Football. Oh, you mean soccer.

Every Friday the school has a social development event in the afternoon in which all the students participate. Themes for social development have included sports, academic, and health/sanitation. Last Friday, the social development was a game of soccer between the staff and the students. The teachers were able to convince me to play for their team. Heather and Emily also willingly joined the teachers' squad. The students obviously pulled the best of the best out of their population and they looked tough. Heather and I both played defense and I had absolutely no idea what I was doing because I hadn't played soccer since 7^th grade. My playing mainly consisted of chasing people, running into people, screaming, and maybe a little smack talk for intimidation. I kicked the ball probably one time and ran into someone who had the ball which deflected it so it didn't go in the goal. I only had it in me to play one half. But let me tell you, when Heather and I were playing, those kids did not score on us once. Come the second half and the students scored on the teachers twice! So ultimately the students won the game 2-0. It was a lot of fun to play and it was so cool to see the teachers in a different light. They were all in their soccer gear and playing with the students and letting loose. It was great to see all the kids come together to root for their classmates.

The Staff and Student Teams

Baby Evans and Teacher Ziporah

Speaking of soccer, on Sunday a group of Canadians from a non-profit organization called Freekicks came to Kasese. They focus on bringing the necessary soccer equipment and infrastructure to different communities and using the game as a way to connect and unite people. This past week, they have had coaching sessions with the Rwentutu soccer team as well as four neighboring schools in hopes of having a soccer tournament later in the week. They were also able to create collapsible and portable goal posts for the school.

On Friday, Freekicks was able to hold the soccer tournament. Students from other schools were there supporting their team. Parents and other community members were also present. Rwentutu played in the first game and was able to win it. It was really fun to see all the children get so excited for their teams and it was amazing to see the kids on the team excel and represent their school. Rwentutu was able to proceed into the finals against a fairly strong team. It was an intense game and Rwentutu had many amazing shots on goal but the opposing goalie was too strong. In the end, Rwentutu came in second place, which was actually really impressive. For coming in second place, Rwentutu received a new soccer ball on the school's behalf.

Students with signs to cheer on Rwentutu

Balloons for the celebration

Penalty Kick Shoot Out

Rwentutu WINS!!!

Freekicks handing out awards at the end of the tournament

In these past two instances, it was really great to be able to see how such a sport can bring people together. I'm not very knowledgeable on soccer since it's not as widespread throughout the US as it is around the world so it was interesting to see the popularity and power that soccer has on the people here. However, the spirit of competition, victory, defeat, and unity are universal no matter what sport you play and they were definitely felt and present during the soccer matches held at Rwentutu.

$hilling$

Recently, I've finished up my measuring unit with my kids and have moved on to money. I really wanted to make money more relevant to these kids because while they will use measuring at some point in their life, I think some of the kids had a difficult time making a personal connection with measuring lengths in their everyday life. Now, while most of these students struggle financially whether it be for their inability to pay school fees or to buy clothes, they are still exposed to money in multiple facets of their lives.

I started the whole unit by having students talk with a partner about how or when they have used money in their life. From the beginning, students will have already created a personal connection with the unit and will then be more interested and invested in learning. We compiled a class list which included going to the market, buying goods, transport, paying school fees, purchasing uniforms or school supplies, etc. The students were able to create a pretty long list of when they've used money and each instance appeared to be relevant to each student in the class.

The list of when students have used money

Since then, students have practiced how to add and subtract Ugandan shillings (the local currency). I made a large set of Ugandan shillings that I could use with the class. I would put various amounts using both coins and notes up on the board and students would then have to add or subtract the given amount using individual slates. This helped me to assess which students were able to identify and do the math correctly when dealing with shillings. Heather had done a money unit right when we arrived and she had already created little partner shilling sets. She gave them to me to use and they came in very handy especially for the visual learners. Students were also required to come up with various ways to get to a certain shilling amount. For example, if the amount was 300 shillings, they could say 100 sh. + 200 sh. or 100sh. + 100 sh. + 100 sh. By using the small shilling sets, students could visualize the money and find various combinations of money that could help them get to the desired amount. Students worked on word problems in contexts that were also relevant to their lives.

Using coins to make various combinations.

We also did various games and lesson introduction activities. Students would line up in two lines and I would say a shilling amount. Depending on whether we were working on addition or subtraction, students would either gather or remove the correct shilling amount before the students in the other line. I also read about an activity called “I Have... Who Has...” In this instance, one student starts and says what shilling amount they have that is written at the bottom. The other cards then have shilling amounts under the “I have” statement. However, the shilling amount under the “I have” statement is an image of shillings. Students would have to identify their amount correctly if they are to keep the game going.

