1/26/2019 0 Comments MY TIME IN sOUTH aFRICA!Travel to Jozi and Apartheid Museum; Wednesday, 1/9 During our first afternoon in Johannessburg, we were able to travel to Jozi & visit the Apartheid Museum. The history the museum represented made for such a moving and powerful experience. The way the entrance was set up had already portrayed the very harsh reality that people experienced during the apartheid reign, with different entrances for whites and non-whites. As I walked through the different exhibits, the pictures, stories and videos gave life to a past that has shaped South Africa’s current state. I was especially interested in the exhibit that portrayed the role that Albertina Sisulu played as an activist during this time. During class, we spoke about Winnie Mandela and the influence she had as a powerful figure against apartheid. As I learned more about Albertina, it was interesting to see just how important women were during this difficult time of South Africa’s history, as the wives of powerful figures but more importantly as outspoken and significant leaders themselves. However, as much as the apartheid museum represents the past, its effects are still very much present. One of the articles that we read during class, titled “Land was stolen under apartheid. It still hasn’t been given back” is an example of the repercussions of such a system. The fact that people are still fighting to get back their rightful property shows that there is still much work to be done to mend past wrongful actions (McKenzie & Swails, 2018). McKenzie, D. & Swails, B. (2018). Land was stolen under apartheid. It still hasn’t been given back. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/20/africa/south-africa-land-reform-intl/index.html Esikhisini School (Observation & Teaching); Thursday & Friday, 1/10-1/11 Our time at Esikhisini Primary School was a profound experience! Interacting and working with the teachers and learners allowed me to truly understand the importance of the preparation work we had been building on before the trip. Through our initial observations, I was able to see many of the strategies we had previously learned about in effect. The teacher in the Grade 4 class combined different type of work settings, from individual to group work, and then class discussions. During my Grade 5 observations, I was able to see that the teacher encouraged student’s to relate their personal experiences with the English lesson of the day, which allowed them to be more invested and interested in their work. Overall, an observation that applied to both grades was the large class sizes, where it was difficult for students to receive personalized instruction. During our teaching time with the students, the CRSTP allowed us to introduce broad and important topics to the students, ranging from the importance of reading to their future goals. This project that we worked through with the Grade 6 & 7 learners resulted in a tangible product that the teachers and learners themselves can hopefully refer to and build on throughout their time in school. The emphasis on reading was incorporated as a request from the teachers, who asked that we emphasize this component of school to their learners as a way to guide them to realize the importance of it and the role it already plays in their lives. Harambee – Youth Employment Accelerator; Thursday, 1/10 I appreciated learning about and visiting Harambee, as it allowed us to incorporate the nonprofit sector into our trip and time in South Africa. This organization does a lot of great work in pairing young adults to employment opportunities, by filling the gaps where possible. As South Africa deals with high youth unemployment rates (almost half of the population between 18-35 years old is unemployed), there is a need for assistance in this area. The types of services, amount of outreach and available resources offered by Harambee were abundant and seem to be very successful thus far. The most impactful part of our visit was the time we were able to take to observe the youth participating in their development programs and activities. This aspect of the organization really showed me that they truly emphasize the learning potential of these young adults, as a way to shift mindsets from a deficit perspective to a more well-rounded approach. Hearing participants speak to their strengths, as well as future goals allowed me to see that students were being shown the language and skills to better prepare themselves for the workforce. While obtaining a job is the short term goal, the assistance Harambee is able to provide people truly enables long term personal and professional growth. Soweto Bike Tour; Friday, 1/11 The bike tour we took through Soweto was one of the highlights (and also the beginning of many exercise intensive activities) of this trip! The educational component of this experience was eye-opening and allowed me to gain a more in depth perspective of the oldest and largest township in South Africa. The lunch we had right before we began was also amazingly delicious! The country’s food was definitely a positive for me, and if I remember correctly this was the first time we tried pap – a life changer. Being able to bike through the area while seeing the conditions people are living in first hand was impactful because it was no longer a historical account in a book but rather an experience that I can carry with me. Our tour guides were excellent and were able to provide a lot of detail in regards to the evolution of the township. The reputation that Soweto carries – as a dangerous and uninviting area – was not at all what I experienced. I appreciated that we were able to learn so much from our tour guides in order to appropriately inform ourselves of the realities that lie within the community. This bike tour also brought to life a portion of Nelson Mandela’s autobiography. Having read this book before the trip allowed me to have prior knowledge of Soweto and South Africa as a whole, while still leaving room for learning and observation. One of the more surprising elements of the tour was the stark contrast between the apartment complex that had been built right next to the family units. It was frustrating to learn about and see, and I thought it was such a powerful statement that no one had decided to move in. I was appreciative that we ended the bike tour with a ceremony led by our tour guides, sharing in each other’s company through the attire and beverages that were offered. This