Blog Twelve - Cultural Blog

26th April 2012

As each international student writes the normal cliché of how they aren’t ready to come home, I also appear to fall into this category. To me, Uganda is now part of my home, and leaving here makes me experience what I felt before leaving my own home in Northern Ireland! For it can be said, “Where we love is home. Home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts” (Holmes, 2009) Although I am now parting from the country I love, one which has helped me to grow and experience brand new surroundings, I know that wherever I may go, Uganda has captured a very large part of my heart.

Before leaving Uganda however, Lynsey and I were thrilled to be visiting Murchison Falls National Park. Before coming onboard the International programme to Uganda, we both knew that this was one of the places that we were most excited about visiting. Murchison Falls is located in Northern Uganda, almost reaching the border of the Congo. Consisting of a large game park, Lynsey and I had the opportunity to see hundreds of wild animals roaming free in their natural habitat. 



Sunrise over the River Nile

Upon arriving at our camp, we were placed in a group who would be accompanying us along our safari adventure. The start of our experience began when we were given our tents that we would be staying in for the next few days. Lynsey and I were lucky enough to share a tent, fitted with beds and electricity! However, we did have some incidents where other visitors wanted to come join us… Warthogs, hippos and baboons wandered the campsite freely!

Our safari group

With an early start at 6:00am the following morning, we were lucky enough to see the beautiful sunrise over the River Nile. Following this we began our first game drive. Our group managed to see many wild animals including crocodiles, leopards, hippos, giraffes and huge herds of elephants! Seeing the animals so closely gave us a wonderful insight to how these animals lived naturally, rather than being held in captivity.

Some Elephants in their natural habitat

Subsequent to this, we also had the chance to climb to the top of Murchison Falls. We were lucky enough to see how the summit of the waterfall met with the sun to form completely striking surroundings. Needless to say the breathtaking scenery made up for the long trek upwards!

The Top of Murchison Falls

As our Safari adventure finished, it is so hard to believe that our time in Uganda has also come to an end. Arriving in Entebbe airport almost thirteen weeks ago now seems like a lifetime away; yet it is strange how our time in Africa has completely flown by.

Although it is time to separate from everything we love here: our friends, the children we have taught, a university which has welcomed us as our own, the street boys, and the orphaned babies we have all grown to love, it seems that Lynsey and I are not quite finished our adventures yet. As keen travellers, Lynsey and I will be travelling the whole of East Africa, including Kenya, Tanzania, and Zanzibar! Although unsure what to expect, we know that each step we take will be a brand new adventure “For I see my path but I don’t know where it leads. Not knowing where I’m going inspires me to travel it.” (Welty, 2002)

References

Holmes, O. (2009) “The complete poetical works of Oliver Wendell Holmes” Wildside press, LLC.

Welty, E. (2002) “The Optimists Daughter” Random house, Stateside Press.

Blog Eleven - Professional Blog

19^th April 2012

This week Lynsey and I had the privilege of being invited to a farewell assembly at City Parents Primary School. Overwhelmed to be invited to a school assembly dedicated towards us, we were excited to see what CPS had planned for our arrival. Our normal routine of organising our classes in the courtyard for assembly seemed distant; this time we were seen as ‘special guests’.

Our farewell assembly at school involved what we expected from City Parents; singing and dancing! Arriving at 7:30am, we had numerous speeches from the headmaster and head of department about our time in City Parents. Numerous kind words were shared and knowing that we were leaving our placement school for the last time meant that emotions were high. Both the classes we had been teaching, P.3.S and P.3.N had prepared songs which we taught them while on placement. Hearing these songs made us realise how much they had enjoyed them, yet it was rewarding on our behalf. It was also clear that they had spent a long time preparing numerous handmade cards, gifts and letters for us to open. Completely overwhelmed at the amount of presents we had received, we realised that our classes were going to miss our presence as much as we were going to miss them.

Receiving our gifts

 Since finishing teaching practice, we have had the opportunity to reflect on what we have learnt during this time, and also what university has been like compared to that of home. Makerere University is a large university which is well established as being one of the best in Uganda. Its education department is made up of two buildings, and although there are many undergraduate students, Lynsey and I have been placed in the ‘PGDE’ education class. Our class consists of ourselves along with twelve other students. Although small, we have felt that we have really bonded with our classmates and they have made a special effort to include us in their class. It has been interesting to look at the different perspectives of these pupils, and how their opinions compare with ours.