Racing to see who can make the monetary amount first.

I also had students do some group work in this unit. I wrote out a price list of various items students would find in the market. Each group received word problems involving addition or subtraction of money. Students had to decide amongst each other what sort of math would be involved and then took turns writing while the others helped in doing the math. Each student would then have to write their name next to the problem in which they contributed. This helped me to get all of the students involved rather than having one or two students dominate the activity.

I also set up a "class store." I brought in actual containers or bags that the food found in local grocery stores are kept in. I put price tags on the items that reflected their true amounts. Students were given word problems that involved adding, subtracting, and multiplying the various prices to find out how much something costs or how much change they would receive. My intention was for students to be active in this lesson by getting up to find the prices on the items as though they are in an actual store. Students were also required to work with their partners in terms of finding prices and doing the math. Other questions students were be required to answer will included finding several different ways to pay for various items. Students were also given a shilling amount and had to decide what they could buy in the store for that particular amount of shillings.

A class store activity

If I have more time, I want to do some sort of activity that actually involves an exchange of money whether it's acting out story problems or going to the school canteen. I think having that actual physical exchange will help students to grasp the concept of money better.

So far students seemed to be very receptive to every math activity I give to them. I think the fact that the subject is relevant in their lives and that students are able to connect with it helps students to be more engaged in learning about money.

Beauties and Beasts

The past two weekends, we were fortunate enough to explore the Ugandan wildlife.

The first of these weekends was spent on a safari at Queen Elizabeth National Park and a boat ride on the Kazinga Channel. Our guide, John, came and picked us up at 6:00 AM. The animals were amazing and the scenery was breathtaking. Our game drive was a total of four hours long. We had a car where the top of the car opened and we were able to stand up and stick our heads out. We were able to see animals that included water bucks, cobs, lions, and buffalo.

Entering Queen Elizabeth National Park

A kob

Hanging with our guide, Bosco John.

Uganda's national bird, Crested Crane.

After our game drive, w went to the Mweya Safari Lodge that is right on the Kazinga Channel. It was a beautiful lodge with fantastic views over the park and the channel. Then, we had a lunch break before we set out for our boat tour. Our boat tour was about 2 hours long and was on the Kazinga Channel. We saw many species of birds as well as crocodiles and hippos.

In front of the Kazinga Channel

Passing a fishing village in Queen Elizabeth Park.

Our boat driver, Benedict.

After our boat tour, we were driving down the trail to head home. On our drive back, Heather thought that she had seen something in the bush so we drove back. Sure enough she had spotted a leopard, which is one of the rarest animals to see in the park since they are solitary and there are only about 50 of them in the whole park. It stayed in its spot for a good while before other safari goers pulled up in their vehicles and scared the leopard away. A little ways after seeing the elephant, we spotted an elephant behind some trees and bushes. Then we saw another. Then another and a baby! One final elephant trailed behind, trumpeted, and started to charge us! The safari was definitely a successful experience.

Spotted a rare leopard!

The first of the herd we saw before they charged us!

The following weekend we went chimp tracking in a forest in Bushenyi district. Our safari guide, John, also organized the event and drove us to the location. We went into the forest with our guide, Deborah. We walked a little ways and were notified that a tracker was already in the forest since early in the morning looking for chimps. The forest was quite dense, but breathtakingly beautiful. We met up with our tracker who looks like he's been tracking chimps for ages. We walked around for hours, tracking the chimps. We kept hearing their calls but couldn't find them. Finally, we spotted a couple of them walking on the ground from afar. But they quickly disappeared. We had to go off the trail to catch up with the apes and our tracker would use his machete to cut down trees and branches that were in our way. We were able to spot a couple more through the dense greenery but not ever a really good look at them. Finally, we got to a very small clearing with high trees that had vines. Sitting in the three different trees were chimps that had just killed a monkey and were feeding. They stayed up in the trees for awhile before quickly swinging down and running off. Right after, we saw a female chimp in the tree behind us with some meat in her mouth making her way down before disappearing. It was really amazing to get close to the chimps in their natural habitat.

Getting ready to chimp track

A chimp!

At the end with our guides.

Schoooooool's Out for Half Term

Yesterday and today we did not have school. Last Friday, the teachers were called by the head teacher, Wilson, to discuss the logistics and operation of the school. It appears that a large majority of students have not paid their school fees in full so the school cannot feed the students or pay the teachers. In turn, the school had to shut down and send children home for their school fees. They decided as a group to send students home on Monday so that on Tuesday (yesterday) and Wednesday (Independence Day) they would go home and collect their school fees to bring on Thursday.

