I returned to South Africa after three years, anxious to see how things had changed. When I first joined Teachers Without Borders in the summer of 2004, I did not know much about the country that sits on the opposite side of the world. I learned a lot that summer, about South Africa's struggles, her history, her people, and the educational system. I met dedicated teachers from both Hawaii and South Africa, and was able to share math ideas with all of them. In the summer of 2007 we were a slightly different team, with our science colleagues Lily and Elspeth from Canada, and their fearless leader Noble, our resident technology expert and director of TWB-Canada. It was an honor to work with Lynn, Carl, and Jim from Hawaii, as they are all master teachers of math, and role models in many ways.
I must begin my reflection by talking about THE LION. We were on safari, hoping to catch the lion feeding. We almost became the lion feeding. Arriving a few minutes early in the same color truck as the one that brings the cow carcass seemed to have confused the lion. I have always thought I was a skinny person, but that lion was licking his lips like I was a Thanksgiving turkey.
I think I said out loud, "I'm just a Chinese chicken salad."In about one minute, the following things happened:
Debate occurred about whether we look a lion in the eye or avoid all eye contact.
There was definite shouting. Something about, "Jen turn your camera flash off!" (But all must agree that I got a priceless picture of the lion through the windshield.)
Discussion ensued regarding what to do if the lion jumped on the hood. Debate about the weight of a lion occurred between the math and science teachers.
I unbuckled my seatbelt and pondered where to run if he broke the window. There was agreement that I would not be able to outrun a hungry lion.
There were definite decisions in our own minds (even though no one will admit it) about who was going to hide behind who.
Jen did heed the advice of her father who told her when danger lurks, "Lock the door!"
We noticed a group of tourists named Yunus, Jim, Carl, and Elspeth taking pictures of us from a safe distance. If we were going to be eaten, they could at least win the National Geographic photo contest.
I have never heard more swearing come from four demure teachers as I did in that minute.
The King of the jungle stared us down and then decided to have a little fun. He walked along the side of the SUV and bumped the door that Lynn was sitting closest to. I think her exact words were, "GO NOBLE GO!!!!!"
There's something about a life threatening experience that causes a diverse group to bond instantly. We were now ready for anything.Our goals were the same as three years ago…to raise the level of math and science instruction through content knowledge as well as methodology. But three years ago South Africa was a different country. They had just celebrated 10 years of democracy and seemed at the end of a "honeymoon" period of freedom. When I returned in 2007 I noticed the teachers had changed. In the Vaal, they were more involved and participated readily. I had shared with Lynn that we would probably have to encourage them to speak up and share their needs, but I quickly found out that a few years of workshops had taught them about cooperative learning and that they had much to offer through participation. Malefetsane easily stood in front of his colleagues and showed us how to determine if a given number was divisible by 11. Though the teachers were fewer in number than 3 years ago, we had a dedicated and diverse group, consisting of district trainers and colleagues, two of whom attended all 7 of our workshops.
There was one teacher, Jabu, a quiet woman who seemed doubtful of what she knew. She hesitated to participate and looked often for guidance. On the second morning I asked Jim to say the words I had traveled all the way there to hear. "Could someone start our morning off with a prayer or a song?" As usual, everyone looked around, and then literally out of nowhere, in a booming voice, was Jabu! Dressed in her wool hat and heavy coat, her voice commanded the participation of everyone in the room, she confidently led each verse, and simultaneously brought warmth to a cold June morning blanketed with snow. I was floored.
Jabu opened up and participated more and more as the week went on, after being able to show a talent that meant so much culturally. On the last day, Tatsi had to leave early to go to a district meeting. We were in the middle of a math topic and he said in his beautiful accent, "I just want to take the time to say thank you. You don't have to be here. You don't have to come here. But you do. It means so much to us. Thank you." I was in tears. These teachers work so hard, they come to our workshops on their winter vacation in the middle of a teacher strike, and they take the time to say thank you. And they mean it.