Our university course focuses on looking at the instructional methods of teaching, and the use of technology which can be implemented within the classroom. Our tutors have been really useful at giving us an insight of how Ugandan schools operate, and they have been really interested to find out more about our curriculum and teaching methods. It was interesting to note that theoretically their methods briefly mirror ours, yet I found that upon observation and being on placement in a Ugandan school, they were actually somewhat contrasting. The tutors and students were keen to take on board our ideas of interactive teaching, likewise the teachers we met at City Parents; however with the large number of pupils and limited resources, I feel that this could be an issue.

The GTCNI Competences highlight how teachers should develop, “a knowledge and understanding of a range of strategies to promote and maintain positive behaviour , including an acknowledgement of pupil voice to establish an effective learning environment.” With this in mind, I have recognised how our tutors have included us, and allowed us to voice our opinions in relation to different classroom strategies. In doing this, they have shown us the importance of including our own pupils’ opinions and in turn, I have realised how the learning environment can be maximised. Overall I feel I have gained most experience of the education system in Uganda from my placement in City Parents. However, university has been very enjoyable and it has been interesting to note how the students and tutors were adamant to include our opinion and make us feel welcome in the classroom.

Outside Makerere University

References

GTCNI (2005)  “Teaching: The Reflective Profession, Incorporating the Northern Ireland Teaching Competences.” Routeledge, London. 

Blog Nine + Ten - Personal / Cultural Blog

12th April 2012

 Lynsey and I used the Easter holidays as a perfect excuse to take a break from the hussle and bussle of Kampala. Being in the city for over two months, we were ready to see a different side of Uganda and aside from the city of chaos!

We were glad to meet a familiar face from home, when Lynsey’s boyfriend Garth arrived in Uganda to spend his Easter holidays with us. Upon finishing teaching practice and all of our volunteering, we agreed on taking a well deserved break to Jinja.

Beginning our journey from the ‘Old Taxi Park’ in Kampala gave Garth a quick snapshot of the disorganisation of Africa. Finding our way around the maze of ‘matatus’ was a challenging task; it took us a while to find the correct minibus to Jinja amongst the hundreds!

Jinja is most famously known as being the source of the River Nile. Lynsey and I had the opportunity to get a boat trip to see the exact location from where it is sourced from. Taking a tour guide along with us, we were able to find out more about its origin and how the underground springs meet Lake Victoria before it begins its travels to Egypt.

Lynsey and I at the source!

The River Nile

Staying at Bujagli Falls, we were surrounded by breathtaking views of the River Nile, and the beautiful vegetation of the countryside. Located just above the River Nile, our safari tent which we camped in for the weekend looked unto striking scenery. However, Jinja’s beautiful surroundings away from the pandemonium of Kampala were not all that seemed appealing for us, but it has also emerged as “the adrenaline capital of East Africa”.  (Fitzpatrick, 2009) It is no surprise therefore that we decided to make use of these activities!

Covered in dust from the track!

Having done white water rafting before, and not quite brave enough to take on the rapids of the River Nile twice, I decided that I would be more suited towards quad biking in the African sunshine. Having little practice before setting off on the winding dirt paths along the River Nile, I was a bit apprehensive of the journey. Our guide equipped us with the appropriate clothing; dungarees, wellington boots, a helmet, a bandana and goggles, all to prevent us from getting covered in the never-ending dust! After some rehearsal on manoeuvring our quads, we were ready to take on the various ramps, through the local villages and along the meandering paths towards the rapids of the Nile.  Surprised at how fast I wanted my quad to go, there were a few incidents where I had to make a quick change of course before crashing! Exhausted after our quad trip, the remainder of our time in Jinja was spent enjoying the hot African sun while swimming in the River Nile.

Ready to hit the road! 

Eager to continue our travels, we decided to voyage eight hours to Kbale, to Lake Bunyonyi. Lake Bunyonyi is known as “the place of many little birds” (Fitzpatrick, 2009) Surrounded by twenty-nine islands, the lake is located in the middle of steep hillsides making its remarkable views and secluded islands made this destination a place of ultimate relaxation.

