JEFFREYExceptional Education Graduate |
JEFFREYExceptional Education Graduate |
Going on a trip to Zambia was truly a life-changing experience for me. If I were to find a single phrase to describe the entire experience it would be “naturally grandiloquent”. This was a journey that not only allowed me to explore a new place but also gave me an opportunity to broaden my perspective on life and examine many of my personal ideas about teaching, Africa, and human nature as a whole.
During the trip, I encountered so many new things and had so many amazing experiences that it feels impossible to recount them all in a chronological and concise fashion. From visiting Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, to going on safari and seeing wild animals in their natural habitats, every moment was full of excitement and wonder. One of the most influential experiences for me was visiting the local schools and meeting the people who taught and learned there. Seeing how they lived their daily lives with such joy and contentment despite having so little really put things into perspective for me. It made me realize how much we take for granted in our daily lives and how we should appreciate the simple things that bring us happiness. More directly, after working with nearly sixty students at a time, managing my classroom of twenty or so feels significantly more accessible. Overall, my trip to Zambia was a world-altering experience that greatly influenced my views on life. It taught me to be more grateful, open-minded, and adventurous. It is an experience that I will never forget and will continue to shape my perspectives for years to come; as soon as I am able I want to re-visit this amazing area and continue the work that was started with our small group.
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I taught my own lesson today, teaching “Expressive Arts” with the content area revolving around track and field sports. We examined multiple sports including discus, shotput, and relay races; what I loved most out of this was the excuse to encourage all of my students to move and be active even within the classroom. No matter where in the world they reside, students need to move and be engaged, and as we continue to identify cultural universals the biggest one I see is “Kids are Kids” no matter where they may be.The first lesson took longer than expected, so I shortened it for the next class. When teaching I always create a plan, execute the plan, expect the plan to go off the rails, and then pivot to what my class needs at that moment. I was able to practice this flexibility with the adjustments needed in my lesson between Class One and Class Two. This second class I was left on my own but did exceptionally well, and the students finished so quickly that we were able to go outside and play with a huge colorful parachute. This was such a huge hit that students from other classes snuck outside to join the game, and suddenly I was managing dozens of extra students who all wanted to participate. Speaking of cultural universals, children want to plan and be engaged, and they love to learn new games and concepts that speak to them in a meaningful way. After some discussion with my mentor teacher, I donated the parachute and all the toys or gym supplies to the school; the students had such a blast and I wanted to contribute in a desired and appropriate way rather than assume that I know what this academy needs. Today I was able to showcase my teaching skills in a way that makes them apparent to me, and I had the wonderful opportunity to learn from my students while I showed them new games. I was able to manage a class of over forty students, with dozens more joining once the fun began. I was able to teach three new games to students who have never had the opportunity to use a parachute in that manner before, and more importantly I was able to create some relationships with the teachers and the students that will stay with me for the rest of my life. My colleague Mary W. and I were placed with an absolutely wonderful teacher named Mrs. Samwaka and while Mary led the lesson, I assisted teaching Technology. The way we all were welcomed into the classroom and so quickly given responsibility, trust, and control of the content was yet again another example of the friendly and welcoming culture of this serene and wonderous country that is so rich in beauty, most of which stems from its people. The teachers here draw everything their students need to view, a computer screen and mouse included; Mrs. Samwaka hand drew the process of finding a file on a computer drive, including each screen and step involved within the process. The students were absolutely thrilled to be able to discuss and learn about computers, computer mice, and the process of utilizing the computers available within the school.
