Bulletin #3 from Africa: Our Amazing Volunteer Teachers!

Our two wonderful volunteers, Jackie and Susan were certainly ‘dropped into the deep end’ with their first teaching post here in Tanzania facing classes of over 60 students!

They are teaching for their first week at Ngaruma Vocational Training Centre which is about a 20 minute drive from our residence. There are about 80 students presently registered at this school and the number will rise to over 100. It is a trades school where the students can learn carpentry, masonry, computer, sewing, auto mechanics and English . The age range is from 14-28 years.

The headmaster kindly altered the school schedule for this week to accommodate our volunteers who are team teaching; sometimes the smaller group of 15 year-one students and sometimes the larger group of 60 year-two students. The two groups are sometimes combined. But Jackie and Susan prepared brilliantly and delivered excellent lessons focussing on English conversation: listening and speaking skills using a variety of methods from role play, to flash cards, singing and art.

Two ABCD students: Abeli and Josphat, who have excellent English skills are assisting Jackie and Susan in the classroom. Thank you goes out to the staff for welcoming Jackie and Susan, even into the staff tea break and lunch room.

We also had a chance one day after school to visit a nearby waterfall, Marangu Falls, and read about some Chagga tribal history and the sad story of the girl who fell over the falls after being scared by a leopard.