For the duration of the time we would be spending in Lake Bunyonyi, we would be staying on Byoona Amagara island. Located away from the mainland, we had the option of getting a dugout canoe or a motorboat to where we would be spending the next few days. Choosing to use a dugout canoe, we managed to fit five of us on a long, thin wooden canoe which is carved from a eucalyptus tree. Paddling this seemed quite a mission and I was surprised at how we could stay afloat. Travelling along in this canoe allowed us to truly embrace the environment we were situated in and see how striking Uganda could be. Being more of a hindrance than a help with the paddling, I was very thankful to have two guides who could get us to dry land safely!

The dugout canoes

The island we were staying on proved a huge difference to our western way of life. Having no electricity, adapting to a very ‘African’ way of living seemed quite a challenge for us. Having no flushing toilets, buckets of water for showers and candles for lights allowed Lynsey and I to experience an eco-friendly, ‘no frills’ way of living. Although very different to what we are used to, it was a great experience to live so involved with nature and in a way which only involved the real necessities of life.  Frank Herbert once stated that, “Without new experiences, something inside of us sleeps. The sleeper must awaken.” (Olsen, 2008 ) As we live each day in this foreign country, it adds to our overall experience of life, and how we can enjoy everything that we stumble across. Everything we have experienced in Uganda has been new to us, yet it has been these experiences which have truly allowed us to delve into and enjoy life here.

Overall our Easter holiday was one which we can say we have never experienced before! From canoeing in Lake Bunyonyi to quad biking along the River Nile, to sunbathing under the hot African sun to sleeping beneath the stars with breathtaking views, I can honestly say that Lynsey and I are even more excited about travelling further abroad Africa!

References

Fitzpatrick, M. (2009) “Lonely Planet: East Africa” Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd, Singapore.

Olsen, G. (2008) “David Lynch: Beautiful Dark” Library of Congress Catalogue in publication data, Plymouth, United Kingdom.

Blog Eight - Personal

29th March 2012

Upon finishing school placement, we have been very grateful to discover that Uganda has a lot to offer in relation to volunteer work. Making use of our valuable time left here, Lynsey and I decided to take a week volunteering at ‘The Bulrushes Baby Home’.

‘The Bulrushes Baby Home’ is run by an organisation known as ‘Watoto’. Watoto is a worldwide administration which honours to “Rescue, Raise and Rebuild” people who are in need. Based in Africa, there are a number of baby homes, watoto villages and schools which help to give those who are less privileged, a chance in life. Their mission statement highlights the work they are involved in around East Africa, “The Watoto model involves physical care, medical intervention including HIV/Aids treatment, education - formal and technical and trauma counselling.” (Watoto, 2010)

‘The Bulrushes’ is one of three baby homes in Uganda which caters for babies that have been abandoned. From these baby homes, Watoto plan to help build healthy children which will then be filtered into specific villages and schools they been created. For the week I was placed with the 3-6 month old babies. Surrounded by fifteen babies that had to be bathed, fed, changed and clothed, it’s not surprising that I felt out my depth. Regardless of this chaos, I instantly fell in love with the babies I was working with!



Getting ready for bathtime!

Ecstatic to be involved with this organisation, we were keen to find out the babies’ stories and what had happened to them. Due to poverty, lack of education and the HIV crisis, we were shocked to hear that many babies would not make it to the age of five without urgent medical attention. Some of the babies we were working with had traumatic experiences, “Some of them have been found in toilets, garbage dumps, under trees, in bushes, buckets of water and on doorsteps. It is common for them to premature, abused and with serious medical conditions.” (Watoto, 2010)

As we held each of them in our arms, I had difficulty analysing why anyone could harm such perfect and precious babies. Yet due to some of the circumstances we are surrounded with in Uganda, it is unfortunately a common practice. Such simple episodes of sickness require instant medical attention and even common complaints can often leave a child weak and malnourished. As I worked with these vulnerable babies, I felt overwhelmed at the love the nannies and staff had for them. It can be said that “…our most precious resource is people and their potential to work for the betterment of society; however poverty in its numerous manifestations, most obviously low and unreliable income, wastes this resource and its potential.” (Spence, 2009) Knowing that these children were safe to grow up in a society which is so poverty stricken and corrupt made me aware of how fortunate they were to have such loving carers.

