Today was an extraordinary day of encouragement from Life in many forms: “This is working!”
First thing, as we arrive at the Living Compassion property this morning, we hear singing coming from Veronica’s classroom. “What’s your name? What’s your name? What’s your name?...” We sneak up to listen, hoping to be unnoticed so as not to draw attention away from the lesson. We are amazed to see that Veronica has already implemented a lesson she learned from Phil just yesterday. AND, the children are responding! At the end of each refrain she points to a student: “My name is Beauty.” “Nice to meet you!” the rest of the class enthusiastically calls back. “Thank you,” replies Beauty. Then back to the refrain, “What’s your name? What’s your name…”
(We failed to get a video of this fun event, but we will so that you too can have this song stuck in your head. It’s no wonder it is such an effective tool for remembering the English phrases!)
Perhaps you recall our grand plan that we were going to get Veronica and Beatrice all trained up and then start implementing the program with the school-year transition in January. We were wrong. Apparently, we are starting today! Goosebumps!
As if that was not enough, the BEST part was that when the class was over, the students ran out and asked us “What’s your name...?” and told us theirs – English in action. This is working!
Mobbed by introductions!
Phil set off to pick back up with the preschoolers, and they had another fun morning immersed in the adventures of books. Phil read “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” to the children. They know the English words for the days of the week, the fruits, and colors, and so the story comes alive for them. On Monday he ate one apple, on Tuesday he ate two pears...
Enthralled by the new book.
Then everyone has some time to explore for themselves. Each child sits with a book and retells the story to themselves from the books that have been read to them. It is a joy to hear them speak softly to themselves, playing both the part of the story reader and listener. They are pre-reading, just like their peers worldwide. This is working!
We loved the way Jen is so engrossed in her book that she doesn't even look up for the photograph, and the way the photograph gives us glimpses of the different worlds in each of the books so we can share in the fun: mice, lions, magic dots!
Mirriam gives us an upside down view of her book.
Imagine how big a book must feel when you are that little—magical!
Richard shows off the magic dots.
When the students left, Phil continued the training with Veronica, Beatrice and Susan.
Phil reports they are absorbing it quickly. This is working!
Who wouldn't want to learn English with this little fellow? "Genki" is a Japanese word meaning enthusiastic, lit-up. The Genki English program is based on the principle that if you're not having fun, you're not learning English.
Meanwhile, Jen met with the women from the sewing cooperative to put in an order for some new knitted items. There are quite a few proficient knitters on the team, and while they often knit babies' hats and booties, they rarely make grown-up sizes. In one of those moments of the obvious dropping in as an insight, we realized that though they have little use for grown-up warm, winter-ish hats, we do! So we have put in an order for warm hats and scarves that we will bring home for the Bridge Walk and beyond—in your size!
Benendetta works on a light/dark blue combination
Estella—navy and maroon
Lucy left, Beauty right
Over on the other side of the property, Theresa, Anna and Charles work on English skills, including coaching sessions in the tools that will support them with their learning: the recorder, the computer, and the humble rubber band.
Charles getting training on using the English program on the computer.
We talk about ways we can make learning English sustainable. Often, we learn a new word, and for as long as that lesson lasts we remember it. But what can we do so that we remember the word and can use it next week, next month? One big support is to include a review session at the beginning of every class. We work on planning a class together that Theresa and Charles will teach to the rest of the team, and we make sure we have our review session in place for the beginning of the class.
Theresa prepares the reading lesson for the whole team later today.
As we are working, we see Twaibu outside reading to Cosmos. He is tutoring his friend, using the book he checked out yesterday from the library. Did someone stage this day for us?!
This is working!
Reading fever is sweeping Kantolomba!
And here is the piece de resistance, the story that nearly had us in tears: Agnes is a member of the team providing food for the 800 children each day. She dropped out of school at a young age, never learned to read or write, and speaks very little English. About six months ago, as Theresa and others were developing an adult English class for local residents, Agnes jumped on board. Little by little she is learning English. Unbeknownst to us, Agnes' daughter Mary is one of the girls who has been reading with us each day this week. As have all the other girls, Mary took home a book each night to practice. Agnes proudly announced to Theresa today that Mary has been using the book to teach her—Agnes—to read! WOW!!! She told Theresa that her husband was astonished to wake up at 4:00am this morning and see her and Mary practicing by candlelight before getting ready for their day. These folks are heroes!
Agnes, our new hero! (For folks who enjoy connections like this, she is also little Deborah's mom, whom we saw in yesterday's blog eating lunch with a link to when she was a tiny baby in 2008.)
Theresa tells us that parents from all around Kantolomba have been hearing about the reading sessions and asking how much it costs to attend. Nothing! Just show up. Anyone with a willingness to read is welcome! It makes us very enthusiastic to start the new "tutoring program," where Charles, Veronica, Joy, Georgina, and Beatrice will each hold 3 to 4 90-minute tutoring sessions every day. We are still working out the details, but it is wonderful to think of the many children who are going to get a leg-up with this kind of focused attention.
Once Anna is freed up from her grown-ups English lesson, the young women, and courageous lone boy Twaibu, gather for another reading session. It is amazing to watch the ability levels increase day by day. Learning is an amazing process!
Anna leads the reading in unison.
Lest you forget we are a multi-faceted machine over here, a peek back in the sewing room...
Mr Phiri, Georgina, and Beatrice work together on the Pantolombas
Getting ready to iron.
Susan ironing
The first stack ready for suitcases bound for the U.S.!
And a bit later, the photography practice continues. Theresa is becoming a skilled portrait-taker. Here are some beautiful portraits of our friends:
Shaba, the ballerina (Peter's daughter)
Leonard
Jack
Agnes
Lucy
Ronika and Shaba
It is an understatement to say that Little Cheri is not shy!
Monica (Susan's daughter)
In a break in the sewing room, Theresa and Susan prepare greens for lunch. They tell us that the stems Susan is holding will be planted in the garden to grow more pumpkin leaves. Cool!
Josephine enjoying Friday's lunch of peanut butter rice. We never cease to marvel at the posture—every-moment yoga!
After lunch, we check in with the sewing cooperative. The knitting projects are coming along beautifully. As we mentioned yesterday, the cooperative wears a different color each day of the week as their uniform. Friday is "casual" day (we chuckle to ourselves that they are more dressed up than we are in our "Sunday" best), and there is a feast of different colors and patterns:
Regina in her "casual Friday" attire. Another work of art!
What else is there to say at the end of a day like today but Twatotella! (Thank you).