The Blog of Trevor Valentino

I thought the best way to keep you informed about my work at Morokoshi is to address the questions and comments many of you sent with regards to my last blog.  Thank you very much for them as they are helping me with my work here.  They also extend the collaborative spirit of my trip to a broader scale that extends beyond country, state and city lines.  The following will address some of your comments.

1) Teacher Workshops: Working Together

As you are aware one of my main goals while volunteering at Morokoshi is to make every workshop or experience that I participate in one that includes the teachers thoughts.  The latest workshop that I held was last Friday, July 16th, and we took our first collective steps understanding how emergent curriculum would work along the current structure.  We began the workshop by dissecting the current lesson plans offered into the goals that we see for each.  In particular I asked: What are the developmental goals for each lesson plan based along social emotional, fine motor and large motor, language (verbal and nonverbal), mathematical, and logical development.  Due to time we were only able to break down two types of lessons those that fall within Language and the other was Science/Nature.  During this time I took a step back and had the teachers share their ideas because these lesson plans came from them and not from me.  I also told them how these goals will become the foundation for how we work with the children within an emergent curriculum experience.  They were initially reluctant but soon they were offering up their ideas and we generated two lists for each type of lesson.

I then had the group participate in an activity that would connect them to an activity that I have done with children at Cow Hollow School: “Shape Hunters”.  During this part of the workshop the teachers went outside with a piece of a paper and looked throughout the yard for objects that were in the shapes of circles, ovals, squares and triangles.  When they returned they shared their ideas.  From this list I showed them how we can incorporate the same goals we have for our other lessons within this project.  The key difference being that we are taking what the children offer us as opposed to making these choices ourselves.  In particular we discussed how we can begin to categorize the different objects found, how we can practice our early literacy by writing the words of these objects down, down we nourish the children’s creativity and imagination because they are open to draw any way they want and lastly how we can develop a constructive and healthy approach to disagreement.  This last one was demonstrated when one of the teachers shared with the group that she saw an oval in the cow’s eye (this was a real cow and not an illustration).  After hearing this I asked the following:  What would you do if another child stood up and said, “No a cow’s eye isn’t oval it is a circle.”  No one responded so I suggested that if we asked the child what he/she meant by a circle we might discover that this child was referring to cow’s pupil while the other child was referring to the outer rim of the eye.  The point being that instead of passing judgments along what is right or wrong we support children along their learning experiences.

After this activity we discussed some ideas that could be used in the classroom that use the same goals from the current lesson plans and apply them to the children’s real life experiences.  In particular, how can we develop the children’s logical and critical thinking skills through their play and use of classroom materials.  Now this was a tough one and I realized that the expectations that I had for the teachers was too high.  This is in no way to suggest that the teachers are not intelligent enough to talk about this but I realized that how can I expect the teachers to discuss emergent curriculum when the key ingredient: children, are absent from the discussion.  With that said, I shared with the teachers some ideas I had and how they would foster the same goals we discussed earlier in the workshop and set up a plan to work together in the classroom trying them out with the children.  After we do this for three weeks we will meet again and reflect on these experiences.  From these reflections the teachers themselves will create new opportunities in the future that will include the children’s ideas.

The last part was to discuss how this type of work could be given as a homework assignment.  Currently it is important for the teachers and the children’s caregivers for the children to be given daily homework assignments.  This can include the rewriting of words or adding up objects the teacher has drawn in their workbooks.  Since this is important to the school’s culture I did not want to remove it from the school’s routine but to see how we can adapt it to include more of the children’s ideas.  From the “Shape Hunters” project one teacher said that for a homework assignment the children could bring an object from home that is in the shape of a circle.  This was a great idea because we instantly brainstormed ideas of how new lesson plans could be generated from what the children brought in.  It also brought up some concerns the teachers had such as the safety of objects at school and what parents may think of with regards to the assignment.  What was great about this was the teachers were beginning to make what I suggested into their own because they understood their school’s community far greater then I ever would.  This is exactly my goal!

