We are Montevideo!

July 31^st was a very special day for Montevideo Primary School and indeed a very special day for me as well! The faculty and learners celebrated the retirement of 25 year support staff member, Mr. Paulsen!

I arrived with my fellow companions where we waited in the lobby once again for the school day to begin. As the teachers were conversing in the teacher’s lounge for the day’s events, we were able to utilize the free Wi-Fi before the school day kick started. As you can imagine, the struggle is truly real with connecting to the rest of the world. The alarm then sounded for the beginning of class and one of the best days at Montevideo thus far!

7C was going to be the class that I got to spend time with. I slightly was not pleased to hear this considering the cautious warnings I was given by the seventh grade teachers about their chaotic behavior. Regardless, I went in with a strong mind ready to take control if necessary. First period began with Mr. Edross. I highly enjoy observing Mr. Edross and his teaching methods because he has a vast array of knowledge about his learners. He began class in the same manner that he always did; he selects a few learners, gives a brief explanation of their personal life outside of school, and proceeds to inform the class of his/her academic abilities. Mr. Edross believes heavily in visiting his learners at home when their behavior and academic performance begins lacking. Thus, he knows so much about the learners and knows how to deal with them on an individual basis. For me, it was most difficult to hear the personal stories of each learner and the environment that they grow up in. It was then that I realized that even though my parents were divorced and each struggled financially, I was still better off than the majority of the learners in that classroom. Although this method of teaching sounds cruel, he manages to put fear in their eyes while maintaining a sense of humor that the class enjoys. I plan to use his method of visiting the learners in their own homes when I eventually become a teacher. I find it very valuable to understand students on a level other than their academics. Overall, the learners remain well-disciplined when in class with Mr. Edross.

Next stop was math with Ms. Wilcocks. Personally, I find her to be a very strong teacher. She has been at Montevideo for nearly 25 years and still continues to push onward. I had asked her when she was interested in retiring. Her answer really touched me. She responded by saying that the day that her 26-year old daughter can stand up on her own two feet will be the day that she considers retiring. It was powerful to hear how much she dedicates herself to her family. Ms. Wilcocks also teaches EMS (Economic and Management Sciences) and Life Orientation. She is also the Athletics Master which earns her a lot of respect from the learners. As a role model teacher, I asked her if I could take a few photographs and videos of her class lecture. It was very intriguing to get footage of her lesson. However, it was even more interesting to see how the learners reacted when I took out my camera. They stared at me with amazement in their eyes. I could tell that they never had someone taking pictures of them before. In the midst of my documentation, it time to gather the school for an assembly. It was an assembly dedicated to Mr. Paulsen.

We walked down the stairs to the full courtyard. I walked around the wall and looked out into this vast crowd of learners in their school uniforms. 992 learners to be exact. They were all sitting on the ground, shoulder to shoulder, waiting for the festivities to begin. Before Principal Timmet arrived to begin the ceremony, Ms. Wilcocks stood in front of the patiently waiting crowd and began singing. Soon after, the learners began to sing, clapping to the beat of the lyrics. The joy that arose in me could not be put into words. It was similar to the moment when a mother gets to hold her child for the first time. A smile will draw across her face with her glistening eyes shining down on the miracle that she was just blessed with.

Principal Timmet then arrived to begin the celebration of Mr. Paulsen’s retirement. He gave an amazing speech and then asked for a learner by the name of Selena to come forward. She led the school in their anthem. She began by wishing Mr. Paulsen a farewell and expressed her gratitude for his work at the school. Selena, with her sweet, soft voice, then began the school’s anthem over the microphone. In an instance, the crowd of learners joined in. Proudly they sang, "We are Montevideo!" The same joy that arose before once again found its way into my heart. It was an absolute honor to hear Selena and her fellow learners sing with pride in their school’s anthem. I felt entirely privileged to witness the ceremony and document it all in the process.

School ended shortly after the ceremony. I was completely pleased with how my day went at Montevideo. Spending my day with the learners continues to be more rewarding as my time here in Cape Town progresses. I have been touched in so many different ways by the faculty and learners of Montevideo. It saddens me that I only have one week left here in the beautiful country of South Africa. Consequently, my time here is of the essence. I have one week. One week to make my mark, to make my difference. Here I go!