References

Watoto (2010) “Watoto: Our Purpose” Watoto Africa, Uganda.

Watoto (2010) “Watoto: Baby Watoto” Watoto Africa, Uganda.

Spence, C. (2009) “Achieving, Believing and Caring: Doing whatever it takes to create successful schools.” Pembroke Publishers, Ontario, Canada.

Week Seven - Cultural Blog

22nd March 2012

Not only does an international semester abroad allow me to experience and investigate my profession further, but it also allows me to submerse myself in a new culture which I now call my home. As the weeks pass and Lynsey and I continue to familiarise ourselves with our new lives, we have taken time to explore our environment, learning about the Ugandan culture as we do so. Mariam Beard highlights how, “Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.” (Beard, 2000) I am slowly beginning to realise how travel here is not temporary, but even the memories I have made so far will remain with me as we travel further around Uganda.

Having noticed how dance and music had a huge influence within our surrounding culture, Lynsey and I decided to look further towards traditional African arts.  The ‘Ndere dance troupe’ is a traditional African dance company which provide shows displaying music and dance from the different divisions among Uganda.  The Ndere dance troupe was originally formed for the recruitment of talented and disadvantaged children in which they could be looked after, and their school fees paid. Each dance performed tells a different story, usually a traditional milestone in Ugandan culture such as harvest and falling in love. Tradition has it, that a terrible image was painted by colonialists, that African dance and music was evil. Whoever performed them therefore, would supposedly not see eye to eye with God. It was 1984, when the Ndere dance troupe was formed in order to change this view, allowing society to join together and celebrate their culture through music and dance.  Most African dances “…teach social patterns and values and helps people work, mature, praise or criticize members of the community while celebrating festivals and funerals, competing, reciting history, proverbs and poetry; and to encounter gods.” (Malone, 1996) As Lynsey and I witnessed each dance, we couldn’t help but notice how passionate and enthusiastic they were to put on such an energetic show.

The Ndere dance troupe

This was not the first time that Lynsey and I experienced the hold Ugandans have on superstition. Upon circulating various markets, we have found that a lot of stalls and shops sell a selection of statues representing different ‘gods’. Upon questioning their purpose, a number of Africans believe that having these present in their home will inevitably bring them good fortune. I was unaware of the different tribes which are associated with Africa and those which are still currently present in Uganda and so I have been very interested to find out about them.

Having finished teaching practice this week, we have had the chance to travel beyond Kampala. However, as we recognise how much time left we have left in Uganda, Lynsey and I are planning to move further afield, branching to areas outside of the main city.



Visiting the Equator

References

Beard, M. (2000) “Making Womens history: The essential Mary Ritter Beard” Feminist Press Edition, New York.

Malone, J. (1996) “Steppin’ on the Blues” University of Illinois Press, Illinois.  

Blog Six - Professional Blog

13^th March 2012

As each day passes in City Parents Primary School, I have grown to love the Ugandan culture even present within my teaching placement. As you have probably grasped from my previous blogs, teaching in Uganda is completely different to that of Northern Ireland. Although dissimilar, I am surprised at how well Lynsey and I have fitted in and adapted to school life here. As we come to our finishing days of City Parents, I have realised that however different we appear, and however different our teaching styles and strategies are in relation to the teachers present, each pupil and member of staff have welcomed us as a valid member of their school; “We may have different religions, different languages, different coloured skins, but we belong to one human race.” (Annan, K. 1997)

A school day in Uganda is much longer than that of home. Beginning at 6:30am for teachers, a school day can stretch to almost twelve hours! Pupils start to arrive in school any time after 7:00am, finishing at 4:40pm for Key Stage One. Having a day of almost ten school hours can be tiring for most pupils, but their sense of enthusiasm to learn is encouraging. There are nine periods in the school day, lasting forty minutes each. Each day is split into three main intervals; morning, mid-morning and afternoon which is made up of three periods in each. After each interval, pupils will have a snack, or meal which the school will supply for them. Lynsey and I have also had the privilege of enjoying traditional Ugandan food during school such as ‘posho’ and ‘matoke’, that is to say some which is more favourable than others!

