Zulu teachers in the toddler room have been both good and difficult at times. The teachers all enjoy having an extra set of hands to help out with the toddlers but sometimes my role as a volunteer can be confusing to them. Up until about a week ago, there was no one in the classroom with me that spoke enough English to hold a conversation or get a point across. Luckily, Puma is there now and she is able to translate needed questions or comments between the Zulu teachers and myself. The problem becomes when there is a difference in opinions between us in terms of what to do with the children each day. Sometimes the women are extremely efficient with the changing of the nappies (diapers), at breakfast and lunch, as well as nap time; while at other times they are slow and a little bit lazy. I have tried to do my best by stepping in during meal times and nap time but when it comes to activity time, the teachers often make excuses or are very unmotivated to do what I suggest. Part of this can be a misunderstanding and language or culture but sometimes it is also laziness. The challenge becomes what my role is as a volunteer but also as co teacher in the classroom. When I was first introduced to the classroom by Julie, I was asked to help show the teachers how to interact with the kids with puzzles, drawings, and other activities. I have made groups of toddlers according to age as a way of organizing them and have the idea to have each teacher take one group at a table with a specific puzzle or activity. I have the approval from both Julie and Dawn, the director of the whole center, to do these things but recently the organization of this idea hasn't been present. Luckily, Puma and I are on the same page with this and hope to get this system up and running soon. The problem becomes the culture difference of a white girl from America coming into the classroom and telling the teachers what to do with their Zulu children. When I talked to Julie about this concern, she told me that because I am "hands on" with the kids and not sitting back barking out orders, I should be able to have a system that is efficient and effective. On Thursday, we were able to break up into these groups/tables and have each kids color a picture of a cloud, moon, and sun. It was a great idea but because of the language barrier, I was not able to tell the kids to color inside the lines so mine all turned out to have scribbles all over them but that is a typical toddler picture! The Zulu teachers on the other hand were able to talk to the kids and guide them to color the correct thing. In my opinion, it doesn't matter what their picture looks like as long as they are doing something throughout the day, they will be having fun and not crying or trying to hit another kid with a toy. O the joys of working with toddlers!
I'm sure as the year goes on and I get to know more about the Zulu culture, there will be plenty of more differences and clashes but I am ready to embrace everything these people have to offer. So until I experience another lost in translation cultural difference, I leave you with a poem I wrote during Kellie's prayer about prejudice and the stigmas people have against people we have met here so far.
My name is not lazy Zulu woman. I am cultured, spiritual, and proud of who I am
My name is not Mama or Auntie to just my son. I am a mama and Auntie to all the Zulu children, and especially to the three other children I take care of.
My name is not uneducated and dumb. I am currently studying tat the University for a degree in education while supporting my child and family
My name is not AIDS stricken person. I am blessed to not be HIV positive but many of my relatives and close friends are.
My name is not unsupported and helpless. I may have made some mistakes in the past but I am a daughter who is loved by a mother and father. My father may have two families to support, mine and his new wife's, but I am still loved.
My name is not lazy Zulu woman. I am gifted, spiritual, faithful, happy and most importantly, proud of who I am.
South African Fact: This weekend we are going to a concert at a restaurant called the Rainbow Cafe that has been open since the beginning of apartheid and was the only restaurant in South Africa to always accept black and white people throughout the whole time it has been in business.
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