Due to the strike, we canceled our trip to Swaziland and went to Port Shepstone a few days early to encourage teachers to come out to the workshop. On the first day, numbers were small but we were able to try something new—we combined the science and math workshops since many of the teachers taught both subjects or needed a refresher on math to help them in their science instruction. Thanks to Thokozani (and his newest cool hat), our 7-year attendee from Harding, we got in touch with more teachers and by the afternoon, we had split math and science.
Compared to three years ago, these teachers were more willing to take risks and ask difficult questions about topics in higher math, including geometry and proofs. Carl and Jim were able to delve deeply into Calculus and facilitated conversations about these concepts. Lynn enthusiastically showed how math classes can evolve through different learning styles and activities. The teachers continued her factor activity at lunch and in the parking lot, to the delight of many of the science teachers, eager to learn this new game.
Our colleagues from the other side of the world were warm, grateful, and dedicated. We were able to bond with many of them in our small groups and they thanked us with beautiful songs and necklaces that were locally made by Zulu bead crafters.I was particularly inspired by how Ludwi ended the South African national anthem. With a fist pump and a hand on his heart, he essentially communicates the pride that many South Africans feel in their nation.
In the evenings we prepared for the next day, but were also treated to home-cooked meals by Gora (Yunus's brother) and his son Adam, and Ameena (Yunus's mother). We also had the opportunity to visit an AIDS hospice with Noble, and learned more about how the country is coping with the high rate of death and how it is affecting the children. Another special trip arranged by Noble was to Durban where we met a group of boys, living six to a bedroom, most of them orphaned or needing guidance, lucky to be mentored by Noble and his dear and amazing friend Gina. We loved listening to their impromptu song.
After meeting them I could see how much they needed positive role models and that Noble's visits were so important to their futures. Tragedy struck while we were there as one of Noble's boys was shot and killed. This happens in America; it happens in every country. But when it happens to someone who has come from violence, makes a conscious decision to turn his life around, only to have it cut short by the same violence he courageously walked away from, it is particularly heart-breaking. It only strengthens the need to educate.
Our next road trip was almost 6 hours…from Port Shepstone to Mthatha.
Noble took a few naps while driving (haha), but we made it there in one piece.
I couldn't wait. I remember the excitement and energy in this rural area 3 years ago and told Lynn that this would become her favorite location. But as things had changed in the Vaal, things had changed in Mthatha. While the teachers in the Vaal had gone from quiet to participatory, some of the teachers in Mthatha who used to be vocal, became outspoken. I offer this not as a complaint, but as advice for the next team. As one teacher in Port Shepstone told us, "Mthatha gets everything."Apparently there have been many workshops offered to these teachers, some through universities, and others through the district. Teachers were no longer clamoring for any new ideas, they instead were picking and sifting through the multitude of content and methodologies being dropped on them from various directions. I only became aware of this in the middle of our workshop when one of the teachers said that they had learned what we were teaching through "RUMEP" (Rhodes University) and "SMATE" (Science, Math, and Technology). Some of the teachers said they were required by their school to attend our workshop during their winter vacation. While we prepared our topics according to their national standards, it was time to listen to what would be most useful to them. We were able to get SMATE curriculum materials, so we can try to be more focused on their needs next year. This was a good time to re-evaluate our purpose in Mthatha and learn from the feedback.
I would be remiss if I did not share one of the frustrating things that happened. When we passed out calculators that students in Hawaii had generously donated, we were met with resistance. We chalked it up to the Oprah effect. A few of these teachers were so used to being given things, that they felt it was their right to ask for specific brands or types of calculators. For the most part the teachers were gracious and wonderful to work with. But it should not go without saying that we as a workshop provider should learn from our experiences and approach our next visit to Mthatha a little differently.
