One thing the kids in my class have been working on this year is saying the alphabet in English. Last year I learned a South Sudanese alphabet song from my co-teacher, a veteran of many years in schools here. I don't know if this tune is unique to this area or if it was imported from one of the neighbouring countries. Here are some of my boys having fun with the song during one of our morning breaks. As they sing they're pointing to "tiles" in the letter shapes.
May 9, 2016
May 8, 2016
New School Building Construction - Finished!
Sorry, it's been way too long since I last posted. March and April were generally quite hot, with very full days of teaching and other responsibilities. There was enough time and energy (not only physical but mental!) each day for the essentials, but not for "extras" like blogging--it fell completely off my radar screen.
We've now finished the first term and have most of the month of May off. I'm currently in Nairobi, where it's wonderfully cool and refreshing. :-) So, here, at long last, are pictures of the new school building, which was completed mid-March. Three of the four classrooms are currently being used.
Below: view of the new building from the playground (taken on a Friday morning when the kids were enjoying the all-classes games time).
We've now finished the first term and have most of the month of May off. I'm currently in Nairobi, where it's wonderfully cool and refreshing. :-) So, here, at long last, are pictures of the new school building, which was completed mid-March. Three of the four classrooms are currently being used.
Below: view of the new building from the playground (taken on a Friday morning when the kids were enjoying the all-classes games time).
First-year class learning to read in Dinka.
Second-year class learning oral English (colouring pictures showing words and actions they're learning).
March 15, 2016
My Class 2016
We're into week six of a new school year here at Cush Christian School. This is my class.
I have 29 students, the same number as last year. Interestingly, though, whereas last year I had 17 girls and 12 boys, this year I have almost the exact opposite: 16 boys and 13 girls.
The class I teach is what we are calling grade 1C. In this grade, the children learn English phonics and how to read in English, plus some basic math, social studies and science. In the previous class, 1B, the children learn oral English, and in the one before that, 1A, they learn to read in their mother tongue, Dinka. Children who start at our school having never attended school before usually know no English.
Here are close-ups of some of my students.
You may have noticed that several of my students look rather old to be in a basic class like mine. I do have two or three older students who began at our school just a year ago, having never been to school before. But I also have some who are new to our school this year, but attended other schools before. They can already read English, but they lack a knowledge of English phonics, which is a prerequisite for the individualized learning that begins in grade 2. Their pronunciation is pretty bad, and they have trouble sounding out new words correctly. So they're in my class for at least the first third of the year, to learn phonics. If they do well, they'll move on to the next grade after that.
I have 29 students, the same number as last year. Interestingly, though, whereas last year I had 17 girls and 12 boys, this year I have almost the exact opposite: 16 boys and 13 girls.
The class I teach is what we are calling grade 1C. In this grade, the children learn English phonics and how to read in English, plus some basic math, social studies and science. In the previous class, 1B, the children learn oral English, and in the one before that, 1A, they learn to read in their mother tongue, Dinka. Children who start at our school having never attended school before usually know no English.
Here are close-ups of some of my students.
 |
| Thiik, Garang D. |
 |
| Abuk, Nyibol |
 |
| Agol, Adhuel |
 |
| Akol, Akot |
 |
| Atak, Ajak, Awut |
 |
| Lino, Deng |
 |
| Majok, Dut |
 |
| Ngor, Garang A. |
 |
| Thuuch |
You may have noticed that several of my students look rather old to be in a basic class like mine. I do have two or three older students who began at our school just a year ago, having never been to school before. But I also have some who are new to our school this year, but attended other schools before. They can already read English, but they lack a knowledge of English phonics, which is a prerequisite for the individualized learning that begins in grade 2. Their pronunciation is pretty bad, and they have trouble sounding out new words correctly. So they're in my class for at least the first third of the year, to learn phonics. If they do well, they'll move on to the next grade after that.
February 24, 2016
New School Building Construction - 10
We're nearing the finish line now and really looking forward to having the new classrooms available. It's mostly painting that still needs to be done, on the outside of the building, and then the clean-up of the site.
During the past two weeks, the classrooms have been painted, first with primer (shown in picture) and then the final cream colour, the same as the outside of the building.
During the past two weeks, the classrooms have been painted, first with primer (shown in picture) and then the final cream colour, the same as the outside of the building.
Also, a lot of work has been done on the veranda, including making steps leading up to the classrooms on the north end of the school, where the terrain slopes down.
February 7, 2016
New School Building Construction - 9
Here is how the school building looked yesterday. Getting closer to the finished product now! The workers are plastering the outside of the building, then the building will be painted. We're hoping it will be finished in the next two weeks. Classes begin tomorrow; two classes will be meeting in temporary locations while waiting for the new classrooms to be ready.
January 28, 2016
New School Building Construction - Part 8
I'm now back in Parot after a wonderful break. The work on the new school building has progressed quite a bit in my absence. Here are a few pictures from yesterday.
Most of the window shutters have been installed. Late yesterday afternoon the workers started attaching the aluminium roof panels. This work should go quite quickly.
Most of the window shutters have been installed. Late yesterday afternoon the workers started attaching the aluminium roof panels. This work should go quite quickly.
December 23, 2015
Class Picture
My first year as a primary school teacher ended at the end of November (the school year here runs from February-November). It had its challenges, for sure, but overall it was a great year--I can't imagine not having had the privilege of teaching the 29 kids who made up my class. How I thank God for giving me this new assignment as well as the grace day by day to carry it out! I'm also so grateful to all who were partnering with me in this adventure by upholding me in prayer.
It wasn't easy to get a class picture because the few months of school it seemed there was always at least one student absent. Finally, one day in mid-November, they were all there, so my teammate Emily stood up on a desk and snapped some pics. Hard to get so many kids to smile, when most are not used to having their picture taken, plus a few weren't feeling well. Here's one that turned out pretty well, though.
My class, class 1B, was somewhat the equivalent of grade one in North America. Class 1A is the first level at the school; the kids learn how to read in Dinka, their mother tongue, and start to learn oral English. In Class 1B, the main goal for the year is to learn English phonics and how to read in English. They also do some Math and Social Studies. There were 17 girls and 12 boys in my class, ranging in age from 7 to 15. Here's a more relaxed shot of them.
I'll end this post with a close-up of quite a smily bunch cropped from another of the pictures taken that day.
It wasn't easy to get a class picture because the few months of school it seemed there was always at least one student absent. Finally, one day in mid-November, they were all there, so my teammate Emily stood up on a desk and snapped some pics. Hard to get so many kids to smile, when most are not used to having their picture taken, plus a few weren't feeling well. Here's one that turned out pretty well, though.
My class, class 1B, was somewhat the equivalent of grade one in North America. Class 1A is the first level at the school; the kids learn how to read in Dinka, their mother tongue, and start to learn oral English. In Class 1B, the main goal for the year is to learn English phonics and how to read in English. They also do some Math and Social Studies. There were 17 girls and 12 boys in my class, ranging in age from 7 to 15. Here's a more relaxed shot of them.
I'll end this post with a close-up of quite a smily bunch cropped from another of the pictures taken that day.
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