What I can do

I have agreed to start a resource room for learner intervention in Literacy. Educators have identified learners to receive special attention in English language, reading and writing. The room identified as a library, in which I had organized textbooks in, had also acted as a staff lounge for two educators. The educators have agreed to graciously move (quite a change for them, I am very pleased they are willing) and the room is being cleared for me to begin my work with learners following Easter holiday.

It was in last year September that I first entered this very room. What I found was a room stacked to the ceiling with text, their spines to the wall. I think any American would have jumped for joy in discovering this mess of black and white, crisp, untouched pages. The librarian in me and forever-organizer dressed in a long skirt would daily climb the high book cases, throw the boxes down and begin to toss books around the room, what I swore to room-owners was actually order. The dust kicked up and I was accused of turning the room into a mess. I tried to quickly skim books, find their copyright and recognize what would have to be removed (despite Educator preference) because their date told me they were from the Apartheid Era, a time when learner materials would designate the whites as the superior race or present ineffective techniques to teaching(recite and repeat, also known as bantu education). Many Educators prefer using the teaching manuals they had followed for the last 20+ years and I had come in and declared these items as useless. This here is my first PCV mistake, I should have had educators sort with me, but I am pretty sure that the same disagreements would have still occurred. Oh well, lesson noted.
untouched Library room once organized, new cupboard units fixed on ground,soon to come..pic of room decorated

It took much time for me to realize the work I had ahead of me, the books and me. Months since, I now understand that it is more than correct placement and ridding of historically-inappropriate reading material. I find there to be a divide in our appreciation and interest for these items. The educators did not have text in their classrooms when they were students, nor did their teacher trainings include an introduction to these items (thank you previous regime). I have since been holding workshops and working one-on-one with Educators about the benefits of using print in the classroom and providing techniques for using the text. I explain that 2nd language English learners are in need of more visual representation and overall stimulation in the classroom. Some of the books are at a much-too-high level for English 2ndlanguage learners and so it is also suggested that Educators use a text sometimes two grade-levels below that they are teaching. I recognize that organizing a room of books doesn’t increase educator curiosity or book value and am now moving towards helping what can be helped.

In addition to telling the Educators about classroom practices, I will start to model a few for them in the resource room. I am pleased that Educators seem enthusiastic to learn more, Educators are curious to see how I teach and will be encouraged to visit my room daily. Don’t worry, I am not naïve in recognizing that this work will be very complicated for me(a non-native speaker) and that Educators may still not care to adapt the techniques I demonstrate. As in any situation, it is much simpler to blame others and have someone do it for you then to take on the act of changing or improving one’s self. Educators may have a tendency to over-identify learners with barriers-so that I can take care of their problems, but I will try my best to use a variety of self-made assessments to designate learner need. It is hoped that further identification will allow some learners to return to their typical classroom learning and then educators can use effective educating practices of their own.
grade 1 learners in inclusive setting
SA is unique in that it has supported so many fabulous policies since it became a new nation. Inclusive education along with equal rights for gays and lesbians are just some of the promises their new constitution holds. However because the democracy is still young and resources are limited, some implementation is only beginning in some of the rural school districts or underserved areas during the Apartheid era. Teacher training including methods of identifying learners with special needs has been introduced this year. The extent has been one training, one educator attended and a booklet examining their SIAS system that imitates our system. I am very pleased to have had completed my Masters in Inclusive Strategies for General Education, have a fairly good understanding of work in this field and have the ability to assist educators.

I originally wasn't interested in working one-on-one with learners with special needs here since the system is so pre-mature. Especially since it is hoped our projects will be sustainable beyond our service and training educators would allow for this type of impact. However, I have decided I can still hold my weekly workshops to explain effective educating and one-on-one intervention with educators, in-addition to having my own room for practice and educator observations.
an educator created visual :Bithdays chart
I knew I wasn't interested in teaching because having my own class in Ghana was much too difficult, little respect to be gained from learners that are disciplined by only corporal punishment, doesn't matter what the classroom management you present, you are still an outsider and the only one sometimes (in most schools) working with a new discipline system. A classroom of 60 learners with limited English is also just a sticky situation for a non-native speaker. Instead I will take in 15-20 learners at a time and provide help and attention. We will see what comes of it all.