2) Role of Documentation: Expanding our Relationships with Our Students

Some have asked how documentation will be used in the classrooms.  In particular, how it will work when the teacher to child ratio is too large.  I think when I wrote documentation many of us might be familiar to the types of documentation that is done within the classroom’s we teach in or the classrooms our children have come from.  This type of documentation would include but is not limited to: children’s work (art, writing), photographs of children in play/learning, children’s ideas being represented through classroom set up and materials, and many others.  In this particular case I am asking the teachers to carry with them a small spiral notebook that is to be used to write down quick notes on what the children are doing, saying as well as what the teachers themselves are feeling or the questions they may have.  The example I gave is when I was working with a group of children in the Middle Class I wrote down each child’s name and briefly jotted down what they sculpted which included: the alphabet, shapes, their names, people.  I also shared with them how I worked with one child in particular in sculpting his name.  This is a quick process and only feels overwhelming when it is something new.  This is then only documentation that I wanted the teachers to use so they would not become overwhelmed by the heavy workload they are already carrying.

From this documentation the teachers will be able to recall their experiences with more tangible examples when we: 1) use them as points of reflection in a later workshop, 2) to help them with the assessment of the children, and 3) being used as a tool when discussing children with their caregivers.  Furthermore, this will strengthen the bonds the teachers have created with the children because they will better understand the children they teach.  It will put them more in touch with the children’s emotional needs that will translate into developing positive relationships the children have with each other and with the teachers.  The students clearly see the teachers as people who care for them, as they will often get excited when they see a teacher arriving to school shouting out their names and greeting them at the gate.  The teachers have also increased the amounts of time they are playing with the children that will further strengthen this bond.  When the teachers begin to include emergent curriculum ideas this bond will include trust, respect and honor.

3) Role of Parents in School’s Development

In the last blog I failed to mention the Parent’s Meeting that I participated in during my first week at Morokoshi School.  After the meeting a group of parents met with Steve, the school’s owner, and expressed concerns about the children’s work being done in the Baby Class (3-4 year olds) and in particular how they have seen a digression in the children’s work.  This was very troubling for Steve to hear and he instantly called an all staff meeting to discuss what is currently happening or not happening in the Baby Class.  The meeting was very productive as we discussed how to balance what the parent’s needs with what we feel is developmentally appropriate for certain age groups.  In particular the group collectively saw that one element that was missing in the school’s program was how we inform the children’s caregivers of the type of work being done in the school and how such work develops the children along different developmental domains.

One particular hot button topic was the children being able to recognize and then write the alphabet.  One teaching intern was troubled by this and shared that at this age what is important for children is to be able to develop the fine motor skills necessary to write letters and that it is okay for children to scribble.  Steve could see this but again expressed that the school’s primary goals were to always take into account the caregiver’s concerns.  We concluded the meeting that whatever is done at the school needs to be effectively communicated to the caregivers so they understand what we are doing as well as feel involved in the children’s experiences.  Since we were making a commitment in doing this we knew this would translate more into the caregivers taking more accountability in their child’s work which would include their participation in their child’s homework as well as commitment to having the children show up on time with the necessary materials.

4) Follow Up After Departure

Some have asked what the follow up plan is when I depart.  What is interesting about this point was while I was writing this blog, Steve came in and we had an impromptu meeting about what has been happening so far.  He was very happy about what is going on but was also concerned about what is being done might get lost once I leave.  He brought along Beatrice, who is going to be teaching at Morokoshi next year, and thought she would be a great person that I would communicate with when I leave.  We discussed the possibility of every month emailing each other about what is happening at the school as well as to discuss any questions that have come up with regards to the new practices that have been created at the school.  Steve asked that I work with Beatrice in creating an assessment tool that she can use that looks at specific things at the school: classroom environment, lesson plans, assessment, etc.  Furthermore, we discussed the need to sit down with Ruth, the head teacher, Steve and myself to write up the final report based on the work that I had done.  IN particular we would discuss the roles that each teacher has while working at Morokoshi, the goals the school has to develop and foster a high level of education (which includes better teacher:child ratios, building of new classroom, lunch programs, etc), as well as expanding the school’s community to include parent’s voices.

Thanks for all your questions and I know there are plenty more that I did not address.  I hope they will be answered in later blogs or when I return from my trip.  I need to go home and rest because tomorrow I visit one of the Teacher Colleges here in Nakuru.  I am very excited and have no idea what I am in store for.  I really hope they do not have me say anything in front of the class.

