July 7, 2016 – After lunch at the boys guesthouse we headed back to Gladys’s in N’gombe to complete our final afternoon of teaching the students at Daughter’s Vision. It was interesting and inspiring to finally be able to see inside Gladys’s space after teaching in the other school nearby. In the other school we previously struggled with space and sectioning off designated areas for each activity, and at Gladys’s the space was almost cut in half. Unfortunately, as a result of her limited space, not all students from Monday and Tuesday were able to return, but this meant our class sizes were smaller and we could really get a chance to connect with the kids personally. Martin and I taught reading in a small corner of one of the rooms and Markel, Malcom, Brittany, and Aliyyah taught math on the other side. I had my doubts about sharing the space at first since we had grown accustomed to each having our own classrooms on Monday and Tuesday, but to my surprise we made it work and the classroom never got too loud.
We started with the youngest group of kids, which many of us agree are the hardest to teach given the small amount of English they know. Our first 40 minutes consisted mostly of ABC’s and getting them to think of words which started with specific letters. I noticed the sudden spark appear in the kid’s eyes when they knew the answer to the question I asked, which quickly transformed into a struggle as they tried to express their answer in English. The language barrier was challenging and made me feel constricted at times but the students eagerness and energy pushed me to keep going. I also found myself using new teaching techniques to try to find alternatives to ones that didn’t work out so well. In our next two 40 minutes rotations, the kids were older and we were able to read and write together as a group. I worked closely with a very bright girl named Rhoda. Together we sounded out colors, which she would then write on her little chalkboard in front of her. I helped her with the terms verb and noun through practice problems written on flash cards and I watched her confidence and smile grow as we moved through the pack. When it was time to wipe down the boards and put the chalk away I asked Rhoda if she had fun and she smiled at me instantly and said, “I learned so much”. As she walked out the door, she turned around once more and asked me if we could be friends, I laughed and said, “We are friends, Rhoda!”
Before today it was difficult to visualize what Malikkah and Clarence meant when they described Gladys’s space and I really didn’t know how small it was, but having the chance to teach there this afternoon gave me a glimpse of Gladys’s challenging everyday life. I have so much respect for her and I am truly in awe about her efforts and what she is doing for these kids and her community. It was very hard to leave the school and I think I speak for everyone when I say it was quite an emotional departure. The kids’ constant affection and appreciation made it feel like we had been there for weeks. Although I feel extremely sad that we won’t be driving down the bumpy road and pulling into Gladys’s driveway tomorrow, I fell privileged, inspired and beyond happy to have had this experience and have met such an amazing bunch of kids. While working at Daughter’s Vision these past few days I’ve realized how important it is for me to not take my education for granted and how a little goes a long way.
by Rhya E., Washington International School