Lunch time at City Parents

Focusing on two main learning areas, Mathematics and Physical Education, Lynsey and I have tried to adapt our lessons towards strategies which we usually implement in Northern Ireland. Focusing on ‘The Olympics’ for Physical Education, we have come up with a theme which can incorporate a range of athletic skills. Developing these skills provides the basis for many games and so we felt this was a good starting point for teaching. Teachers within City Parents have a high emphasis on knowledge and presentation of lessons within the pupils’ workbooks. Taking this on board, Lynsey and I have felt pressure within Mathematics for pupils to perform well, yet our main aim is for pupils to enjoy what they are learning.  

P.E. with P.3.S

Each class consists of two teachers usually with different specialist subjects. After every lesson, the teacher who has just finished teaching will take a break, while the other teacher will take the next lesson. In this break, it is common for teachers to mark the endless amount of books, which we have also discovered is very time consuming for such a large class!

In Northern Ireland it is perfectly normal to experience a seperate school Assembly for each key stage. In City Parents however, we have an assembly for each year group! P.3. assembly takes place on a Friday morning where the children are seated in their house groups. A school assembly in City Parents is a lengthy concoction of songs, dancing, the Ugandan national anthem and the City Parents anthem. Following this, school news, class news, and a Bible reading is told which is then rounded off with a quiz for each house group. Although lengthy, we have really enjoyed watching how passionate each pupil and teacher is about their school and country which is displayed through each assembly.

Some of the P.3. assembly

It is hard to believe that my time as “Teacher Ashleigh” has almost came to an end, as the saying goes, “Time flies when you’re enjoying yourself!”

References

Annan, K. (1997) “Ethnic Factors in International Relations” The popular science monthly, Bonnie Corporation, Fort Portal.

Blog Five - Professional Blog

6^th March 2012

As I begin to find my feet at City Parents, the children have in turn, welcomed me as an important member of their class. It is no surprise that after observing in school, I was excited to be greeting P.3.S as their new teacher for the next six weeks.

I was very surprised to find that most schools in Uganda use corporal punishment as their way of disciplining children.  According to a recent ANPPCAN Study , “81% of children in Ugandan primary schools undergo corporal punishment.” (ANPPCAN, 2011) To my dismay, I have witnessed various occasions In Uganda when my teacher has lifted her hand to the pupils. Initially I was stunned that this method of discipline was adequate, still the reaction of the children proved how customary it had become throughout the class. Upon talking through our ideas of how we would obtain classroom management and manage discipline within our class, negligible jeers and sniggers were overheard amongst the staffroom.  Tackling a different discipline method, not involving corporal punishment, “Teacher Ashleigh’s five stages” are posted beside the blackboard. This in turn allows pupils to have a degree of ownership for their behaviour. Pupils are moved down a ‘level’ every time they misbehave, with the degree of the punishment getting worse. Upon questioning our head of department, Jovita, I was able to have her view on punishment throughout the school.  Her belief is that corporal punishment is what children are used to at home, and so to understand how to behave in school, pupils should be treated in the same way.

Used to what teachers believe to be ‘good’ classroom management, it’s not surprising I felt uneasy presenting my new system to the class. I have split each row in my class into three different animals; lions, gorillas and tigers. Each group has an empty water bottle which is used to collect beans. Beans are rewarded to pupils who behave well, yet they are taken away if they continue to misbehave. At the end of each week, the beans are counted within each row, and the winning group will receive sweets.

Winning group "Gorillas"

Recognising the importance of introducing teaching strategies learnt from home, I felt they could influence the children to think for themselves and allow them to experience new ways of learning.  ‘W.A.L.T’ and ‘W.I.L.F’ are no strangers to any classroom in Northern Ireland, and with this in mind; I felt that I should introduce them to my class in Uganda. Originally unaware of the purpose of “We Are Learning To…” and “What I’m Looking For…” my pupils were soon quick to catch on to its meaning and its practicality within each lesson. The pupils have responded well to this and can be reminded continuously of each lessons’ objectives, and what they are expected to achieve.

Teaching Aids for my classroom

Although our methods seem uncommon in Uganda, we have had some praise from fellow staff who have heard how we are implementing new strategies and teaching methods. As we continue to teach in C.P.S we hope to make an impact not only on the pupils, but on the staff’s teaching approaches.

References

ANPPCAN, (2011) “ANPPCAN calls on government to expedite amendments to the Children Act”, Kampala, Uganda, Greenmedia Publications.