So last week we finally started the job we came here to do – methodology training! On Monday, we went back to Kiyumba to start our workshops. All the observations, meetings and planning we’ve been doing are a part of our job of course, but the training itself is the fun bit. I was really nervous starting off. We’ve seen these teachers teach, and they know what they’re doing. Given their circumstances, they’re doing a really good job. Most of them have been teaching longer than I have. Who are we to arrive in and tell them they need to change? In fact, one man who I’m going to be working with every Friday, Gato, has been teaching longer than I’ve been alive. Then I rock up in his school saying ‘ok, I want you to change,play more games and sing more songs’! I’ve already mentioned all the difficult circumstances the teachers here have to deal with; ridiculous low pay, long hours, no resources, as well as the fact that they now have to teach in English, although Kinyarwanda is their first language and they all completed their education in French. Really, are group work and rice sacks with pictures going to fix anything?
So anyway we arrived in Kiyumba with ricesacks, experiments and ideas for games and activities. I had no idea how the teachers were going to react to this teaching…
We arrived on Monday with Julia, who kindly agreed to do the secondary science bit. (I’m a primary teacher– I don’t know about his science Kit!) Then on Tuesday and Wednesday, Tricia and I did Social Studies and Primary Science. And they teachers reacted really well! They were so enthusiastic, it was brilliant! From the start, they got into the warm ups, tried out all the activities, asked loads of questions, and the best thing was that they seemed happy. The highlight of the week for me was when we got a group of teachers show the class how they could use drama in social studies. It was so lovely. It was great to see that teachers want this training; they’re taking ideas on board and telling us that it’s helpful. Next week we have Maths, English and nursery, I hope it goes as well! It takes ages to load pictures, so I just put a few up here of the day.
Then yesterday morning, walked up a mountain with Julia, Rose and Pascal. Oh and a bunch of children who decided to accompany us, of course. It was such a gorgeous walk. (Gaelan, it kind of reminded me of bits of the camino. Although without the wine and tapas) We went through little villages, past fields of bananas, sunflowers and cassava, and after a few hours of clambering we got to the top and had the most gorgeous view of our area. We also saw a group of people who had climbed up to pray. Pascal explained that they like to pray outdoors on top of a mountain because they feel they are closer to God up there. I love that idea! I’m in love with the scenery here. But of course, that’s because we can walk up the hills when we feel like it. A Rwandan man told Tricia and I on Friday that he hates the scenery. Of course we were like, oh no, how can you say that, it’s so beautiful. He just said ‘have you walked up the mountain with a jerry can full of water on your head?’. Point taken.
So now it’s Sunday, I’m going for a jog with Julia and then I’m going to make resources for the training on Monday.( Oh I should clarify that there are two Julias here, English Julia who did our science day, and curly Julia who goes running.) hope you’re all having a nice bank holiday Sunday in Ireland! Aw, if I could just be whisked home for this one weekend… Miss you all xxx