I am excited to have my own space and be able to give these learners the attention they absolutely rarely receive. Learners usually with any sort of disability are found in the back of the room, completely ignored (I have seen grade 6 learners that only write the number 1 because that was all that was required of them). I was shocked to see that some educators would just avoid communicating at all with some learners. There are some "special schools" (as they are called) where the severely disabled learn (however these sometimes are in very poor condition and equally unfair to learners). It is hoped that record keeping of learner progress may ensure that the learners receive services appropriate to their abilities, hopefully someone that is qualified in the area of learners with special needs, can come to our school and work permanently and replace me.
learners in a que to wack a pole at numeracy assignment on the board
My room will possibly hold a bit of music, as well as use of technology, (if our computer lab ever comes about-comps are 10 years old and have been in a store room because the strong room hasn't been built). We have a copy machine and books though, so I will use resources to work out the challenges, like it is thought will answers our problems in the rural villages. Little do the providers know that for now it is the American girl that strongly values text and resources?

The lands of Africa

Hot, dry, and so much suffering, is that what comes to mind when you hear Africa?

Just like North America, Africa is a large and a diverse continent. Some parts of Africa are very lush with vegetation and the rainy seasons give way to a great deal of harvesting opportunity too. In SA this income-generating partnership is set and well, the demand in the western world is so grand for fruits and veg, and there is potential to expand what is already a flourishing business. So what is stopping it? In my opinion, there is a great amount of opportunity held in the areas formerly titled, “home lands”. Some of these lands are already prospering with grand farms. However other lands, due to the strategic nature of the past’s segregation are located in areas without road ways with adequate transport or a secure passage of water and lands are therefore barren.

Roads and Water
I am seeing some development/construction (although that which is in working progress is found in large cities to prepare for the 2010 World Cup). In other lands there are only billboards promising development. Incomplete tar roads are the norm and everyone rationalizes that the large rock/boulder prevents such work to continue. Water turns off sporadically. But frequent enough that a resident may be able to find some likeness in the schedule (rumor has it-that the heavy rains cause a lyme build-up preventing water-passage). Because the rains also have an odd schedule, even resident home-gardens suffer. And so begins the cycle of suffering.

It is these smaller villages that have a high unemployment rate due to their distant proximity from more developed cities (notice that it appears the Apartheid regime has made an impression out-living its’ fall). Transport to the large cities can be small, unreliable, and expensive. Few are able to make their way out to work or attend school in these areas where it is located and therefore stay as they are, sometimes unable to provide for themselves or families. This link of suffering is true in several other African countries too. Transport in SA is substantially better off than any other African countries, but then we are the country with the highest HIV/AIDS rate, and that is affecting, causing a decline in labor productivity.

first world collides with third world,
electricity but lack of water,
street outside my place

If Struggling to Survive then Low Motivation
People can live a simple life, sometimes with a small garden, and this is accepted by their community anyways. Unless it is a community-wide overhaul, a decision to jump into a large scale money-making business-such as farming, will then be looked down upon because individualism just isn't a wide-accepted concept in the rural villages. And most community members are not aware of the outside support available for these types of projects.
There is this African potato that health officials have identified as a fighting agent against AIDS, however there are too many stories that end like this...some help was provided in the growing of a new crop in an area, but the crop died off and nothing came of it because the community never accepted it. Why no interest in knowing something new? ..but you say AIDS is their lives...Actually, no it is not....few use the phrase and no one has a death certificate directly stating it. Why should this African potato have any value. What I have been told is that South Africans have strong family values which protect sharing personal information such as so-in-so died and had been living with AIDS, even if this means helping a community. And introducing such an outside item (in this situation-African potato) may be taking away from "culture". Something many fought for, and what for many lost their lives. Culture is what we may say defines South African’s existence (especially since cultural segregation, was meant to ultimately defy growth). Food is traditional and meals for the most part are not to be altered, because then the act may be misinterpreted as correcting rather than helping. Doesn't matter the age, people are “grandma and pap”-set in their ways, as they rightly should be since it has been a challenging journey.

Helping
But ask the people what they need most, and while you pass through a dozen ridiculous needs (that closely resemble wants), somehow cast your own perceptions aside, and you will find where the need is and only then can you begin to plan with the community what you can do to help this effort. In training, two men presented to our group about their work surrounding the issue of HIV/AIDS. They told us how they had gone to villages and had condoms blessed by Insongas (traditional healers) to help with community acceptance. And they had provided condoms to villages who said their needs were held in water transportation and that is exactly how they then advised community members to use the condoms, and they did just that, and successfully.

Another story of What is GRASSROOTS DEVELOPMENT..someone came into a community and built a well for easier access to water. But the women of the village ignored well and continued on their daily routes to the river, way, way down the way. Why? Because the travel to the river was their social hour. It was the one activity that provided them time away from their homes, husbands, and children, an opportunity to chat with their friends, something they looked forward to, and cherished. The well would be unable to provide such a thing.

History is still a bit near. But one day, with equal distribution of whatever is needed, then the good, will grow and help all this suffering.

look out from my house