It was another exciting week in Kenya.  On Saturday I decided to treat myself and traveled to Nyahururu to see Thomson’s Falls.  I took a lovely matatu ride through the Rift Valley.  We zoomed through beautiful tea fields that seemed to stretch up the rolling hills until it reached the blue sky.  Soon we were driving up a big mountain toward the Central Rift and when we reached the top we looked down onto the luscious green fields we were once driving through.  The matatu soon pulled into Nyahururu but not before seeing signs that claimed to be located right on the Equator.  That is right, I finally reached the Equator or was close enough to it to feel like I was on the Equator.  Boy does it get hot!

With my guidebook in hand I began walking the streets looking for the clock tower that would point me in the direction of Thomson’s Falls.  Amos, my host, told me the night before to ask people for the directions, as they will surely help you out.  I went to the first person and he pointed me down a dirt path.  Wondering if in fact he understood me I asked a group of people much further down, who were cracking peas in the shade of their store, if I was on the right trail.  They pointed me in the same direction so I knew I must be on track.  The majority of people are very helpful and will always offer help with warm smiles.  Eventually I reached the highway and saw the entrance to the park.  As I was walking towards the falls I noticed several murals on the walls of small buildings that were encouraging Kenyans to have a greater impact on their environment.  One in particular read, “Kick Climate Change out of Kenya” that had a soccer player kicking a soccer ball that had images of deforestation and industrialization with a bleak backdrop of pollution.  Steve, who is the owner of Morokoshi School, is also working on a project with a nearby farmer where they are replanting trees that were cut down for farming.  There hopes are that the forests they remembered as a child or during their parent’s days will return for future generations to enjoy.

After taking photos of these murals I moved on until I was soon at the gate to Thomson’s Falls and could hear the sound of the powerful river falling towards Earth’s rocky ground.  A short distance ahead of me was the first of three viewing points and I rushed up to it in hopes that what I was going to see would take hold of my every thought.  The white flow of the falling river sandwiched in between green vegetation and orange brown rocks with white peppered blue skies overhead made me enter a zen-like state of peace.  I instantly grabbed my camera and took several pictures before I moved to the next viewing spot where I took several more.  The excitement of being there soon got the best of me and I knew I had to traverse down to the bottom and experience the Falls up close.  I asked a guide for the correct path and I was soon walking down stone steps.

The trek down to the river’s edge seemed to be right out of Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness” as a sea of different birds’ calls and insects’ tunes came from within the twisting branches of giant trees and bushes that poked out from the cliff’s crevices.  When I reached the river’s edge the world that I left behind at the gate’s entrance seemed to wash away and I knew the only thing left to do was to reach the waterfall.  As I stepped closer and closer to the waterfall the rocks became more and more slippery as they were covered in the waterfall’s mist.  Writing about it now makes me appreciate this magical place even more.  Since I had to slow down it made me stop and take in every moment as if the waterfall itself was demanding my attention.  Begging every part of me to cherish every bit of its power and beauty until I was soon wrapped up within its spirit.

I was soon at the base of the waterfall and the mist of the crashing water against the giant rocks was covering my entire body.  I held out my arms and yelled out in excitement.  It felt so refreshing.  All the frustrations I had held inside poured out and the water that was soon dripping from my head and the tips of my fingers were carrying with it any doubts that I had about myself.  I stayed there for some time taking a much needed mental and emotional bath.  Thanking the waterfall for its beauty I returned to the top leaving behind a part of me that I needed to let go of.  I sat on a nearby bench reflecting on the experience I just had and was eager to return to Morokoshi School and continue my collaborative work with the teachers.

During my time there it also allowed me to think about my family and friends and how grateful I am to have such loving, supportive and caring people in my life.  How lucky I am that I get to open up emails that wish me well with all the work that I am doing.  How lucky I am that my heart is so full of love for each and everyone that it continues to beat as strong as it does.  How lucky I am that when I return home, I return to open arms, open minds and open hearts.  Thank you very much and you will always be in my heart.

