Week 3 – Professional

 After the professional shock I received during my first week of teaching, I feel that it is only appropriate that I develop my reflections on the Zambian Education system.

As Jenna and I finished our second week of teaching, I finally feel that we have developed a routine in our lesson planning and teaching, allowing us to put our Northern Irish teaching methods to good use. The fact that we have been placed in one classroom has most definitely improved the quality of teaching we have been able to provide, as one of us can act as a classroom assistant – working with groups of children to provide differentiation, writing information of the blackboard (a huge time saver during lessons) and simply being a reassuring face at the back of the room when lesson are not going to plan – while the other teaches. Furthermore, it has provided professional development, in the form of liaising closely with another teacher and developing my ability to “deploy, organise and guide the work of other adults to support pupil’s learning” (Competence 16) (GTCNI, 2011, p.14), skills which will be easily transferable to the Northern Ireland (NI) schooling system.

As with the NI curriculum, the Zambian curriculum is divided into a number of areas/subjects – these include: Mathematics, English, Science, Creative and Technology Studies (C.T.S), Social Development Studies, Chitonga (the local language), Literacy and Community studies – however, the similarities end there. As the NI curriculum places an emphasis on the importance of developing “links between different aspects of learning” (CCEA, 2007, p.10), the Zambian system opts for subject separation.  After the little time I have spent observing and teaching in Holycross Basic school – seeing the opportunities to provide links between subjects - and my experience from school based work in NI, I personally support Cohen et al’s (1996) suggestion that compartmentalising subjects can prevent important links being explored, resulting in key concepts which straddle subject boundaries to be neglected.

Vanessa - Our Star of the week.

During my time in school, I have observed a number of teachers and been in a range of classrooms, all of which have been completely different experiences. Each teacher has their own methods, similar to the way teachers in Northern Ireland differ. Many of the teachers do the best they can with the little they have – making visual aids and resources to aid the children’s learning – but this is a very difficult task, as I have found out over the last week. I am doing my best to make suitable visual aids and wall displays, with the aim of developing the children’s learning and making myself feel more at home in the classroom.

Our table rewar chart and Star of the week award, which are working very well.

An image used in the making of a 'sound story' during an English lesson.

Jenna and I had the opportunity to attend a Literacy training session which took part in our school; this was an experience that I will never forget. The course was due to run from 8.00am to 5.00pm, a very long day in the boiling heat. From what I was able to understand, the course leaders were pushing the idea of differentiation of children into literacy groups, with the aim of improving the reading standards in the schools. It was promising to see this type of training taking place. However, I am not sure how seriously the teachers will take the recommendations as the seemed more concerned about deciding on the group names (spending over half the time disusing this), than the core literacy skills required. Nevertheless, it is a step in the right direction to improving the reading skills of the children and I have seen my class teacher implementing a number of the techniques suggested.

After my third week of teaching, I am really enjoying the challenges and rewards which come with teaching in Africa. The children are starting to open up in the classroom, warming to me as a teacher (which is a really amazing experience for me) and they are beginning to work well in groups – Which is the strategy I have decided to implement for the basis of my International Study Project.

 

 

References

CCEA (2007) Northern Ireland Curriculum- Primary: Belfast, CCEA.

Cohen, L, Manion, L and Morrison, K (1996) A Guide to Teaching Practice (4th Edition). London: Routledge.

General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland. (2010) Teaching: The Reflective Profession, GTCNI, Belfast.

Week Two – Professional

After my first week of teaching in Hollycross Basic School, I am entering the weekend with mixed emotion regarding the education system and schooling in Zambia. Before arriving in Livingstone, I had an image of what the teaching process would involve, however nothing could have prepared me for what I have observed and experienced in the last week alone.

On entering our school, it is clear to see that the budget they receive in very minimal and this becomes even more apparent in the classroom where the teachers are simply armed with one (tatty) text book for each subject, chalk and a blackboard. A stark contrast from Northern Irish classrooms! 

The curriculum within the school is based on a set of text books, which work the children toward an end of year exam. Due to this, the majority of teachers assume that the children must have all this information written out into their notebooks to learn. I am finding this very frustrating as the children spend more than half off a lesson writing, with very little learning taking place – as many children cannot read. During my planning, I am trying my best to develop creative lessons to encourage understanding and reduce the amount of mindless copying.