So yesterday rather than going to school, we went to Bwera. We picked up Enoch from his home and drove to Bwera Hospital. Up there, we were able to get a great view looking down onto the city. From the hospital, he took us to Bwera Secondary School. He showed us around and I must say I was thoroughly impressed. The school has a computer lab with enough computers for a class to use them. We also took a look at some of the science labs and where the materials are stored. They are in the middle of constructing a new building that will hold three new classrooms and a library. Enoch mentioned that the construction is taking a long time due to the fact that they had to build two “staircases.” We looked at the building and it turns out that one of these “staircases” is in fact a ramp for those people who use wheelchairs. It was great to see the school catering to students with physical disabilities. It was definitely interesting to look at a secondary school and how it is operating.

At a border town called Bwera

Entering Bwera Secondary School

Computer Lab

The school's chemistry supply room

The school's new addition under construction. They hope to build a library.

Afterward, we went to the market in Mpondwe that is near the Congo border. The area is insanely crowded with so many vendors and so many people just walking around everywhere. It is definitely a bit overwhelming. We looked at fabrics and got to meet Enoch's wife who sells fabric at the market.

Our supervisor, Enoch, with his wife

Mpondwe Market

Heather has gotten close with a P5 student named Deborah who is a sister to my P3 student, Kazin. Deborah told Heather that we should stop by her house on the way back to Kasese to meet her since she lives quite close to Bwera. We were sitting in a hotel resort when Deborah was brought up. Enoch turned around and pointed at a sign that had the picture of the Ugandan president as well as the Kasese District Councilman. Enoch pointed at the District Councilman and said, “I believe that is Deborah and Kazin's father.” It was crazy! And the hotel that we were sitting at is owned by him too! It couldn't have been any crazier of a coincidence.

Anyway, we went over to Kazin and Deborah's house and they graciously welcomed us. We met the rest of the family that was present at the house, looked through some family photos, and chatted. Their mother was kind enough to give us many avocado as well as a chicken that Kazin named Frank. Enoch then suggested that we go to the coast of Lake Edward to see if we could see any elephants. We invited Kazin and Deborah to come along with us. When we got there, we roamed around the grounds and just took in the view of the beautiful lake. We walked past some boats that the fisherman use to catch their fish and went to the vendors that sell the fish once they are caught. Iit was really fun and a good experience to spend time with Kazin outside of school. It gave me a different perspective of Kazin and what his home and family life is like. I feel like you can only get to know a student to a certain limit in school. But once you step outside the school realm, you can learn so much more.

My student, Kazin, with his brother.

At a resort owned by my student's father.

Fishermen with their tools

A fresh catch!

Today is Uganda's Independence Day!!!!!!!! Happy Independence Day, Uganda! We went to the Nyakasanga Playground to see what events were happening on this special day. When we arrived, there were a lot of people there and the military and police were grouped and gathered on the soccer field. There was quite a bit of talking and many speeches given. There were children who were filing out onto the field to perform for the audience. However, just as they did, it started to pour! We ran to get under the tents that were reserved for guests. We were able to squeeze ourselves into a spot. After more waiting and more speeches and more talking, we decided to leave.

Primary Students sporting Uganda's colors

At Nyakasanga Playground

Primary Students performing 

We had heard that Juliet's school was having an Independence Day celebration at her school. So when the rain lifted, we made our way over there. When we arrived, the school was having a banana peeling contest. What the. There were many other types of contests and games that were going on. There was one called “The Bottle Filling Contest” where the students had to run to get water and put it in their mouth and then transfer it into a bottle and had to fill their bottle to the top first. Just as the Bottle Filling Contest was to commence, it started to down pour....again. We took shelter in the teachers' office and waited for a good hour or hour and a half before the rain lifted. When it did, the staff provided us with lunch of tapioca and fish. During lunch, we were able to watch the official celebration of Uganda's independence take place.

Banana Peeling Contest at Juliet's school

Eating a meal with our hands

Once we finished lunch, we were brought to the school's main hall where the rest of the program was to take place. There were some insane and creative competitions going on including some miming and dancing. The competitions included: modeling, eating, and laughing (no, not comedy. But laughing out loud.....what the.). It was extremely entertaining and great. It was a good experience to see how a different country celebrates its independence day. America definitely has its own traditions and it was eye opening to see how another country celebrates theirs.

Modeling Contest

Eating Contest