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Nora Lösel
Nora war die Erste unserer importierten Lehrer. Sie kam von Oktober 2005 bis Februar 2006 aus Deutschland nach Johannesburg um an der Troyeville Grundschule zu arbeiten. Die Schule war mit ihr und ihrer Arbeit so zufrieden, dass sie weitere Freiwillige suchen. - Nora´s Bericht findes Du hier.
Nora's jounal: a guide for visitors in the Troyeville
Troyeville
Arriving on a Thursday morning gave me time until the Monday to settle down a bit in this new environment. I wouldn’t advise anyone to start teaching right away as Troyeville can be a hectic place at times. But beautiful as well and you just need time to get used to it!
The best way, in my eyes, to explore Troyeville, is by foot, Just check out the supermarkets Gem and Spar and have a look at the pretty old houses. I you like swimming, you jump into Ellis Park pol nearby for a quite reasonable price (R190 for a season-ticket). Spaza Art Gallery in Wilhelmina St shows works of the local artist and sometimes they offer courses. The closest shopping mall is Eastgate, which is easily reached by taxi (see Transport). There you can probably find anything you need for your time in Joburg. Supermarkets, fashion clothes, outdoor stuff, shoes, pharmacies, etc. Just don’t hang out there too much, you can easily get an overdose. Behind Eastgate you find Bruma Market, where you can buy beadwork, African masks and batiks. Apart from being considered as a tourist, it’s a nice place, where you can spend some time and eat Turkish or Indian food.
Downtown is easily reached by taxi or Metrobus (catch them in the street down to Jeppestown next to Joseph Project). Even if it can be hectic sometimes (not too many whites walk down the streets downtown) it is so much fun! Especially the view from the top of a double decker! When I came there the first time, I had the feeling, I am finally in AFRICA! Just ask a local to guide and you’ll be fine!
Go on top of the Carlton Centre to have the best view of the city on a clear day; check out the Standard Bank gallery; visit Museum Africa to have a look inside a shack; enjoy a coffee in Newtown or even a play in the famous Market Theatre. Just behind Newtown you’ll find the Oriental Plaza, a good place to eat cheap samoosas and shop for anything you can think of.
Melville is a beautiful spot to chill at day and party at night. Restaurants, Bars and alternative shops give 5th Street a european flair. Catch a bus or taxi to Ghandi and check out in the information center for further buses.
The closest little park is just down the road, near where Dave and Carol Strout live. To get to Rhodes Park you catch a taxi in the direction of Eastgate. There is also a swimming pool and plenty of green space under the trees to relax. Joburg is a very green city, but other parks can only be reached by car/taxi.
Internet cafes can be found at T-Square or the shops before you go downstairs to Spar. One hour costs R5.
Cheap supermarkets can be found at Eastgate (Checkers, Pick ‘n pay), I normally shopped at Spar and Gem. Fruits and vegetables can be bought from the stands on the street. It is very good to support a family’s income like this and you get to know the people!
Transport
Not many whites take taxis. But I think it is the best way to get in touch with people and to experience the real Africa. Make sure you know where you are going. If you are lost, ask a LADY for help – Africans are so friendly! Just avoid to ‘look lost’.
Buses run between Eastgate and Ghandi Square (downtow, ca R5), mostly during rush hours. Taxi go to Eastgate (R 4,50) and downtown (R4), they don't stop at Gandhi, but in Mainstreet.
After 7p.m. you'll need a car or a lift from someone. Metered taxis are expensive.
Troyeville Primary School
The school teaches learners in Grade 4 up to Grad 7. At the beginning I got lost all the time, but if you are a bit more logically thinking than me, you'll be quicker at finding your way around. The Grade 4s are on the bottom floor, where you also find the library, the computer room and the Tuckshop. Every morning during Administration Time (7:45 – 7:55) the classes bring their orders here for 1. break. Floor 1 is for Grade 5 and 6, on the other side of the school, you'll find 5F and 5E. Floor 2 hosts Grade 6 and 7.
The day starts with a staff meeting at 7:30. At 7:45 announcements are made to the learners, who have linde up by that time on the quad. Administration Time follows in class and the lesson starts at 8:00. Twice a week during first period is Assembly held, one for Grade 4 and 5 and one for 6 and 7. One period is 40min long. First break is from 9:55-10:15, second break 12:15-12:30. School ends at 13:50 except for Fridays at 13:40. Extra murals take place Tuesday and Wednesday, they are compulsory and finish at 15 p.m.
Language of instruction is of course English. That doesn't mean that everyone understands you – for almost all of them English is the second language. And you can find a Grade 7 boy who doesn't speak English, because he arrived from the Democratic Republic of Congo only a few weeks ago. At the same time there are very bright kids sitting in this class, who get bored by waiting all the time. To teach these two learners at the same time and to meet all their needs is impossible. It might frustrate you, but in the end you can't do anything about it. I really had to lower my expectations of the teaching and learning level at lot. But maybe at this point, me – an eager, result-orientated European, can learn something from the 'eezy' way of doing things in Africa... even if they didn't learn a single thing in your lesson – you can still encourage them in some other way! They might not have learned anything, but they want to come back to your lesson tomorrow! And that is enough!
After a while you'll find out, which words and expressions you can use. Keep it simple.
