I am proud of what we’ve done so far, pleased with the structure, the way the classroom looks (it’s so colorful and full of print), and with how the teachers are beginning to respond to and execute our efforts.  We really took a step back from leading the day to give the teachers the stage, so to speak, and to set up a time to meet with them to discuss where we are, how we are feeling, and what we’d still like to do while we are here.  Thankfully, Diana served as our translator allowing our meeting to be so much more efficient.  In short, we expressed our excitement to be working with them and the many ways we want to show them how they can use the materials we brought after we leave, especially so that they last.  And the teachers are grateful that we traveled all of this way, saying it must mean we really love them.  And, we do.  But before we leave them, we have more to coach and more to share so that what we are building really does last.  We are introducing a completely new way for them, one that takes time to digest.

Perhaps what struck me most as an observer in this new classroom were the capabilities of the young children who we teach.  They range from 2 to 6, I’d say, and have, in these short weeks, really picked up on the procedures and concepts we’ve tried to model consistently in order to overcome the strong language barrier between us.  I saw the older children assuming leadership roles, carefully handing out materials and leading clean up.  I heard all of them chant “clean-up, clean-up,” when the timer went off and their teachers started the clapping signal.  Though the words actually sounded more like “leanup,” I could see how much they understood what needed to take place and how responsive they were even to a slight silent signal to serve as a reminder.  And, I saw these beautiful children making such good use of the materials in front of them.  From the blocks, to the shapes, books and toys they use to play make-believe, they aren’t just throwing things around, they are instead absorbing what’s in front of them, manipulating the order of things, soaking in the pictures they see and imitating what adults around them do each day with the many toys they have to chose from.  This free play part of our day has become a structured time for children to build skills ranging from how to interact, to how to use their hands and more generally, how to learn to take in the world around them.

I was so equally impressed by the art project we facilitated.  This week, we made puppets.  Each student got a brown paper bag and a small baggie stuffed with a glue stick, some crayons, fuzzies and foam shapes for decorations.  Deena and I had quickly made two samples before introducing the project to the students and showed, through a simple conversation between us, how these brown paper bags could become talking puppets.  If I were to facilitate something of the sort with my own class, I would have devoted days to practicing procedures with these materials.  But here, as I’ve thought so many times before, we don’t have the luxury of time, so we did our best to teach them what to do, had the children sit in a giant circle so they had space to work on the floor in front of them, passed out the supplies and walked around to help them put their creativity into this project.  It went beautifully, truly, it was amazing.  The children were so focused and quiet as they explored the ways in which they could glue their own shapes and create their own masterpiece.  To all of you who so graciously donated supplies that came along in our suitcases, I thank you, on behalf of these children who were so excited to make these puppets and full of pride as they presented their final products.  I am quite certain, this, like many of the other ways we’ve used materials, was a completely new experience for them, one I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to share.

Here they are, these beautiful beings making puppets in a circle.

My favorite new activity of the week was freeze dance.  The music gave children a reason to flow freely, to let their bodies move, albeit awkwardly, as though they had not a concern in the world.  And we joined them, all of their teachers did.  This simple game lit up our day as the children clapped and cheered to all of the songs, whether they were in Chichewa or English.  They were, I could tell, so moved by music.  And I know they take such joy in something so simple.  I was right there with them, soaking in how much something so small to us could be so magnificent to them.