While the teachers in South Africa changed, so did our team. Three years ago, we accepted it when we were told, "This is Africa. Things don't always happen on time." But this summer I was inspired by a more proactive group. When our workshop didn't start on time, and teachers kept asking when the opening ceremony would begin, we started thinking about activities we could do to pass the waiting time if this happened again. We decided to start our second day with our math teachers on time even though some weren't there yet. What we found was that when teachers walked in, they realized they had missed something and were on time for the following days. Holding ourselves and the teachers to high expectations were essential in improving the logistics of these workshops. These are teachers. They are on time to school every day. It is not expecting too much to be at a workshop on time. We hope that next year they will say and expect, "This is Africa. This is TWB. Things happen on time." We need to help them change their culture.
I learned some valuable lessons in South Africa this year about education, teachers, and systemic reform. In their landmark piece of writing, "The Work of Leadership," Heifetz and Laurie express the importance of "giving the work back to the people" and "listening to the voices from below." If we are to continue to help the teachers of South Africa, we have to take a larger view of the work that we do. We have to assist them with their needs, then give the work back to them. We have to show them methods for helping themselves and helping each other. In essence, we have to make our own program unnecessary.
One way we are opening doors is through the internet. Though many schools do not yet have computers, much less an internet connection and security measures necessary to safeguard the equipment, the teachers are aware of the possibilities inherent in globalization. Noble was able to offer computer workshops in all three locations, providing introductory lessons on everything from how to use a mouse to inputting grades on an excel spreadsheet. Teachers were so grateful not just for the practice but for the exposure to the possibilities the internet can offer to improve instruction. Here, Jim and Khaya help Henry use a computer for the first time.
Our last few days together as a whole team in Port St. Johns was a celebration. Though Yunus wasn't there, the team of teachers used this time to reflect and enjoy each other's company. Three years ago two young boys took us on a "1/2 an hour walk" which took some of us two hours. It was up a steep hill to a village where Eric and Wilson lived. It was during that walk that I talked to Eric about staying in school, especially because he was hanging out with boys who had already dropped out. Eric told me about how much his parents sacrificed to send him to school including renting him a room close to school so he wouldn't have to walk miles from Port St. Johns each day. Going to a country so far away makes you rethink the relationships you have with others. I bonded with this child, and then left and neither of us knew if we would ever see each other again.
You can imagine my surprise when we were eating at the "Delicious Monster"—a trailer turned into a kitchen with the best Greek salad, hand-made spaghetti with fresh crushed tomato sauce, and ice cream with warm berry sauce—and a boy walked up to us who looked a little like the boy in my slideshow from three years ago. It was Eric! Wilson, after seeing "the old man at the Gap"—a popular hiking spot (sorry Jim, he was referring to you), called Eric and told him where we were. Wilson later joined us and informed us he is now a tour guide and Eric is also trying to get a job with the same company that offers backpacking tours. I hugged Eric and asked if he remembered me. He answered in his Xhosa accent, "Yes, I remember you Jeneefa."
We bought Eric a burger and Jim tried to show him how to find the slope of a line using a graphing calculator. Eric shared that he didn't pursue math after grade 8, a choice that surprised us as an option. Wilson has perfected his "clicking" story and has developed into a smooth talker which I'm sure amuses tourists and locals alike.
Lynn, Lily, and I collected our clothes that we brought to Port St. Johns for Eric's sister (now that I think back on things, we had no way of getting in touch with Eric, but there he was—things just happen that way in Port St. Johns)—but before they got to his sister, Eric immediately put on my Colorado sweatshirt and showed up the next day wearing my Punahou Class of '92 Reunion shirt. This made me happier than I imagined it would.
This project would not be possible without the dedication and support of the teachers who prepare these lessons while teaching full-time and give up time and money each summer. Thanks also to all of the supporters of this program, especially the Peer Family and Director of TWB, Fred Mednick.
A lot of things have changed in South Africa. AIDS is a growing national concern. Crime is on the rise. Thanks to Noble we felt safe from the drunks and beggars that followed us home. But who protects the children from strangers, their neighbors, and sometimes their own friends? I have always believed that an education is the best cure for our social ills. But AIDS and crime are growing faster than our educational interventions. To truly make life acceptable for our children, one must do everything possible to promote and encourage teaching as a priority. If not us, then who?
