(above) the younger group - Grade R-3
(above) the older group with me, Sean and SteveI've now managed to touch base with 38 of my 40 orphans and tomorrow I hope to find the remaining 2. Their profiles are underway and I'm adding information about them as and when I can.
Last Thursday I was pleased to see most of my older group. For some reason an extra 7 children turned up and it took some explaining to them, by me in English and then by the kids in Zulu, that if their name wasn't on my list then they couldn't stay. I feel a bit bad about sending them off but the reality is that I can only work with a smaller group at this time and as we start up and if I don't take a stand then all sorts of extra children will be sent up to my sessions.
It was great to spend some time explaining to the children my role in their school and home life and to get profile photos and start collecting information to build up a picture of how they live. Now that I have my Hilux I can start looking into visiting their homes next term. The teachers want to come too to see for themselves firsthand what their children live with at home. The children are really excited about our sessions and I think it will be a good group, some lively characters coming through already! However, when I was clearing up I realised that at least 10 of them saw fit to steal the pens, so I think we might have to 'discuss' that somehow in tomorrow's session!
Then on Tuesday this week I managed to get all but 1 of the younger group together. We had to change classrooms as there were workmen in my usual place. This change of classroom disrupted the dynamic and we were frequently interrupted by wandering children from the playground. I can do behaviour management in any language, by the power of a simple look, however I feel that I should increase my vocabulary for telling children off as some of them are a little bit naughty. However it's difficult to remain annoyed for long, they are so lovely.
Communication with this group is still tricky. I would say that their level of English doesn't really extend beyond 'How are you?', so my Zulu is rapidly improving. Being a secondary school teacher it's also a challenge for me to prepare sessions for smaller children, but though it's a steep learning curve, it's all positive.
After school on Tuesday we went to watch the football team play a friendly against the team from the school for the deaf next door. My 7-year-old twins S and N came with me to watch and it was good to spend some quality social time with them, even if they did fling their rucksacks at me to carry for them as if I was their long-suffering mother!