It has been two full weeks at Morokoshi and I must say I have learned a lot.  The children are still very excited to see me and I have come across several of them on my way to school.  Two of the girls, Florence and Sylvia, wait for me once they have spotted me in the distance.   When I have reached them I will greet them with, “Habari ya asabuhi” (Good morning) in which case they will reply, “Ndzyuri” which means “good.”  They will then hold both of my hands and we walk together all the way until we reach Morokoshi.  As we approach the gate to the school there is usually five more children walking with us and they do whatever it takes to grab hold of my hands, thankfully I have five fingers on each hand.  The work so far has been very inspiring but it has also been emotionally draining as I have traversed through extremes highs to some lows where I wondered if I was capable of handling the work that has been asked of me.  So before I get too dramatic let me describe what has happened so far.

Week One:

Week one began with making observations in each of the classrooms.  I started in the “Baby Class” which is children ages 3-4 years old.  Instantly I noticed how many children were in the class.  I counted a total of 41 children with one teacher: Mary, who is the class’ head teacher.  As I am sure many of you are wondering how is that possible.  I wondered the same thing but I must admit the teachers do an excellent job with a ratio like that.  However, I have addressed this issue with Steve, the owner of the school, and he is slowly leaning towards shrinking down the class sizes next year so the learning experiences for the children will be more enriching.  The reason for the large class sizes is because Steve wants to help out as many children within the region.  As he stated, “If you think education is expensive, ignorance is more expensive.”  However, I have asked him if we have such large ratios are we providing the children with the best education that he seeks or are we just brushing over the surface.

During this week of school each class had one teaching intern that came from a nearby Teacher’s College.  On a side note, the teaching interns have invited me to their school to see what they learn which I hope to do in the upcoming weeks.  As I sat in the back of the room and observed the lesson plans I noticed that most of what the children work on is call and response.  Usually a lesson will begin with a song or a poem that is connected to the particular lesson.  Then the teacher will write the lesson on the board and have the children repeat what she says.  For example, when working on the alphabet the children will go through the alphabet saying as a whole class, “Letter A”, “Letter B” and so forth until they get to the end of the alphabet.  After the lesson the children will then work in their own workbooks (filled with line paper) usually rewriting or redrawing what the teacher has done on the chalkboard.  When the children are finished they will usually call out for the teacher who will come over and work with them on rewriting letters that they did not write correctly or will ask them to work on the next stage of the lesson.  As you can imagine this will take quite a long time, as one of the teacher’s goals is to work one-on-one with each child.  Remember this was a room full of 41 children.

After the morning lesson, the children break for porridge and free play out in the yard that is usually an hour and 15 minutes long.  After the morning break the children will gather for their afternoon lesson that will be different from their morning lessons.  The lessons that they teach include: language activity, mathematical activity, music activity, life skills activity (teaching children about home life), creative activity, nature activity and physical activity.  This lesson is very similar to the morning lesson where the teacher and children follow a call-and-response style of learning together followed by the children working in their workbooks.  As you can see it is a very teacher directed style.  Following this lesson the children will have lunch outside followed by free time.  They will gather in the classroom one last time for a nap while the teachers prepare each workbook with the children’s homework assignment.  The children will then leave around 4:00.

I made similar observations in the Middle Class, children 4-5 years old, and the Top Class, children 5-6 years old with a few exceptions.  The Middle Class room is very small and houses 21 children while the Top Class, with plenty of space has 21 students.  You can tell the teachers are at times very overwhelmed but they are so determined to provide the children with an excellent education.  The school is well run by the Head Teacher: Ruth, who also teaches the Top Class.  She is an excellent teacher who works really well with her students and you can tell the children simply love her as they will often shout out, “Teacher Ruth” and run to her as they enter the school.  It must be noted that the children are often very happy even with situations that would make many American educators shocked.  It must also be noted that the teachers understand that this is not the ideal situation for children to learn in and have been very excited about the opportunity to make some changes.  The teachers are doing such a great job at the school it is no wonder the school ranks the highest in the area.  The teachers are great models with the children especially with helping them writing their numbers or letters and they will often praise the children for their hard work.