definitely contributed to the welcoming and community-oriented environment that we were able to be a part of through the bike tour. Changemaker Symposium; Saturday, 1/12 The changemaker symposium helped create a powerful space where we came together with South African educators to tackle challenges within our education systems. This profound experience allowed us to realize that our countries have more similarities than differences, and that our role as educators and practitioners is enhanced by participating in events such as these, where we are able to share knowledge, stories and best practices in order to build up our own schools and communities. The group that I was fortunate to be a part of was made up of passionate individuals who realize the importance of education in children’s lives, while recognizing the current gaps in our respective systems. The challenge that my group and I focused on was creating a culture that values & advocates for underrepresented students. A lot of the strategies and examples that we presented, in regards to addressing this challenge, included culturally responsive and inclusive practices. As an example, we included translanguaging as a way to allow students to learn in multiple languages, thus reinforcing each one while tailoring a student’s learning to their background. We made sure to also be realistic about our solutions, while involving as many constituents as possible. When it becomes a group effort, there tends to be more participation and invoked change from within. I also appreciated the presentations from all the changemaker groups, as we were able to listen to the way others approached their own challenges. Overall, it was an informative and supportive environment where we were able to form goals for improving our educational systems in our individual ways. Safari; Sunday & Monday, 1/13-1/14 The two part safari (at dusk and at dawn) we were able to experience was absolutely amazing! This was definitely a time during the trip where I was able to reflect on just how fortunate I was to be in such a beautiful country, one that I never imagined I would visit. The range in animals that we were able to see, from afar and up close, was stunning. Our goal was to see the “big 5” which includes lions, rhinos, elephants, leopards and water buffalo. While we were not able to spot water buffalo during either trip, we were able to see the other four which was incredible. As I reflected on how fortunate I was to be able to partake in such an experience, I was also able to realize my privilege in doing so. As I looked around the caravan, I realized that it was mostly tourists who are able to afford such an excursion. The reality is that there continues to be a huge divide amongst access and affordability with the locals, especially black Africans. While apartheid ended over two decades ago, the very luxuries that South Africa offers its guests cannot be enjoyed by its own people. Lebone II; Monday, 1/14 Our visit to Lebone II was a huge contrast to the other township schools we visited during our trip. Lebone is a well-resourced school where students are able to receiving housing and aid if required. It was built as a community project, to help elevate the community through the investment of its learners and educational pursuits. Lebone offers its students an array of extracurricular subjects, such as art and film, and requires that all students play a sport. Their focus is on developing the student holistically, which they emphasize through their course and resource offerings. Teachers and administrators are also offered professional development opportunities in order to ensure that they are continuously able to improve their practice. These opportunities are also offered to the community as a whole, in order to share knowledge for the betterment of all learners. We were able to learn a lot about Lebone’s units of inquiry, which were ways through which students learned necessary habits, values and skills in order to be successful after graduation. These ‘habits of mind’ were posted throughout various classrooms in different ways, through quotes and pictures, in order to emphasize the importance of them at every grade level and in varying subjects. I thought this was a great area of focus, because these skills seem to also be the ones that Harambee was helping its unemployed youth learn and obtain. If learners are able to incorporate these life skills, habits and values into their coursework early on, then they can be better prepared not only for their schooling but also their professional endeavors. Overall, the campus felt like a supportive and student centered environment, where student success was the priority. We were even able to enter a space where the leadership team meets, where every single student’s picture was hung up on the wall, as a reminder to the team that the ultimate focus and priority were the students. Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT); Tuesday-Thursday, 1/15-/17 “If you don’t know who you are then you won’t know what you want” – Thabo Mofolo Our work continued once we arrived in Cape Town, through new partnerships with university students. Our work with the CPUT students was definitely a highlight of the trip! Overall, the interactions we were able to have with the local community, through CPUT, changemaking events and school visits, made this trip unforgettable. We were able to not only observe but directly participate in the development of learners and educators while enhancing our own learning and understanding as well. We took several trips to CPUT. The campus seemed to be very traditional, although the students mentioned that it was a smaller campus compared to other universities in Cape Town. There, we were able to debrief the Culturally Responsive Student Transition Project (CRSTP), a process we had all worked through individually prior to convening. It was interesting to hear how that process went for many of us, and how useful of a tool we found it to be with the range of students we completed it with. In smaller groups, we were also able to modify certain prompts, relating to learning habits, positive thinking and overcoming adversity. Through these modifications, my group and I were able to talk through different strategies we had learned about within our course textbook (Inclusive Instruction). We provided examples within our slides, such as asking for feedback, extra time, or positive reinforcement, in order to