JENNA
Elementary Education Undergraduate |
JENNA
Elementary Education Undergraduate |
We have finally arrived in America!! The journey was a long one but it feels great to be home. :) I already miss Zambia so much and could not be more grateful for this amazing experience. Each experience throughout this trip allowed me to grow in various ways and I feel that I have a new perspective about myself as both a young adult and future teacher. I’ve learned that I am braver than I believe and have sense of confidence that will carry me through life’s challenges. I’ve learned that a genuine smile and handshake can make a person feel an astounding sense of warmth and importance. I’ve learned that to truly grow, one must take risks and embrace challenge as they allow us to see the world as a fuller, more exciting picture. Most importantly, I’ve learned to appreciate; appreciate kindness, appreciate each other, and appreciate the celebration of life! Thank you to everyone who has supported me on this journey; I will carry my new knowledge with me into the future and will always cherish this amazing adventure! :)
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Today was our last full day in Zambia and we were all getting very sad knowing that we would be leaving this beautiful country. While I was feeling down about leaving, I was looking forward to our visit to Chikumbuso Orphanage today. Upon arriving at the orphanage, I was excited to hear and see what it was all about! We began by taking a tour of the site with one of the classroom teachers. We saw wonderful classrooms for students grades 1 to 6, a library, sewing room, kitchen, and playground. The children all looked so happy and I could tell that Chikumbuso had created a strong and welcoming community. After our tour, we had the opportunity to speak with two of the directors of Chikumbuso. The women who spoke with us were absolutely beautiful and openly shared their stories of heartbreak and struggle. Both women were widows affected in someway by the HIV virus; their perseverance was truly inspirational and it warmed my heart to know that they had found a home within Chikumbuso. We learned that the orphanage provides free education to disadvantaged youth along with skills classes, such as sewing, to widows throughout the community. Before leaving the orphanage, we had a chance to lay out our donations in front of the women as they sang to us in celebration. It made me feel wonderful to be able to donate what we had to such a powerful cause but even more wonderful to see the amazing spirit of the women as they sang to us with pure joy. It was so uplifting to be around the women at Chikumbuso and I am so grateful to have been invited into their community with open arms. :) After we left the orphanage, we traveled around the city of Lusaka to pick up any last items/gifts before leaving. We arrived back to our apartments at around 6 PM and began packing for our long journey home. Tomorrow would be full of goodbyes but I am so happy to have had the opportunity for such an amazing journey.
Today was my last day with my class at Libala and it was sad to leave both my students and my wonderful mentor teacher. Today I had an opportunity to teach my final social studies lesson on punishment. Developing the lesson proved challenging to me as I found it difficult to create a lesson appropriate for both the students’ age and culture. I decided to teach the class about the difference between punishment and discipline along with several different types and examples of punishment appropriate for various undesirable behaviors at home, school, and within society. I feel that the lesson went very well as I was able to provide the students with real-world examples and the class seemed eager to provide examples of their own when necessary. I feel that I may have included too much information of which I went through pretty quickly; therefore, I think it may have been difficult for some of the students to follow along throughout the lesson. However, with that said, I felt most confident teaching this lesson and feel as if both the development and delivery of the content were successful. Before leaving for my trip to Zambia in May, my dad started a small fundraiser within his karate studio for donations of school supplies (notebooks, pencils, pens, crayons, markers, etc.) that I could bring with me to donate to both my classroom and a local orphanage. I was delighted to see that his students and their families filled an entire box with wonderful supplies! It warmed my heart to see the generosity of others and I am truly grateful for everything they brought in! Today, I was able to hand out the supplies to both my students and mentor teacher. Each student showed his/her genuine appreciation with a warm thank you and a huge smile. :) Mrs. Shachinda showed her appreciation with a huge hug! The teachers at Libala work so hard each and every day and the genuine happiness of the students is overwhelmingly contagious; it felt great to be able to give back to such amazing people. After handing out the school supplies, Mrs. Shachinda taught her final lesson of the day. Following the lesson it was time for goodbyes. As I walked outside with the students, I was approached with “we will miss you” notes, warm hugs, and students asking when I will come back to Zambia to visit. It was very hard to leave my classroom as I became attached to the students over the three short weeks I spent with them. I hope that I was able to leave even a small positive impact on the class because they left such a huge and amazing impact on me. The experience that I had within Libala Primary student taught me so much about myself as both a person and as a future educator and I will truly miss each and every moment I spent with my class.