After these observations the teachers were ready for me to set up a meeting to discuss some key points they felt were important.  From informal discussions the teachers wanted to look into:

1. Methods of teaching Early Child Development (ECD)
2. Materials to use with children
3. Classroom Arrangement
4. Working with Children particularly towards conflict resolution and individualized learning
5. Assessments
6. Time Tables
7. Developing Lesson Plans

With a full plate on my hands I decided the best step was to work with the teachers in creating a new way they see themselves within the school.  They are excellent teachers that have great ideas they just are not confident in taking the steps necessary in implementing those ideas.  With this in mind my first meeting with them was to discuss teacher research and what this means within a social-constructivist environment that fosters child-centered curriculum and the role documentation has in developing effective lesson plans and assessment of children.  Well that was a mouthful and certainly a full plate.

The First Teacher Workshop

The workshop went really well and I could tell they were fully engaged in their own learning process through this experience as they had plenty of great ideas and inquisitive questions.  When asked what child-centered learning meant to them one of the teaching interns, Mercy, said the following, “Where by maybe a child wants us to sing a song.  You jump in to sing a song with the child.  The child will feel proud of him or herself of what the child wants to learn whether it is in language, mathematics, life skills.  If you teach to them it is better learning.”  With this in mind I discussed times that I observed this already happening in the classroom for instance when one teacher opened the drawing activity to be more free and not emphasized on copying what she drew on the board or when another teacher called up children to the front of the class to pick out the clothes they would be discussing for the lesson.

By creating teacher research, child-centered curriculum, social constructivist and documentation together we had co-created a foundation that reflected their experiences as teachers.  We were ready then to tackle our first attempt at teacher research.  For this workshop we were going to look at the classroom environments particularly paying attention to the different learning areas for the children.  We walked into the “Baby Class” and had each teacher walk around the room for 5-10 minutes on their own writing down what is working in the classroom and what is not working in the classroom.  We then gathered and generated a collective list.   During this step I did not mention anything that I observed I only asked questions that might get them thinking about certain areas.  The following is what they came up with:

What is working:

1. Tables:  According to the age 3-4 years the tables are at a great height.
2. Room is big enough to contain the children
3. Posters up on the wall for children to use.
4. Windows let in enough light for the children
5. Floor is easy to clean, safe for young children (so they won’t slip).  Play on floor during free choice activities especially in “Life Skills” area.
6. Children’s work on the wall.  (Maybe find more spaces to include the children’s work)

What is not Working:

1. Not enough tables and benches for the children.
2. Benches not comfortable for children.  If effects them sitting for long periods of time.
3. More teaching materials on the wall.
4. Back or room should be cleared out to make new learning areas.
5. Materials need to be removed that are not grabbing the children’s attention.  Materials for shambas (farms) was an example.
6. No cupboard for them to keep their items in.  (Lunchboxes, backpacks)
7. No space for children’s workbooks.
8. Safety:  Pipes in the beams are not latched down and could fall and hit the children.
9. Teacher’s desk for storage, teacher’s possession.
10. Storage area in corner with learning areas.
11.  No Modeling/Art Area, No Nature Corner, No Baby Corner (Dramatic Play), No Music Corner, No Book Corner (Swahili and English), No Home Corner (Building, improvisations with materials), No Mathematics Corner (Sticks to count, rocks to count)
12.  Chalkboard needs some paint for it to be blacker.

With this list in front of us we immediately got to work changing the space based on their suggestions.  We created an area that would be used for block building, a table designated for art and life skills, moved a big desk to the front of the room for the teacher to have more working space, began organizing the Shop Area and developed a plan to have the children work as a group in co-creating an ABC poster in the classroom.  The biggest step was rearranging the children’s tables so that no child’s back was to the blackboard.  We were hoping to do more but our time ran out.  We closed the workshop by discussing how it is important to begin documenting how the children are moving within the space.  I provided each teacher with a small spiral notepad so they can capture what the children are saying, how they move throughout the space as well as write down their own feelings about teaching within the new changes.

Before I leave you, I must stress that my volunteer work here is not to direct the teachers but to collaborate with them in developing a school that is self-sustainable.  With regards to this project my main goal was to show them that as teacher researchers they needed to be constantly looking at their classrooms, their children, their work and evaluating the work that is being done at the school.  I stressed to them that as teacher researchers they are taking an active role in the school and that if done regularly they will learn how to teach to the children because the focus will be on the children’s interests and the curriculum will always be changing.  I ended by telling them a goal is not to have volunteers come regularly and help out but to have ECD teachers come from around the world to learn from you about how to teach.

