by Achen Joyce
Date: 4 July, 2016
Summary of the week events:
Lessons began on Saturday at 2:00pm where I took over P.1 and P.2 class and taught them how to identify shapes. The students also learnt different colors like red, yellow, blue among others. By the time the lesson ended, most of them were able to identify the colors and name them accordingly.
At 3:00pm, the children went for P.E. to play games and refresh their mind. From 3:10pm, we started learning bead rolling as part of hand craft. The children really showed much interest in the activity. However, much effort is being put forth to ensure that English and the rest of the activities are being carried fully. We want to ensure that we are building the students’ individual capacities as well as strengthening HCU to grow to a greater level.
On Sunday we covered a topic of writing words and drawings to go with them. Afterwards, we gave the children an exercise to test whether they had learnt something, and were very impressed with the results.
Time of excellence: ( please talk about a particular kid and the good thing that that kid did this week)
It was on Saturday when I gave an exercise to the children and most of them did well, except a few who did not perform so well due to various reasons. Some had never attended school before and this was really a challenge to them but above all, they are learning a lot through HCU because of the training and greatly improving at the moment. And on Sunday the same, especially during bead rolling, most of the children showed interest in learning how to make paper beads by participating actively in bead rolling. In the beginning many were poor but by the time we finished, most of them had done better. Therefore, if only the materials and requirements could be enough, HCU is at a greater chance to improve and establish its programs.
Favorite moment of the week:
First and foremost, my favorite moment of the week was on Saturday when I stepped into the class for the very first time and introduced myself to the children that I was going to teach, I started teaching them and got to know them, the challenges they face and their interests in the curriculum, for example I got to know Adyero Mercy, Kitara Gismail, Innocent, Lorna among others. And I realized that these children really want to learn and know a lot of things basically on what they are being taught, we had a good rapport together with them through interactions. Definitely through providing them with possible skills and knowledge, their livelihoods and vulnerability level will improve. Then on Sunday, the time for bead rolling, the children showed a lot of responsibility and interest while rolling the beads and it was fun rolling together with them. Although some of them couldn’t do it so well, by the time we left, most of them had improved on the shaping the beads. And I believe that with time as the activity becomes continuous, they will learn and be perfect.
Things I struggled with this week:
Teaching the children to be in the same level was something I struggled with because some of them had challenges of reading and writing as well as copying what was written on the blackboard. So I really strived hard to make sure that they know something and others could not pronounce some word properly and clearly. And also when they collected their books for marking, some expected to be marked right even when they failed that is to say, they only wanted correct marks in their books and when I didn’t do so, they became annoyed and they were not pleased at all but I made sure that they do corrections so that they know that it was their mistakes which they later on realized. They need to be patient with, otherwise they are hard to deal with because P1 and P2 get angry so easily and very first and the only thing is to make sure that they like the program. Above all, they can easily be convinced to do the needful although stubborn, because they tend to do what you do not want them to do. Actually it’s really a serious struggle which we shall succeed with as time goes on.
Innovative ideas for HCU to improve and establish its program:
In order for HCU to improve, it needs to provide the necessary requirements for learning of the children and also involve the local people in the decision making through their participation because their views and ideas can greatly contribute to the growth of HCU. Operation at a larger scope for instance bigger coverage will expose at international levels and it should be in collaboration with other development bodies like donor agencies, development partners, local government, central government and other NGOs, CBOs among others if possible so as to get better financially, economically or socially. Provision of some materials may also be of great help to HCU to improve that is to say, scholastic materials like color pencils that can be used while teaching them colors, books, pens and the art craft materials such as papers for rolling, glass beads, Goss wires, varnish among others so as to boost the bead rolling as well as children’s studies respectively. However, if all this is put into consideration then HCU is at a greater level to improve and establish the programs both efficiently and effectively.
Hope Center Uganda 