Week Four - Professional

01/03/12

After observing the way in which Ugandan teachers’ structure and deliver a lesson, I soon realised the magnitude of the challenge before me as I attempted to plan lessons for the 80 pupils in my primary three class.  While I stood at the front of the class, having already introduced myself as ‘Teacher Lynsey,’ I witnessed a truly unique response from the P3 children who's faces lit up with ecstasy at the prospect of a Mzungu lady teacher.  This reaction led me to reflect upon the immense value this unforgettable teaching experience has the potential to offer.  Furthermore, I also considered the learning opportunities this placement offers as I implement Western teaching methods and strategies in an academic environment where they are considered innovative, idealistic and often ineffective and suspicious.

Preparing some resources

Teaching my first lesson

After considering the response of the children to the different teaching strategies used by their African teacher, I quickly realised how different teaching in Uganda will be.  I was shocked to learn that each P3 pupil had eleven workbooks in which to write notes; each one specific to the various subjects they were taught.  This concept of learning was quite alien to me, as P3 pupils in Northern Ireland are only beginning to write paragraphs and complex sentences.  From my observations, it appears that pupils in City Parents School spend large portions of their lessons writing, and more specifically copying written paragraphs from the blackboard however they do not always grasp the concept they are learning about.  This learning style significantly hinders development of important skills such as managing information, problem solving and decision making in relation to the education theory.

A famous Indian proverb states,“tell me and I will forget, show me and I will learn, involve me and I will understand.”  As I planned and prepared my first lesson in Uganda, I was keen to incorporate many multisensory learning strategies within my lesson plan.  I was excited not only to deliver an active lesson in which the children could interact with their teacher, but also to assess the reaction of both the children and the teacher to this contrasting teaching style.    I was intrigued by ‘Teacher David's’ response to my first lesson; he complimented my creative approach to teaching sets and asked many questions about the learning strategies of WALT and WILF.  He said that he enjoyed my engaging approach to teaching and would like to continue some of my ideas in his teaching strategies but he also stated that this will be difficult with such large numbers.

Making use of the blackboard

Getting the children involved in the lesson

It will be very interesting over the next few weeks to witness how effective using Northern Ireland teaching methods will be with 80 P’3s.  I realise that opportunities to use interactive methods will be limited given the large classroom numbers but I am eager to adapt my lessons to fully utilise as much interactive and creative content as possible.  I am excited by the learning opportunity which this placement offers, and intrigued by the responses of the Ugandan teachers to my teaching methods.  Thomas McKinnon writes “teachers will be the window through which many children will see their future.”  I hope to inspire my Ugandan teacher to adopt some of our Western teaching methods in order to engage the children in his lessons and inspire them through their learning experience.

P3N love to play heads down thumbs up after their Maths lessons