Our next workshop will be looking at creating lesson plans.  We will take their current lesson plans (a system they value as a school and reflects the community’s culture) and add an element in which the children can take what they are learning from these lessons and apply them to their real life experiences.  In particular, teaching children critical thinking skills that I feel is really lacking from the school.  I am very excited about this and think the teachers are ready for this next step as they also see the children not being able to apply what they are learning within new contexts.

I would love to get your feedback with regards to what I have done so far.  Any questions that you may have are certainly welcome as it will help me think about the work that I am doing here.  Thanks for all your comments and I apologize for the length of each blog.  I can only get to the internet cafe once a week and as you can imagine there is a lot to write.

Unfortunately I am not going to be able to upload any photos because it takes way too long.  You will have to wait until I get back.

When I arrived in Kenya I was instantly amazed.  The warm air touched my cheeks and I was soon greeted by my cab driver.  My first journey began in his cab where we zoomed through traffic barely missing one car from the next.  I had to remind myself not to clinch my fists so I would not look like too much of a foreigner.  He drove me to the bus station, which was filled with matatus and people asking us where we need to go.  The traffic was so bad people on the street were literally walking faster than us.  One could say the people were also moving fast as to avoid getting hit by cars and matatus.  A matatu is basically an old school Nissan van that drives Kenyans from one location to the next regardless of distance.  My driver got me to the correct matatu and I was on my way to Nakuru but not before we stopped off at the police station where everyone was searched for weapons.  The kind woman next to me informed me that this is something that is new to Kenya and assured me it was for everyone’s safety.

On the matatu I was sitting next to the window looking out at the Kenyan countryside.  As we drove across the highway we would pass one small town from the next in which people sat outside selling vegetables or other products to people waiting for a matatu.  I was so caught up with the view from my window that I almost missed the descent we had made up a mountain where we were soon over looking part of the massive Rift Valley.  It was so beautiful!  You can see green for what appeared to be miles as the storm clouds above laid shadows upon it.  Later, Steve (the owner of Morokoshi School) informed me this is the right time to be here because the rains have made the Earth so green.  I was awe struck and could not help but look out for what appeared to be forever.  After a 2 1/2 hour drive I reached Nakuru but not before spotting some zebras hanging out with cows on the side of the road.  Who knew they got along.

When I exited the matatu, Alex, Cameron and Amos greeted me.  Alex is a volunteer through SpanAfrica who is the Organization Support Coordinator.  One of her responsibilities is to coordinate with the grassroots organizations throughout Africa and work with them to effectively organize their programs along a business platform.  Cameron is the Director of Operations in Africa and is the main contact for many of the grassroots organizations.  He helps coordinate the appropriate services for the organizations as well as seek out new grassroots organizations throughout Africa.  He is an amazing guy who is very knowledgeble about working within and around Kenya.  It must be mentioned that SpanAfrica does not do the work for these organizations or give them money.  SpanAfrica works alongside each organization and teaches them how to reach their goals.  It is a true collaboration that has been great to be apart of.  This now brings me to Amos who is hosting me at his house with his wife Ruth.  Amos, runs one of the grassroots organizations that SpanAfrica is associated called Baobab Education Learning Programmes.  Amos is a gentleman in the truest sense as he has been so supportive of me while I am here, making me tea, cooking great breakfasts and dinners and guiding me through the ins-and-outs of Nakuru.  The company he runs helps high school students, young adults and professionals further their learning by offering a variety of classes.  One class I witnessed was a business class where students learned about operating costs and then set up their own mock business to put what they learned into practice.  I will be working with Amos in the next month to coordinate with him a class on Early Child Education that will be offered to teachers in Nakuru.  We are currently putting together a survey that will be passed to various schools in the area to gather data on what teachers want to learn more about.  From that we will sit down and create a workshop that will hopefully be offered before I leave.  If that happens both Amos and I will teach the class.  As you can see Amos is always a part of the process from the beginning idea to the implementation so when I leave he will be able to recreate this process himself.