Today we woke up at 6 AM for an early morning jeep safari! I was so excited for this amazing, wild experience and was eager to see what animals we would find. We headed across the river and hopped onto our jeep. As we set out into the bush, we saw many wild puku, which are similar to antelope. After we drove around for a little while, we were able to see the sunrise over the Zambezi River which was even more stunning than the sunset!! We then drove further into the park and came across our first elephant siting! It was exhilarating to see such beautiful animals in their natural habitat. The drive felt like a dream and it was truly indescribable to be in such a serene place untouched by humans. After spending some time at the pool and enjoying both a delicious breakfast and lunch, we decided to end the day with an evening jeep safari. I was feeling hesitant towards driving through the bush at night, but I wanted to take advantage of every opportunity I had to explore the wild African plain! We headed out around 4:30 PM and as we began our drive we encountered some more elephants with a baby! After seeing some more puku, crocodiles, and hippos, we stopped to enjoy the gorgeous sunset. After the sun set, we were driving through the dark trying to spot some wild cats for over an hour! Luckily towards the end of our journey we spotted a beautiful female leopard! Seeing the leopard in her natural habitat at night was exhilarating and my heart was racing as she walked past the jeep! This experience was truly unreal and something that I will never forget!
This morning we attended church with Dr. Shandomo before leaving for our trip to Mukambi. I loved going to church as everyone was extremely friendly and welcoming; we were even each given a rose when we arrived! We started out the service by singing various hymns and closed by participating in small classes which are a part of sabbath school. It was such a great opportunity to experience a service different from my own and I really enjoyed spending time with the people there. After church had ended, we packed up our vans and headed to Mukambi! I was so excited for this weekend retreat because I knew that it was going to be a truly unique experience! The drive to Kafue National Park was about 3 hours long and as we arrived at the lodge I could not wait to see where we would be staying! The lodge was absolutely beautiful as it was located directly on the Zambezi River; the view was like nothing I’ve ever seen! We were immediately served lunch on the river and it was absolutely delicious. After lunch, we were led to our chalets where we would be sleeping and they were beautiful! We decided to make the most of our day at Mukambi by going on a sunset cruise on the river at around 4:30. As we got onto the boat and headed down the river, everything felt unreal; it was so beautiful! On our way down the Zambezi, we saw crocodiles, heard hippos, and even sited some elephants on the river bank! As the sun began to set, the sky filled with beautiful shades of orange, purple, and pink and it made me feel so lucky to be in such a gorgeous place. Tonight’s boat ride was amazing and we are all looking forward to our morning safari ride tomorrow!
Today I taught my second lesson at Libala Primary School; however, prior to heading to Libala, we had the opportunity to observe several classrooms at UTH Special School for students with disabilities. I was so excited for this experience as I was looking forward to see how students with severe disabilities are educated in Zambia. The head teacher at UTH was extremely welcoming and excited to show us the classrooms at her school. The first classroom I observed was first grade. The class had six students, all with different disabilities varying among Cerebral Palsy, Autism, Vision, and Speech. I was glad to see that the teacher was interactive with her students as she encouraged them to move around and feel each others pulse during a lesson on the heart. She encouraged the students to answer questions by using pictures to identify the correct response. The second classroom I observed was eighth grade and the students were learning how to write a letter. This teacher was also very interactive with her students, encouraging them to provide verbal answers and come to the board to participate in the lesson. I loved that the students were learning to write letters to future employers as it is a skill that they will all need in the future! When I arrived at Libala later in the day, I was excited to teach my second lesson on vocabulary. I used my experience teaching my math lesson to develop a lesson that was more interactive. I opened the lesson by introducing five vocabulary words of my own choosing. I chose to use action words in order to give students the opportunity to act the words out. This ended up being a great attention-grabber and really got the students interested in the lesson. My classroom management during the lesson was also strong as students were eager to show me that they could stay quiet and seated. I also encouraged the students to brainstorm, both individually and in groups, prior to exploring definitions within the textbook which was a good way to stimulate their minds and get them thinking. Overall, I think this lesson went very well and I am looking forward to teaching my final social studies lesson next week!
