Just a Teacher at Heart.

In January, I trained most of the teachers of a school in Jeffreys Bay on how to help learners that struggle with reading and maths. It was well received, but I did not know how and if they would implement it. Now recently, I have received feedback that they are implementing it and that it is making a difference in the learners' academic lives. I was so happy to receive this positive report. On top of that, the head master sent a message to me that he would like me to come for a follow-up visit. :-D

In February, I started at Pellsrus Primary School, working with the Grade 2 and 3 learners that the teachers identified as needing help. I can already see improvement in all the learners. This is a real encouragement to me.

I also met some people in Hankey and Patensie this past week to whom I introduced the Sophakama Tutor Programme. They seemed interested and will speak to community members and hopefully come back to me with some people that will be interested to receive training and become tutors in their communities.

In this way the work is expanding and more children benefit with skills that will help them to build their future. (At the end of March I had contact again with a boy who we worked with for 5 years. He is now in the High School and is doing well. He is so motivated to be successful. It is nice to see fruit on our labour.)

After 23 years of teaching children I still get energized when children engage and learn. Guess, I am just a teacher at heart.

Keep the Passion!

I moved this week to a different part of Jbay, right across the street from a Primary School.  It has been fun to hear the children voices since Wednesday coming from there.  It is athletics season and even the old “Mango, Mango!” can still be heard from the supporters.

On a different note, but I suppose not completely a new theme, Mrs. Mbiko, who was involved in leadership with the SGB's in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, passed on last Friday.  I am sad.  The last time we spoke, she said she still would like me to come do training in a certain school in Port Elizabeth.  Apart from that, I still wanted to ask her many questions.  I learned so much from her about the true situation in our schools.  She was always full of hope that, through co-operation with the community, the situation in our schools can be changed for the better.  I solute you for your commitment, Mrs. Mbiko! Rest in peace!

The camp with the girls of the Child Welfare of Humansdorp in December, was a huge success.  It was lovely to spend time with these girls on the brink of adolescence.  We work with the theme of the different aspects of a person's identity, which was well received.  We were however, not only serious the weekend.  We had fun on the beach, at the amusement park and with Sophakama's trademark Concert.  It was interesting to notice the differences between an all boys concert and an all girls concert.  The boys are more into rap and dance, while the girls are more into singing and movement.

I look forward to continue with the Aftercare of the Humansdorp Child Welfare this year.  New schools in Jeffreys Bay and continuing work in Patensie are also on the cards for this year.

May this New Year be a very good year for all of you!  Keep the passion to bring good change for learners all across our land.

Evelyn

The end of the year joys!

The URCSA – Jeffreys bay's Aftercare grew daily for the little more than a month it ran. We have closed now though, because of the exams. I was happy for the help of the World Race Team that volunteered with us for three weeks. I am also thankful for “oom” Barend van Rooyen, who supported us with bread and juice. My two regular helpers got jobs (for which we are thankful for), but it means that I will need to find new helpers for next year.

This week is also the last week of teaching for the Interns. We just spent three weeks of preparing and writing our Career Statements. In this time we refined our motivation for work, discovered our style of work and trust for fruit on our labour.

Even though teaching are winding down, one big event remains before rest can come. We are planning to take 10 girls from the Humansdorp Child Welfare Aftercare on a camp in Jeffreys bay on 2 – 4 December. It will be a first for me to take 10 girls. I have done two all boys camps with the ACVV on “oom” Hannes' farm, but here now it will be only girls. Luckily, Kagiso is coming with and she has some ideas regarding this.

Evelyn

It's a race!

I had so much fun yesterday at the Patensie school, watching the kids. After break all the kids gathered together and one of the teachers spoke to them. When they were released, the Grade R learners ran passed me to their class. I saw a lot of potential in the front runners. Wayde van Niekerk, you better practice ;-D!! The enjoyment of running was something to behold.

Later during tutoring, one of the boys mastered the n sound. He confused it with the m sound, but I had him look at me while I demonstrated the position of the tongue behind the front teeth and he got it. From then on whenever he came across the n sound he looked up at me and said n, showing his tongue behind his new out-coming front teeth. YES! He is getting it!

So, we started a new Aftercare at URCSA Jeffreys Bay this week. We started the day with 7 kids but ended with twelve. When it came to play time, the boys were not enough for a soccer game so we got some kids from the street and now it seems they want to stay. :-). The highlight for me was to see with what delight most of the kids tackled their math. I hope that we can cultivate this excitement in the long run.

Sometimes we smile, sometimes we cry.

Sometimes we smile and sometimes we cry as we engage with the children that we work with.

Smile
I had to smile at all the things that the kids in Patensie were up to during the school holidays. Some slept, others played with dolls and jumped rope, while all the boys played rugby. It made me laugh when I asked them if they were in the scrum or in the back line, when some of the tiniest ones were in the scrum. But when I asked them if they can run fast, most of them answered with a very positive: “Yes!”

I love the times I spend at Patensie. It is now beginning to feel as if I have settled in in my role there and that the staff are now comfortable with my presence among them. I am so encouraged by the progress that all 15 children I work with are making. May this reading key unlock many doors for them in their lives.

Cry
This past week a girl that Kagiso is teaching English reading to, made her cry when she heard of her life's circumstances. Sometimes when you look at children from the outside you cannot imagine all the trauma and sadness they are experiencing or had experienced in their lives.

I am therefore so glad for the training that the Sophakama Interns received last Friday from Annemarie Barnard on the subject of sexual abused children. She gave us very practical tools how to be of help to such children.

And so we share the joy and pain of the children we teach.

Evelyn

Werk Educational Corner

“Werk” is situated in the Bakens Valley, with other factories and businesses around it. There are however also 9 houses in that area. Some of the smaller children of the families that live in these houses, have started to hang out at “Werk”. In March I trained 4 mothers there to tutor their kids in reading and maths. We would like now to also start with an Educational Corner at “Werk”. They will provide the space and open it up to the children at the scheduled times. We would like to have there available puzzles, Lego, colouring books, word puzzles, chess sets, other educational games, story books, art books, paper, pencils, crayons, etc. If you have any of the above mentioned items or would like to make a donation towards any of these items, please contact me at email. Sophakama2012@gmail.com.

I am excited about this project. If this project works, it might be something to look into for other businesses situated in or near residential areas.

Evelyn

Feb 2016 Update

 

Mid-January I finally got round to going to Patensie. Irma Loots gave me the name of a lady she knows in Patensie and that lady gave me the names of two headmasters (one of a farm school and one of the Primary school in town). So, on 18 January Anna Marie Franken and I took the road to Patensie.

At the Primary school in town our meeting with the Principal came to the conclusion that I would train 3 of their staff how to use the Sophakama Tutor Programme material. This training will take place on Saturday 13 February.

As a result of our meeting with the headmaster, Martie De Beer, of the farm school, I am now on Thursdays tutoring their Grade 2 learners, who struggle with reading. Two or three ladies of this farming community will also receive training on the 13th at the Primary School in Patensie.

I am still waiting to commence tutoring in Humansdorp at the Child Welfare Aftercare.

In Port Elizabeth, my Sophakama Co-worker, Amore Strauss is continuing at the ACVV Poplar Ave. She has also started tutoring at Excelsior Primary School in North End.

Other than that, Amore is training hard for the Ironman. She is fundraising for Smile Foundation. If you would like to support her initiative you can go to www.givengain.com/activist/143980/projects/11113/

With compassion,
Evelyn