My mentor teacher gave me a lesson to teach and I created my own lesson plan that made sense in my mind and gave me a sense of direction and narrative in what I wanted to say and teach the students. I showed it to her, then after review she said it was amazing and allowed me to use my own format and ideas for the lesson I will be teaching tomorrow. I have always said that my biggest weakness is the planning portion, due to the amalgamation of so many miniscule moving pieces. In this instance, I saw the concise and shortened lesson plan outline utilized by educators within this school and while I recognized the efficiency of such, it did not enable me to envision what and how I would teach the students. The lesson plan format I tend to use is significantly more narrative with what I do, say, and expect from the students, so immediately I created my own lesson plan utilizing the content and standards from the Libala model. Once I was finished, I looked back and realized that I had crafted a brand new lesson plan in less than an hour with no hesitation or difficulty; this moment will stay with me for the duration of my teaching career, because it was my first moment of defeating the colossus of academia I had envisioned this practice to be. Today we visited Libala Primary School, a publicly funded academy with grades ranging from early childhood to the upper grades including 9th grade. Libala is exceptionally closer to what I am accustomed to in regards to children making noise and playing, as well as talking amongst themselves and being more distractible. Children act nearly the same everywhere in the world, regardless of culture. This universal is oddly comforting, and while these students are partially acting just as my own students in Buffalo would act I can clearly see their dedication to education and how they have most likely been raised to respect education. The process of sharing knowledge and information within this day of instruction appeared to be “Instruct, lecture, the class will give a choral answer, then students copy the correct sentences”. In my own teaching practices, I have always believed that each student needs to answer the question and receive the correct answer; if one child has all of the answers and I allow them to exclusively answer, I am doing a massive disservice to my students. Students here in Libala Primary School discuss the question, receive the answer, discuss the answer, and then input the correct information within their notebooks for future referencing. For a brief portion of the instructional time today myself and my co-teacher Daeyana (Dae) crossed the room to discuss the lesson with the lead teacher. One boy who had finished his studies early saw that we were standing and immediately stood up to bring Dae and myself a chair, when that child could have spent the remaining free time conversing with peers or studying. The respect I was shown as an educator by the youngest of the students caused me to feel a number of emotions, mainly admiration for the educational system and adoration for the systems that led to the actions of some students I worked alongside today. Something that surprised me was that in Zambia, traditional gender roles can be seen in a number of ways, mainly with women performing traditional roles such as cooking, cleaning, and maintaining the household. At the end of the instructional period I witnessed the students sweeping and mopping the room, and I find this absolutely wonderful because it will instill a sense of ownership and community within the classroom. Surprisingly, while the students sweep and mop the room, only girls were cleaning and the boys within the classroom immediately left. When discussing this with some of the staff, apparently it is at the discretion of the teacher which student groups are tasked with the cleaning; it is not my place to judge these practices, and I am merely here to observe. Personally, I believe that to create an intentional and inclusive community, every individual should aid in the maintenance and care of the environment within which they learn, live, and thrive. After class ended while our cohort waited for our bus to arrive, I overheard laughter, song, and joy coming from a building nearby. Once I went to explore, I was met with an absolutely wonderful sight; older students playing drums and singing, while students of all ages danced around in the circle. After browsing briefly, I spoke to the students who were on the drums who then offered to let me drum with them. It was such a beautiful moment of community and hospitality and absolutely worth the bruises on my fingers from playing the drum so hard! The opportunity presented itself to fish in the massive Kafue river, so I joined Dr. Andrew Hashey as well as my colleagues Meghan and Jared in the early morning adventure. Growing up, I frequently fished in the “Thomas Family Pond” with my grandfather and while it had been quite awhile since then I was excited for the opportunity. Their was a grand mix of minor trepidation, moderate excitement, and massive sleep deprivation all around due to the early morning safari the prior day and all of our late night shenanigans. This led to a wonderful mixture of silly, serious, and salient experiences, most notably of all was the camraderie and calm beauty of this massive body of water. We were floating on a small fishing boat above god knows how many crocodiles, hippos, and various unique and “friendly at a distance” animals. I was one of the first to catch a fish and our guide offered to bring it to the chef for them to prepare a meal for us. While I loved this opportunity, we were unable to stay much longer at the resort, so we each gifted our catch to our amazing guide Chanda. This offer was yet another example of the welcoming and friendly environment we found ourselves in, and we desired to give back in some small way; we sent our guide back with nearly a dozen catfish for him and the staff to enjoy on our last day. The bus ride to Mukambi Safari lodge was interesting given that it was four hours through a diverse and unique landscape, however immediately upon arrival we saw two Elephants wandering around. The entire weekend feels like a blended experience, yet a wonderful adventure due to our guide Chanda who was an absolute delight. I learned a significant amount about African animals and the variety of trees and plants within the country of Zambia. Our first Safari experience ever included witnessing a small pride of lions enjoying their meal. This truly felt like a once in a lifetime experience, as I was within twenty feet of a lion and it was one of the most surreal experiences of my life! A vast amount of learning occurred within this short trip, and it led to more and more questions in my mind about the flora and fauna of this continent, how it affected the growth and diversity of the animals contained within, and in turn how this grew to influence the culture and daily life of those who live in this beautiful country. As I was conversing with the tour guide, we discussed how many of the trees within Zambia are fruit bearing, including the “sausage tree” pictured below.
