The facility of the school is really nice. The classrooms are large, and cold, but they have space for every student and a blackboard. There is a computer lab on the grounds, a library, a staff room, and music room. There is also a printing room for the teachers use. School starts at 8:00 AM. The kids all file in and sit quietly. There are morning prayers done in English even though most of the student population is Muslim. There are exams for 3rd grade at the end of term 3, which will come up after I leave. This test focuses on Math and Literacy. These are the main focuses during the school day. Right now my students are working on long division. I really like the method my teacher, Mrs. Naidoo, uses. These are my notes that I typed up showing the process:
164÷4=41
| 100 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 |
| 20 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| 60 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| 20 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| | 41 | | | |
1. Start with columns for divisor
2. Share the 100s (100-80)
3. Share leftover 100s
4. Share 10s
5. Share 1s
6. Add columns
382÷3= 127 r1
| 300 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| 80 | 20 | 20 | 20 |
| 20 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2+2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| | 1 | | |
I think this is such a neat idea, to physically show the sharing, instead of the linear model I learned on. It allows you to actually see the equal sharing. It is similar to how division is introduced in the Montessori schools. Most of the kids really seem to understand the math this way. Of course, there are always students who do not learn in the same way so there are some struggling. One of the big differences I've noticed is with the group work. There are three groups for the class: Rubies, Sapphires, and Diamonds. Each group is associated with an intelligence level: Rubies-slow learners, Sapphires-middle learners, Diamonds-higher learners. This is so anti everything we have learned from MSU. The teachers are all very open about these differences and make sure to point out students' errors in front of the whole class. In the US that is not acceptable and rarely happens anymore. These students seem to be used to it and it either reinforces the label or motivates them to do better. More often, I believe, it reinforces.
The students are generally very respectful to the teachers. Most just call me Miss. Which is actually really adorable. Although most of the girls keep asking if "Miss is married?" The class has a really interesting mix of personalities. There is one boy who is 11 and has repeated grade 3 a few times. He is quiet and really sweet. On Friday, when Mrs. Naidoo, stepped out for planning, he came up to me with a book and asked me to read it. The girls are very sweet, but are much more timid which I believe comes from gender roles and their Muslim background. Not that this is necessarily true, but the boys are a lot more audacious and have more personality.
There are three student teachers at the school. They are from a university around Cape Town but not Cape Town University. Their program requires them to have 3 years of theory and 1 year of practice, so it is kind of similar to MSU's. They, along with all the other teachers, are curious about the differences between education. They seemed surprised when I told them that we really do face all of the same problems that their schools have. The girls are all really sweet and I we all have coffee together during interval.
Interval happens at 10 AM and 12:30 (?). This is when they eat lunch and take some time to play outside. It is like recess only much shorter. One of the hardest things for me to adapt to is the "bell". This bell is actually much more a siren. The siren sounds exactly like the Tornado Siren. Everytime I hear it I become panicked and start looking for a safe place. I did not realize how conditioned I was for the sound. Thanks Pavlov.
These are the big things about school. I have been having a hard time uploading pictures to the blog but I have been putting pictures up on facebook. Yesterday, we did the Contour Path around Lion's Head Mountain and walked over to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. I LOVED the gardens and wish I could have spent more time there, but it took about an hour for me to get my food. Also, I had to buy new socks because mine were so wet from the waterfalls and streams that we had to jump across.
I am starting to get sick which I am upset about so hopefully I can get to a pharmacy today before this becomes a sinus infection.