allow for more effective discussion of these topics. It was also great to go on the school visits with the CPUT students because they brought an added level of understanding and knowledge about the country as a whole. They were able to highlight their skills, such as language and culture familiarity, through the interactions we had with learners in each school. During one of our school visits as a group, Thabo shared the above quote with the students (“If you don’t know who you are then you won’t know what you want”). This message does a great way of summarizing the CRSTP, as the focus of this tool is to allow students to reflect on their personal needs and strengths while relating it to their professional pursuits. I.D. Mkize (High School in Gugulethu); Wednesday, 1/16 In Cape Town, we were able to visit two townships schools, working with Grade 12 learners in each one. Our first visit was to I.D. Mkize, where we had another productive school engagement. Before arriving to the township, we were told that Gugulethu was one of the more dangerous townships that locals would not visit unless necessary. While this could have added to my perception of the school and learners, I made sure to keep an open mind and reserve judgements. Overall, the learners that I worked with seemed very capable and attentive to their work. There were areas of learning and I hope the CRSTP allowed them to begin thinking more about certain topics they were not already familiar with. When we got into the classroom, my group and I decided to split our classroom up into smaller groups, so that we each helped lead 10 learners through the CRSTP. Overall, the students that I worked with were a lot more independent and worked through the CRSTP at their own pace. I was there to assist with clarifying prompts and making sure they were staying on task. Students were also at varying stages of understanding and comfortableness with completing the project, so I made sure to provide additional support to those who needed it. The large groups we were each assigned made it difficult to form deeper connections with each learner, but I made an effort to connect with each learner through at least one of the prompts. After our time with the learners, we were able to spend some downtime with the CPUT students getting to know each other a bit more. We played a game and shared stories that allowed our cultural exchange experiences to continue. Ned Doman (High School in Athlone); Thursday, 1/17 The second school we were able to partner with in Cape Town was Ned Doman, located in the township of Athlone. When we arrived, we were able to hear more about the school from the principal, who shared with us the challenges he is currently facing. Lack of parental involvement and large class sizes seemed to be his focus, as the students he was serving were ones that had been transferred out of other schools. When we got into the classroom, we had a much smaller class size, which made it possible to create smaller group sizes, allowing each of us to work more closely with each learner. The learners that I was able to work with at this school were very impressive! They all had a good idea of their future pursuits and what they needed to do in order to achieve them. They were also very willing to answer each prompt in depth, which I hope they can continue to refer to throughout their academic year! After our work with the learners, we were then able to partner with the teachers as they focused on encouraging and increasing parental involvement within their school. We gave them an overview of the CRSTP we had just completed with the Grade 12 learners, and they asked questions in regards to the topics that were covered and how it was taken up by the class. As they worked through new ways to focus on involving parents more in the education process, I made an effort to ask questions so that I could suggest potential and relevant options to add to their efforts. The biggest area of growth that I saw throughout the discussion was a shift in mindset, in regards to a deficit approach of parent involvement. The teachers did seem motivated to make a change, but it looks like it will require a community approach in order to make it successful. People in South Africa We met some amazing people in South Africa throughout our two weeks! The people and the hospitality they provided definitely made this trip an amazing one. We were able to enjoy dinner with different individuals including Nike, Essie, Gadija, Nsovo, Marcia, as well as the CPUT students and faculty. As locals, these individuals were able to provide us with a first-hand perspective of South Africa and the ways in which the country has developed over time. Niki & Essie were kind enough to host a Braai for us, which included a lot of delicious food! It was also interesting to visit Niki’s house, as it was a stark contrast from some of the other neighborhoods we had visited in Johanessbrug, in regards to affluence and security. Dinner with Gadija was also very enjoyable! She was also crucial to our work with the Esikhisini learners because she went out of her way to make sure we were prepared for our visit. Marcia was able to join us on many of our outings and she added great humor and knowledge to our trip! The CPUT students and faculty are also amazing individuals. The passion the students have for education radiates from the work that we did together. Dr. Meda & Dr. Mosito were also such great facilitators and shared great knowledge and wisdom with us. Looking forward to staying in contact with those we met and continuing to work individually and collectively towards our educational pursuits! Cape Town Experience Thank you to Dr. Jez for sharing her knowledge and love for this country because it made the trip so incredible! From the food to the people to the scenery, everything about South Africa was truly life changing. It was also an amazing experience to be able to work so closely with teachers and learners at different schools because I was able to learn so much from them. My personal and professional practice has definitely been enhanced because of this trip. I have been able to expand my knowledge of not only the country and its history, but also about inclusive and culturally responsive education. I am looking forward to returning to South Africa because it is truly a country that I very much enjoyed learning about and visiting. Until next time, South Africa!
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