One of the most notable and immediately apparent aspects of this country was how friendly and personable their people were. Each and every individual we met would greet us, ask how we were, and wish us the best in our adventures. While the Mukambi Safari Lodge was indeed a tourist destination and a dedicated commerce hub for explorers, the warmth and personality of our wonderful hosts was genuine and heartfelt. I have far too many takeaways from this short excursion to list them all, however the guides, the welcoming environment, and the food was breathtaking. We were treated to the absolute best food I have ever tasted, let alone from a safari camp on the other side of the world. While viewing the pictures below, vicariously enjoy the absolutely astonishing assortment of comestibles; the pork chop was so tender I cut it with a fork, the chicken skewer was so beautifully presented that I was hesitant to eat for sheer aesthetic appreciation, and the ice cream was homemade that day. We visited the grounds of Chikumbuso, a grassroots nonprofit organization in the “Shanty Town” of Ng’ombe, Zambia. On their website it states they started as a $3,000 idea to help seven women, meeting weekly in a one-room church. In 2005, they purchased a bar and brothel and transformed the darkness into a vibrant, light-filled community center and school where each day, 500 students, dozens of single moms and countless widows meet to learn, love, and serve each other. The grounds of the charity were so much bigger than I anticipated, and we were welcomed with multiple songs between the grandmother's and the young students. The audio below is of the grandmothers welcoming us passionately with a song. We were given a tour of their entire facility, from the kitchen where they cook (first video) to their classrooms. With every classroom we visited, every student stood up and stated "Good morning Visitors" in unison. The classrooms were small in comparison to US schools, but they have done such amazing things with what resources they have. We were invited to help play with the children and serve lunch to everyone, and every student was thankful, excited, and happy to see visitors coming to see them. The games we did brought so much joy to everyone involved (video below), and I will be using them within my classroom. This visit left an indelible embrace on my soul, and as often and passionately as I am able I will be supporting this intentional, inclusive, and invaluable community. Please visit https://www.chikumbuso.com/ to view these wonderful, passionate, and saintly individuals. As soon as I left I donated another $100 to support them. On the ride to the American International School I saw a child with a toy train that seemed to be made out of bottle caps and old plastic bottles. It caused me to feel a mix of emotions within this moment, and over the last few days I have noticed a few moments where I needed to examine my first reaction and thoughts in response to what I have seen; I enjoy the comfort of improvement and realigning my personal ideologies amidst the uncomfortable new environment. My two conflicting thoughts in regards to seeing this child and his homemade train were as such
The international school is a shining example of the best education money can buy. We all left with a unique sense of mixed emotions, both greatly impressed by the achievement and ability of these students, while also deeply saddened by the understanding that every child begins with similar potential and only those afforded the best environments thrive in such a way as the students that we witnessed at this private school. I personally left with a mix of anger and disappointment in regards to the resources available to these privileged students that so sharply contrasted those available to my own students. Every child is born with potential that is only limited by their environment and the resources available to them; a brilliant five year old with barriers to education will fall dramatically behind, whereas an “average” child with access to the best education money can buy has such a drastically sharper uptrend in all skill acquisition and trajectory of progress. During our tour of UNZA, we were graciously allowed to see the basement of the library. Generally I had assumed that a library basement would contain nothing but magical artifacts and old bookmarks, however I was only partially correct. This room contained an entire workshop utilized to restore and rebind textbooks for students, and this gave me pause. My first reaction was to think “Why not simply purchase a new book?”, and I stopped myself to reframe the situation; my culture is consumerist in nature and nearly anything I want or “need” can be purchased and delivered to my door within two days. This organization was recycling and repairing the books and educational sources needed for students to thrive, and in doing so was creating an environment that promoted the recycling and reuse of items, and it has since caused me to examine my own usage of materials in and out of my classroom.
