October...Spring Break???
Yep, this week is our spring break! It's still hard to wrap our heads around having spring break at the beginning of the school year, sitting in a swimming pool at Christmastime, and shivering in July. Seems a little backward...or upside down, doesn't it?
We are enjoying the new school year with the addition of a writing program and an art program. We all love art! The students have studied line, contour, expressist art, and still life. Here are a few of our artists and masterpieces.
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Contour Drawing
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| Composing and sketching a still life |
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| Artist at work |
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| Expressionist Art |
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| Composing with a View Finder |
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Line Composition
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Dawn: Teacher to Teacher
I've been attending a Bible study at our church on Monday nights. One of the women in my small group is a teacher in a Basotho school. The contrast between our jobs couldn't be much greater. We have a small number of students and meet in comfortable classrooms with technology and perks like an art program. She has a rather stark classroom filled with 40 to 50 students. Many of her students are elementary school age, but she also has a few teen boys in her class who were never taught to read and do mathematics when they were younger. If a teacher is absent in her school, another teacher must combine two classes and work with 80 to 100 students. Furthermore, these students often go home to working parents who do not have much time (or energy) to help them with homework.
I also heard a story of a Basotho teacher who works in the mountains. He teaches high school level students and has at least 50 students per class. For the past few years he has been waiting for his textbooks to arrive. At present he has 5 textbooks to share per class. Although parents pay school fees at this level, the principal claims her hands are tied with regard to accessing the rest of the textbooks. How frustrating!
Beth: Just an Honest Face?
Last week Dawn and I needed to cross the border into South Africa for some car repairs. Typically it takes 15-30 minutes to cross the border, but unfortunately this was a holiday weekend and the traffic was backed up--often at a standstill--for nearly 3 hours! We have learned that on these occasions, it is quicker to take turns getting out of the car and just start walking to immigration to get our passports stamped. Dawn went first, and when she returned, Dakotah and I took off. We had only taken a few steps when the man in the car ahead of us called out to us. He was Basotho, traveling alone, wondering if I would take his passport and get it stamped. I thought he was joking, but he wasn't. I told him I would try, and he was right! Without the slightest bit of hesitation, the immigration official promptly stamped all three passports! Can you imagine handing your passport over to be carried off by a complete stranger?
Dakotah: "Myself, Myself"
Dakotah has been practicing for public speaking at preschool. Although she assumes many identities in this endeavour (such as those of her young friends at our school), it is always very entertaining to listen to her recitation. With arms folded and using an African pronunciation, she declares:
My name is Dakotah Femmena.I am 4 years old.My mommy's name is Beth Femmena.I go to school at Sefate Sa Bophelo.My teacher's name is Teacher Rapotsane.When I grow up, I want to be a pilot. Thank you!
As of this year, she is an MAF kid, but who knew she wanted to be a pilot? So, Beth asked her, "What does a pilot do?" Dakotah confidently responded, "Drives a truck."
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| Dakotah at preschool |
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| Dakotah's painting of the Lesotho flag |