 A Mathematics lesson where the children are engaging with the greater than and less than symbols (Left). And an English lesson, in which the children wrote a letter to a pen pal in Northern Ireland (Right).

The above is not helped by the fact that the African culture of time keeping does not end at the school gates. Pupils and teachers are often late, leading to the limited lesson times (40 minutes per subject) being cut short or being left out altogether.

The schooling system is arranged into Grades, similar to the class grouping in Northern Ireland. However, the ages range in each Grade varies a great deal. In my Grade 6 class, the ages range from 9 to 14, resulting in a huge difference in their abilities. Meeting the need of individual difference is not a priority for teachers, as it would be in Northern Ireland, with the same work provided to all. I feel that this is an issue which needs to be addressed as many children are caught in a vicious circle, where they lack a basic understanding of concepts but are forced to move on to the next topic, even after receiving zero in summative assessments (the only method which is used). The results to these assessments are posted on the classroom wall for all to see, something I found highly shocking, as the children all compared and mocked each other’s scores.

The pupils in Hollycross Basic School have a huge amount of respect for their teachers: carrying the teachers’ bags, standing when they are answering a question and bowing when they are asking a question. Having said this, the children can be very disruptive in class and there is no school or classroom behavioural management policy to prevent this, individual teachers seem to decide upon their own punishment methods. After witnessing a number of these methods, Jenna and I decided in implement a simple table point reward chat, to encourage positive behaviours. Over the last week this has been very successful. Although, I am interested to see if the novelty will wear off in the coming weeks.

After the initial shock experienced in my first week of teaching and reflecting upon this in my blog, I am now looking forward to the professional challenges and opportunities I will have in the next five weeks, to make a difference to the children’s learning.

            My Grade six class from Hollycross Basic School.

Week One - Cultural

Our first week in Zambia has involved a great deal of cultural adaptation ranging from the mass of insects to the mighty Zambian heat which greeted us as we stepped off the plane into Livingstone Airport. Our International Host, Patrick, kindly transported us from the airport to our new home; Jollyboys Backpackers were we were welcomed with open arms by the staff and the insects (to our dismay).  Life in Jollyboys, has taken a while to settle into with its relaxed African atmosphere, straw huts and food – We are definitely a long way from our home comforts!

Before we had time to think, we headed straight to Victoria Falls which completely blew my expectations out of the water. It was breath taking! After exploring, we walked a short distance before crossing the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. I was shocked by the beauty of the Falls and its surroundings, but also by the lack of safety percussions.

During the first few days, Patrick eased us into the Zambia way of life, taking us on a tour of Livingstone, to our schools for observations and to register at the Department of Education Offices. Along with providing us with our first of many experiences of African time keeping, arriving over two hours late!

We were invited to David Livingstone Collage, where we received a tour of the campus, witnessed a lecture and took part in sporting activities. At first, the collage seemed to contrast sharply with Stranmillis with the old buildings, lack of resources and the fact Elephants often wonder through the grounds. Although, after discussions with students and lecturers it became clear that these were merely cultural differences and structure of learning is quite similar, as students engage in specific subjects, along with educational pedagogy.

 

The students carrying their chairs between different classes at David Livingstone Collage

Having ventured into Livingstone, both with and without Patrick, our presence has caused a great deal of commotion. We are greeted with many smiles, handshakes and waves. At first I found this very refreshing as this would not happen on the streets of Belfast. However, I am becoming very aware of my skin colour, as it is impossible to walk down the street without being approached or hear people talk about us in their native language, referring to us as ‘Mzungo’ meaning ‘white person’, which is quite unnerving as we do not know what is being said. But overall, the locals have been very welcoming, it is heart warming to see how excited and proud they are to be Zambian. During the excitement of the African Cup of Nations, we were embraced as honouree Zambians after purchasing a Zambian football top.  

As we explore Livingstone, I am having my eyes opened to the difficulties of money and food faced by some of the locals, which is hard to see, especially within our schools. I feel that this cultural difference (although present in some areas of Northern Ireland), will be the most difficult to come to terms with. I have found it very interesting to experience many of the African customs, such as carrying baskets on their heads, always greeting with a hand shake and the tone and volume of their speech (which is always excited and sound like they are auguring).

I am intrigued to find out what challenges and cultural difference we will face next week when we begin to teach full time in Holly Cross Basic School.