Learning Areas
English - Maths - Natural Sciences - Economic Management Sciences - Social Sciences
Arts and Culture - Technology - Afrikaans/ Zulu - Computers
Extra murals: Reading Club, Netball, Soccer, Table Tennis, Drama, Choir, Art Club
I've been teaching everything except Maths and Afrikaans. None of the subjects gabe me a problem, since the standard of teaching is not really high. The only difficulty is that the teacher's reference books don't give you more information than what you are actually teaching. I couldn't answer some questions, e.g. when we spoke about First Aid. So if you have any books yourself – bring them!
Discipline
After a lesson you write your comment on the classes behavior in the Remark Book. The best behaved class of the week receives a trophy in assembly. You'll find a Demerit Form for each learner in a file on the teacher's desk. There is a system of demerits and merits you can give, according to their behavior. With 15 demerits, the learner has to attend detention on Friday afternoon.
Teachers are not supposed to send learners out of class as a punishment, but sometimes there seems no other way. I did that as well, but tried to integrate them in the lesson again as soon as possible. Other common punishments are sitting on the floor next to the teacher's desk and continue their work there or being sent to Mr Joubert (the deputy principal), who has a serious talk with them or phones their parents. The very last punishment is suspension, which doesn't happen often.
Discipline will be a big issue of you time here. Sometimes I had no idea what to do with a child. It helps a lot to get to know the kids better. Not to see only their behavior, but their personality. I had a boy in Grade 5, who was naughty as one can be. I never managed to integrate him tin the lesson, except one time: we had a lesson on portrait drawing and he was like a fish in the water! I stopped seeing him as an interruption; he is still not coping during lesson, but he has different talents. Talents that unfortunately don't count much in school – but just for me to know about his talent and that he can actually be excited by something, made it easier for me to handle him.
Try to talk personally with the kids as much as possible. Find out where they are staying, how many siblings they have and so on. That will make it easier for you to understand their behavior.
And so often we ask them to be quiet and sit properly and listen, but their legs need to run, they want to wrestle each other, they just need to make some noise! After all they are kids! Not to excuse misbehavior, but to challenge our thinking about it. Whenever possible introduce little games, songs (or let them teach you a song), stretching etc.
I really believe that our tongue is a strong weapon that brings curse or blessing. I chose to speak positively about the kids. School is way too complex to blame only one part in this interaction. And as soon as you know about someone's background, you are so much more patient! It is not about letting them do whatever they like, but the way we talk about and with them. See individuals, not a mass of 40 black faces.
Also be patient with yourself. What I really learned during my time here (since I am a very impatient person): the more you learn to be patient with yourself, the more you will be able to have patience with others!
It is a process to be able to love and to have a professional distance at the same time!
The Job
Either I replaced teachers (e.g. Mr Joubert to relieve him) or I was a teacher's assistant. Often a class is difficult to keep quiet and it helps a lot to have an educator, who is actually teaching and the other one deals with learners who don't understand or disturb the lesson. So just walk around in class, check their books, make sure they are listening and answer questions. Since i am becoming a teacher, I tried to actually teach as much as I could. Don't wait for your 'first time' teaching too long – you'll learn how to swim only in the water. Don't be too nice at the beginning! You can still become less strict – but it is much harder the other way around. To know games, stories etc that don not need preparation to fill up some time is very useful. Sometimes you learn that you have to replace a teacher only before school starts.
Every day after school, I met with the teacher that I was with the next day to discuss the planned lesson.
I also had Reading Lesson with up to 8 learners from one class for a period. Some don't know the alphabet, some just need some practice. Make a list of their names and protocol their abilities and developments. Have a chat with the aid class teacher Jean Breakey about 'seeing words' and other helpful information. Encourage every little ability and development. If there is a Grade 7 learner who can't read properly, he is frustrated and ashamed about his reading. Create an atmosphere of encouragement and make clear that you won't allow any laughing at each other or impatience.
When to come
I arrived just after Term 4 had started and I really enjoyed the month of Christmas leave and coming back for another 6 weeks afterwards. I would advise you to come in one term, enjoy the holidays while traveling (check out: www.bazbus.com; www.coastingafrica.com ) and come back for the next term. That gives you time to reflect and a fresh start in an already familiar situation. But stay at least for one complete term, because you need time to get into it!
Troyeville Primary and Joseph Project
Both institutions work closely together, since most of the learners in Joseph Project come from Troyeville Primary. There is a good contact especially with Mr Joubert. Thom is about to set up an Internet Portal that connects some schools in Troyeville and the Homework Center to share internet connection and learning programs. A learner could start working with some learning software in school and continue in the Center.
I worked in Joseph Project twice a week during Homework time. My intention was to get to know the kids on a more personal level than in school. Even if it was tiring to continue working right after school, it was the best thing, I could do! you can chat and fool around and really build relationship with them, while there is no time and space for that in school. I loved being in classes with children from the center: you know their names and most of the time they try to support you, because you are an 'auntie from the center'.
I believe one can learn a lot from Dylan, Dave and Carol. They stand their ground in such a fair way and I can see why they are doing what they are doing; they are really motivated by love and compassion for these kids. Depending on you personal stress level, decide how many afternoons you want to spend there. But don't miss out on this great opportunity!
Please feel free to contact me: nora.loesel@gmx.de !!
Nora Loesel
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