We the People...of South Africa!

The clock stroke 6:30 a.m. in the beautiful city of Cape Town, South Africa. The rays of the awakening sun streamed through the shades of the window to find me dreaming ever so sweetly. I awoke to the sound of my ringing alarm signaling me to begin the new day at Montevideo Primary School. It was indeed going to be a new day filled with new adventures and new acquaintances.

I found myself pacing across the cold, hard floor of my temporary home awaiting for our ride to take us to Montevideo. I was slightly nervous and my tensions were running high. Today would be the first time I would present a lesson as a teacher. My notes were prepared but I felt like I was not even close to being emotionally prepared for the challenge that lied ahead. Many teachers give their first lesson to a group of about 15-20 students per classroom, at least in the United States. If that isn’t nerve wrecking enough, imagine giving a lesson to a group of 40 students per classroom. That was the task I was given and even though I wasn’t emotionally prepared, I faced the challenge and tackled it with full force.

We had arrived at Montevideo that morning slightly passed the beginning of class. I gathered my thoughts and headed to Ms. Fisher’s classroom. As I opened the thick wooden door, all eyes were suddenly on me. At once, “Good Morning, Mr. Smith” came across my ears from the 42 grade seven learners. Ms. Fisher was gone and the classroom returned to its chaotic state. I stood at the front of the classroom and gave the class a very stern look, like much of the grade seven teachers. They all silenced extremely quick. I then began my lesson on American history.

“Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492.”

“The stripes on the US flag represent the original thirteen colonies.”

“We hold these truths to be self-evident…”

“July 4^th, 1776!”

Of course, it is hard to teach the entire history of America in a span of one hour. So I covered the basics. I finally arrived to the ratification of the United States Constitution. By this time, Ms. Fisher had returned to the class. I told them that when I was in the seventh grade, I had to recite the preamble to the Constitution. I informed the class that I could either sing or say it when I was in seventh grade. So I asked them, what would you like for me to do? Unanimously, they voted that I sing the preamble. Without much rehearsal, I recited it with perfection surprisingly. They, however, found it highly amusing and a wave of laughter filled the room. I could not help but join in on the fun. I don’t think I have ever laughed that much before. First interval then arrived and I headed up to the table-tennis room to grab a few photos with the learners.

After first interval, Mr. Edross had a nice surprise for us, the Americans! He put us into the car and we drove to Excelsior High School, one of the many township high schools in the region. My companion, Madalynn, and I were extremely nervous. An image drew across our mind of a school devastated by poverty and sadness. Mr. Edross drove us through different communities of where many of the high school learners resided. We passed by many sustainable housing units that appeared that many middle class families lived in. Suddenly we passed through an area with several apartment complexes stretching about five stories high.  Garbage filled the lots and clothes were hung from the outside stairs. Mr. Edross informed us that each apartment has the ability to house four people comfortably. However, he said that in these units, there would be at least ten people living in each. It was so devastating to hear this.

We drove around the corner and finally arrived to Excelsior High School. We waited outside the gated campus waiting for the iron gate to electronically slide open. A few seconds passed and our entry was finally granted. We drove up into a bricked driveway surrounded by a variety of different plants. Overall, it seemed as though it was a decent school. The physical structure of the school was constructed much like Montevideo Primary School but it was slightly larger. We headed up to one of the first classrooms in which Mrs. Edross, Mr. Edross’s wife, was teaching. She was indeed a lovely women who served as the Afrikaans Mathematics teacher. Mrs. Edross led us into her classroom where about twenty Grade 12 learners sat. As we entered, we once again felt like celebrities because all eyes were on us, the two white Americans. We greeted the classroom with large smiles. It was very intriguing for the both of us to be put into this environment that we were not accustomed to. The class stared at us from head to toe with looks on their faces that appeared as though they were going to suddenly say, “Oh, so that’s what Americans look like.” We pushed onward with the introduction and the learners became very interested in us. They asked a variety of different questions from our favorite food to how long the flight was going to be to go home. Overall, it was a pleasant experience. We were then taken by one of the learners to the CAT (Computer Application Technology) Lab. Along the way, the learner did not hesitate to ask us for our Facebook links. We weren’t as forthcoming as him; yet, we did not seen any harm done and we gave him our email address.

We arrived to the CAT lab, a very large room filled with nearly 40 computers, double the size that Montevideo had. Class was not being held at the time but we were greeted by the teacher who also served as the deputy head principal. She was very enlightened to see the pair of Americans who just stepped into her classroom and began sharing with us the role that the CAT lab plays on the learners. Surprisingly, many of the learners who enter her class have never seen a computer in their life. Thus, she has to begin lessons from the very beginning, explaining what each component of the computer does. The computers feature Windows XP software which as many of you know is very outdated compared to those in the United States. However, it was very fortunate to hear that the learners who come from a very disadvantaged background are given the opportunity to increase their computer skills for future careers that they may pursue. After this brief info session, we headed to the Development Lab.

Along our journey to the Development Lab, we had to briefly wait for different gates to open in each section of the school until we finally reached the lab. Mr. Edross informed us that different sections of the school are closed off to control the flow of the learners. He stated that if certain learners are let into the same area as other learners that a fight could break out amongst them. This has a lot to do with the ethnic background of the learners.

We finally reached the Development Lab where a very petite woman was standing behind the desk. The room had two computers, a sink, cupboards, and a few couches placed in the center. The facilitator informed us that the lab is used as a resource for many of the learners who had or are going through a traumatic event in their life. The learners are sent here to better cope with the situation and gain resources to help make it through the situation. The lab is one of three that the region has, this one being the pilot. Then five students entered the lab but they were not dressed in school uniforms. They had on professional clothing and looked very authoritative. They were teachers-in-training much like us. We had the pleasure of speaking with them for a few minutes before Mr. Edross fetched us to return to Montevideo.

Overall, I was very enlightened at what I saw at Excelsior High School. I went in with an image of poverty and rot but what I found was clearly not that. The school is advantaged in the sense that they have resources such as the CAT Lab and the Development Lab to offer to their learners. I wish, though, that the resources offered at this school could be more abundant in other schools in the region such as Montevideo Primary School. It is these schools that absolutely need it the most.

Madalynn and I returned to Montevideo to finish out day twelve of teaching. I had one more lesson to give to the 7C class with Ms. Fisher. My history lesson went much like my first but as I was finishing up, an unexpected guest entered the class; Principal Timmet. He came in and found a seat among the crowd of learners. He stated to me that he wanted to hear American history from the perspective of me, an American. So I gave the lesson once more. At the conclusion of the lesson, he smiled at me and said, “Congratulations! You gave an outstanding lesson and I am so intrigued that a young man of 20 like yourself can recite his own history.” He then turned to the learners and said, “This young man should be a role model to all of you.” I felt so honored that Principal Timmet said that.

Day twelve teaching concluded with the alarming sound of the school bell! This only meant one thing, however, that my Teaching Abroad adventure in South Africa was coming to an end. One day of teaching remained and I was not even remotely prepared for it.