I was invited to share my elementary school experience with Grade 2 students. I talk about how strict my teachers were and how different my school is from international schools. Like last year, students were fascinated by difference between these 2 types of learning experiences.
On this picture, students try to sit the way we were sitting in Grade 5. They thought it was very interesting to sit like that. What they don’t know is that it becomes very uncomfortable to sit like that for the entire day.
I also show them some game we played and they loved it. They play it now on they own in their classroom.
This is where I went to school in the Congo. Ecole Primaire Mashindano (Mashindano Elementary School) in Kolwezi
The Director’s Office
My Gr.6 Classroom
How about this toy! What is it? How do you play with it? By the way this was driving my mom crazy. I made this myself. You might find the answer by looking at the parts separately:
I was in the Gr.2 wing to talk to students about the experience I had in the elementary school in Africa. At first I though 45 minutes would be too long for me. But it turned out that it was nothing compare to what students wanted to know about the education system in Africa or in Congo, to be more precise. I told them that we were not buying toys; we were making them using things we picked up around. I’m sure they got the point I was trying to make: although some kids live in very poor conditions, they still can be as creative as kids we have in International school.
Some of them still talk about what they heard yesterday. They still ask me questions about my childhood. I start thinking I should give them another session.
Here’s a challenge for you. Look at the pictures and tell me what toys these are! If you have been to Africa, you’ve probably seen this thing below. Kids use this all the time to play. I made this one last night in about 15 minutes.
An example of the kind of work Gr.2 students do using technology. Click on the image to see the life cycle
Life Cycle of a Plant from jtumba on Vimeo.
About Me
I have many names, but I’ll just tell 2 of them: Jose Tumba. I’m an ICT integrator and have worked with international schools students for more than 15 years. Go through this blog and you’ll find out more about me and what I do. Happy blogging