Today was the first day that I would be teaching in my PDS classroom! I was feeling nervous prior to teaching, but once I got up in front of the class I felt very comfortable. Today I taught a math lesson on adding fractions with different denominators. I originally planned the lesson to teach adding mixed numbers, however when I arrived at my classroom Mrs. Shachinda told me that the students were not showing adequate understanding in regards to adding fractions with different denominators so I could not move on to teach them about adding mixed numbers. Therefore, I taught a review lesson instead, providing the students with additional examples and exercises in order to strengthen their ability to determine the common denominator among fractions.
I feel that my lesson had both strengths and weaknesses but I am excited to learn from both in order to create a stronger lesson for tomorrow. I think that I did a good job answering student questions, providing clear examples, and teaching mini-lessons throughout. It was a challenge to check for understanding and encourage participation from all of the students. The experience of teaching just this one lesson was such a wonderful challenge for me as a future teacher and I am looking forward to growing from all the wonderful opportunities Mrs. Shachinda is providing me within her classroom! Today we had an opportunity to observe classrooms in various different schools throughout Lusaka. I was really excited to observe different grade levels and teaching styles and to compare them with my experience at Libala Primary School. We arrived at Roma Primary School for Girls at 7:00 AM to meet with the Head Teacher Sister Mary. The first classroom I observed was a class of sixth grade girls. The class consisted of about 40 students and the students were arranged at desks that were organized into four large groups. The teacher taught a whole-class vocabulary lesson which required students to work together to look up definitions in a dictionary and contribute appropriate word meanings to the class. I enjoyed observing group work in this class and the students were extremely respectable and well-behaved. :) The next classroom I observed was first grade and I immediately noticed the bright posters and labels decorating the room. I was able to talk to the teacher about differentiation within the classroom and I learned that instruction is individualized by working with students in groups according to their ability levels. The teacher explained how students who are grasping the content well are given additional work/activities while students who are struggling work in small groups with the teacher. My experience at Roma Primary was wonderful as everyone was extremely welcoming and excited to share their teaching practices with us! The next school we visited was Jacaranda Primary School where I had the opportunity to observe a fourth grade classroom of about 40 students. The teacher I observed established an enthusiastic and exciting learning environment as she was full of energy and very interactive with her students. In order to make their way to the rug in the front of the classroom, the students sang a song in which they marched to the rug one group at a time. I’ve noticed a lot of singing in classrooms throughout Lusaka which I absolutely love! The teacher was also constantly ensuring understanding by providing examples and asking students for their own examples. Following Jacaranda, we went to Lusaka Girls which includes both primary and secondary grade levels. Molly and I were placed into a seventh grade classroom where we were able to observe a lesson on force and simple machines. The teacher was extremely approachable and used many real-life demonstrations to teach the lesson. I admired his teaching strategy as he used what was available to him (a meter-stick, a coffee mug, scissors, and a cell phone) to demonstrate the force of balance. He also encouraged his students to actively participate in the lesson by providing clear explanations for incorrect answers and allowing students to help one another when developing answers. The last school we visited today was St. Mary’s Primary School for Girls. This school was extremely well-kept with beautiful vegetation and classrooms. At St. Mary’s, I observed a fifth grade classroom of about 35 students. The teacher taught a math lesson on adding and subtracting fractions which is a topic that Mrs. Shachinda has been teaching her students at Libala. The method of instruction at St. Mary’s was similar to that at Libala as the teacher provided examples, modeled the steps, and encouraged students to come to the board to provide answers. While the method of teaching was similar, the classroom environment was very different. The classroom at St. Mary’s was silent and it was clear that the students understood that class time was a time that should be taken seriously. Everything was very structured and the students were all aware of their expectations. The teacher was very friendly and kind and exhibited strong classroom management skills. My experiences today were so beneficial to my overall learning about global teaching styles and learning environments. Each school and classroom has its own way of encouraging learning and establishing a learning community. I have learned many strategies in which I intend to implement in my own classroom in the future and have gained a deeper appreciation for a teacher’s passion towards learning. I feel that I have already learned so much from this experience in regards to global education and am looking forward to learning even more as develop and teach my own lessons!