Nakuru is a busy city.  It is not the same as Naorobi, which is where I flew into, but it is certainly a city with a lot of movement.  It is very easy to get lost through the streets as it is hard for me to spot visual markers that will remind me of where certain pivotal spots are: matatu pick up to get home, bank, Baobab Education office, and Café Guava where I am sending off this blog.  I know with time I will pick it up.  Luckily, Cameron and Alex have been showing me the ropes guiding me through the little streets letting me know what are the safest ways to get from one point to the next, what foods to avoid, and how to say “wacha” (means “to leave”) to  street children.  On Sunday, June 27th, they are taking me on a hike up Menengai Crater.  I cannot wait!  I may be wrong but it is the largest crater in Africa.  Do not worry I will be taking tons of pictures that I hope to upload onto the blog.

Friday, June 25th, was a big day as it was the first time I visited Morokoshi School.   As we got off the matatu (Amos, Cameron and Alex), I realized right there that I was truly in Africa.  Morokoshi is located in Murunyu that is the farming area of Nakuru.  We walked along a dirt path and on either side stretched corn stalks (a staple crop for Murunyuns) with wooden gates peppered in between.  As we walked, we were greeted with warm smiles and polite waves by men, women and children that were walking along the path on their way to school, work or to a neighbors.  We approached Morokoshi and I could see five or six children running towards the gates of the school shouting, “mzungu“ which means white people are coming.  When we walked up to the school we could hear the children shouting, “Welcome to our Visitors!” that sounded more like, “Wel-a-come to our visitors!”  From this point forward, you have to imagine a huge smile on my face that would not go away.  We were welcomed in “Karibu” to the school by Steve, the owner of the school, and Ruth, the head teacher.  The children were lined up in rows of three based on the classroom they were in: “Baby Class”(3-4 years old), “Middle Class” (4-5 years old) and “Top Class” (5-6 years old).  Ruth then started various nursery rhymes that the children quickly began singing/shouting to us.  One that I was able to sing a long with was “If you are happy and you know it.”  During this time one of the little girls in the front row walked up and held my hand while another little girl was holding the other.  Both were amazed by my arm hair and tattoos and would continue to rub my arms: which I am told by Cameron is very common since arm hair my length and tattoos are not that common.  After the songs the teachers introduced me to their rooms where they showed me classroom schedules, daily lesson activities they had planned and a brief introduction in how they run each lesson plan.

We then met with Steve to discuss Morokoshi further that allowed me an opportunity to hear from him some goals that he has for me while I am volunteering at Morokoshi.  I must say his ideas are very progressive and I am really excited to be volunteering at a school that strives on learner empowerment, a learner-centered approach, and including all members of the school’s community into the children’s education.  The quote of the day was when he said, “The student [children] will teach you.”  I felt like I was back at Cow Hollow School!  In another blog I will fill you in on the goals that I have while working at Morokoshi but they will include working with the teachers in documenting the children’s progress, incorporating small group work, working with Ruth (head teacher) in developing teacher workshops that will teach her staff how to include various practices into their classrooms, amongst many others.

As we were leaving I crouched down to say goodbye to the children.  Instantly, twenty children surrounded me as they were trying to hold onto my hands and arms.  At one point, I swear I had 8 children on each arm and could barely move.  I did not know what to say or do and as I looked over Alex and Cameron had the same thing happening.  One of the teachers told them in Swahili or Kukuyu to let go and the children left to run around the yard.  I met one more time with the teachers and teaching interns and let them know how excited I was to be their working along side them to make Morokoshi a school that reaches the highest standards and quality of early child education.  They seemed happy but also reserved and I know it will take some time to develop a trusting relationship with each one of them.  I will return next week to observe the program from the beginning of the day, 7:30 am, until the children leave at 4:00 pm.  On Thursday of next week I will meet with the teachers from 2:30 till 4:30 to discuss what I noticed and begin co-creating some strategies that we can begin implementing the following week.
I am so glad I made the decision to come!

Image of the week:  One of the children at Morokoshi School was wearing a maroon beenie with the Kenyan flag on it with “Obama” written underneath it.  By the way Obama is huge here!

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