Dini Sessions

Well another two weeks have passed and I’m not sure where the time has gone. I am in the schools constantly.   I love my work in the schools and it brings its own rewards.  I feel I am making some progress with the staff, who are now engaging in the weekly Dini sessions where I deliver a different topic each week.  The aim being to improve their knowledge and understanding of the subject topics and in particular mathematics, which the Government have identified as a real weakness in schools.  I am teaching them using what in Tanzania they call participatory learning and we in the UK would view as active learning.  I constantly have to find ways of delivery where the teachers actually have tasks to do rather than listen to me talk.   It is working but I spend each weekend planning the next session.  I am also delivering lessons either as demonstration lessons with all the teachers watching or team teaching with an individual teacher.  I recently planned a English lesson on time and made 10 clocks out of card and then had the pupils working in small groups of 4, using their own clock to set each other times which they then had to identify.  The best part  of the series of lessons was when I asked them to make their own clock and gave them each a split pin each to attach the fingers.  Would you believe almost every child made their own clock.  I attach a picture of one of the series of lessons.  Note the state of the classrooms and no ceilings!!  Its all good fun.  I have now started my Play Leaders training for standard 7 pupils.  They are so enthusiastic.  I should have some pictures to share with you next week.  I have been laid low over the last four days with a tummy bug.  Picked up when visiting another ill colleague.  It was a long walk to this colleagues house and I was perspiring a little when I arrived.  She offered me some diluted orange squash and I didn’t ask the question – has the water been boiled and it clearly hadn’t.  I was in bed the first day, all day and didn’t see a soul and felt quite sorry for my self.  I wondered at one point if I died how long would it be before they found the body!!  Morbid thoughts.  Its at times like these that you want to be in your own home.  Well that’s it for now.  I attach a superb picture taken of Kilimanjaro with full snow covering.  Hope you like this Jenny, Daniel and David!!!