One other aspect of this book binding workshop that left me awestruck was the process of handling the graduate students Masters Thesis projects. Within my own university, as far as I am aware, once I complete and submit my thesis electronically it will be viewed by the appropriate individuals, I will be given a grade, and then it will simply exist somewhere on a database until it is deleted or revised. The masters thesis works created by the students at UNZA were published, printed, bound into a book, and beautifully crafted into a very tangible and accessible memento of the work done for that research. The one I read was in regards to sexual identity with a lens of human rights within Zambia, arguing against the church and demonization of LGBTQ+. The work that has gone into these research projects was astounding and I dearly wish that my thesis once completed could be put into a similar book. Today we visited UNZA, the University of Zambia. We were graciously given a tour of the campus and met with multiple wonderful directions and school hears. Doctor Benson M. was an absolutely amazing host, and we shared quite a number of experiences and excitement in regards to our visit. What stuck me was visiting the library, for multiple reasons. The outer facade of the UNZA library is an exact model of the Butler Library in Buffalo State College. It felt oddly comforting to have something feel so close to home, and regrettably I was unable to track down the architect for these two similar buildings.
That being said, what I saw within the library remained with me and I believe it will do so for the rest of my career. In Buffalo, our library is a multi-use facility which includes a Starbucks cafe and multiple areas for students to co mingle and socialize. While students do travel to the Buffalo State Butler library, studying is generally an afterthought in the majority of individuals as they can all be seen conversing or laughing and spending time with colleagues. Regardless of the vast amount of space within the Buffalo Butler library, I have never seen a large crowd of students there. This library at UNZA was filled to the brim with students, with every seat filled and the rest of the space became standing room only. That being said, this building was entirely silent. Every single student was quietly studying, and as we toured the building we viewed students on every level of this building working on engineering, literature, language, and the entire spectrum of coursework available. These students were dedicated, driven, and entirely deliberate in their studies; never have I seen such passion and respect for education from such a large group of students, As we met with UNZA teacher candidate students, we began to play community building games that I will keep in my teacher toolbox. The energy and excitement of the individual who led the discussion and team building, Mr. Gift, was contagious and within mere seconds the entire group was smiling, laughing, and joking with each other. We made connections and shared contact information with these fellow university students, and I dearly wish to keep in contact with these wonderful human beings. When discussing the differences in Education and student drive to succeed, one of the Zambian leaders stated "Attach a level of seriousness to everything we do", and that can be seen through the actions of UNZA students. Each and every student was laser focused on their coursework in that library, and the passion shown by each of these UNZA teacher candidates leaves me with nothing but feelings of camaraderie and community. |
AuthorI am a passionate teacher with a diverse set of skills used to engage students. My teaching style is unique in that I incorporate civic engagement, martial arts, and empathy into my lessons. These strategies have enabled me to create meaningful connections with my students and help them develop their own unique skill sets. I am excited to travel to Zambia and explore the culture there. This trip will give me the opportunity to learn more about different teaching methods, gain new perspectives on education, and broaden my horizon as an educator.
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