Yesterday, we spent the day recuperating from our busy trip! Today Molly, Charmaine, and I went to Libala for our first full day in our PDS classrooms. We arrived at the school early and were able to walk around and talk with some of the students before class. As the first session ended and students were getting out of class, more and more students approached us asking questions! The students were so excited to see visitors and it was awesome to interact with the students on a personal level. :) When I entered my classroom, the students were very excited to see me! My mentor teacher is extremely personable and approachable and I am excited to work alongside her to learn and grow as a future educator. Today, Mrs. Shachinda began with mathematics. Her teaching strategy is very direct and practical however throughout each and every lesson she is constantly checking for understanding through questions and individual exercises. She uses modeling as an instructional strategy and allows her students to voice their questions and opinions openly. Following the lesson on math, Mrs. Shachinda taught a social studies lesson on discipline. During her lessons, Mrs. Shachinda creates such a positive and inviting classroom environment as she allows for open discussions and has fun with her class.
Mrs. Shachinda is such a strong teacher and her success with over 70 students and a single chalkboard is truly impressive. Observing within my classroom has made me extremely grateful for all over the resources that are available for both students and teachers in the United States. It is so amazing to watch teachers in Zambia teach and makes me appreciate the true talent and passion of these global teachers. I will teach my first lesson to the class on Thursday and I am nervous but also excited for this new experience! This morning we woke up at 6 AM to prepare for our safari adventure at Mukuni! I had been looking forward to this day the entire trip and I was beyond excited to interact with African elephants, lions, and cheetahs! We arrived at Mukuni Safari around 7 AM and our first activity of the day was the elephant ride. We learned that there would be two people on each elephant plus a guide. As Molly and I got situated on our elephant my heart was racing! The first few steps were exhilarating and the experience was absolutely amazing!! Our guide was very nice and knowledgeable as he shared our elephant’s name and age. We rode on a female elephant named Timber who was 16 years old. We traveled through the bush with a group of 6 elephants with the bull, which is the head male, at the back of the pack. As we were walking, Timber, along with many of the other elephants, would occasionally stop to snack on trees and bushes! As we were riding the elephants, our guide told us that all of the elephants were orphans; they were saved from dangerous situations and taken into Mukuni where they stayed until they were ready to be released back into the wild. Mukuni is a rehabilitation center so all of the animals are saved from captivity and rehabilitated through training and daily walks. They are then sent into a protected National Park to live in their natural habitats. When the ride came to an end, we had a chance to feed the elephants! The entire experience was indescribable and so amazing; I felt like I was in a dream! After the elephant interaction, it was time to walk with the lion cubs. I was very nervous as we approached the lions with our guide. There were three cubs, one male and two females, and each was 17 months old. As we walked through the bush, I could see them lying in the sun and they were absolutely beautiful! It was so amazing to be so close to such stunning animals. The guides gave us a demonstration on how to properly approach and interact with the lions and then it was our turn! As I approached the male lion, Terry, I could feel my heart raving but interacting with him was an absolutely amazing experience that I will never forget! Once the cubs stated walking, we were able to walk with them and even hold their tails as they strolled through the bush! I even hugged Terry!! I loved every second of this experience and was so sad that it had to come to an end! Our final activity was the cheetah interaction. It was very similar to the lion interactions as we were able to pet the cheetahs and walk with them. The cheetahs, however, we on leashes and it was so neat to have them guide us on the walk. After the walk, we were able to see each of the 4 cheetahs run. It was amazing to see these beautiful animals run! Our time at Mukuni was truly unreal and I am so grateful to have had a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
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