Inaya Jaafar
My Journey to South Africa
After weeks of research into the cultural, political, and educational context of South Africa, we are finally venturing off to Pietermaritzburg in the KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa, to start the very important work we have waiting for us in the Slangspruit Community. Our hosts, the Ukulapha Community Outreach Project, will be guiding us on this study abroad into the educational institutes and community organizations of Pietermaritzburg. Not only will we be assessing the needs of the Slangspruit Primary School and providing teachers and administrators with workshops to improve learning, we will also be visiting Edendale Primary School to provide teachers with a workshop as well. We will have the opportunity to speak with community organizations to discuss the realities of the HIV/AIDS crisis and how it is impacting the lives of the students affected by the pandemic. I am excited to also be meeting members of the Psychology Department at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Let the journey begin!
Cynthia Tercier, Intern Juvenile Center, Rockdale, Texas
The Drakensberg Boys Choir up in the mountainous area of Champagne Valley is an all boys' school for those with a gift to sing about the history and rich culture of South Africa. The performance was just as majestic as the scenery!
Wednesday, August 16, 2017 - Meeting the team at Durban King Shaka International Airport, South Africa!
Dr. Kelly Torres, Chair
Educational Psychology & Technology Department
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology
Dr. Lord Giddie, Professor
Instructor & Instructional Designer, EPT Department
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology
Carolyn Burns, Founder
Ukulapha Community Outreach Project
Kari Prince, International Liaison Officer
South African local representative for TCS Education System
Inaya Jaafar, K-8 Teacher
NJ Licensed K-12 Principal/Supervisor in Urban Education
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, EPT Doctoral Student
Dr. Patrice Sentino, DSW
Founder of Center for Hope Children & Family Services
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, EPT Doctoral Student
Caroline Smith, High School Science Teacher
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, EPT Doctoral Student
Frances Johnson, High School Math Teacher
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, EPT Doctoral Student
Jessica Evans, Coordinator & Lecturer in Murray State University (Kentucky)
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, EPT Doctoral Student
Annaquite Featherstone, LA Trade Tech College Instructor
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, Organizational Leadership Doctoral Student
Cynthia Tercier, Intern Juvenile Center, Rockdale, Texas
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, Applied Clinical Psychology Psy D Student
Mallory Ehlers, Human Resources Representative
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, Industrial/Organization Psychology Masters Student
Zuri Johnson, Intern
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, Industrial/Organization Psychology Masters Student
Ashley Edwards, Quality Specialist at Child Care Aware of America
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, Industrial/Organization Psychology Masters Student Thursday, August 17, 2017 - Tour of Pietermaritzburg
"For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains,
but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others"
- Nelson Mandela
The rich culture and history in Pietermaritzburg and its surrounding sites gave us a clearer picture of the impact apartheid had on the people of South Africa. The disparities that existed and continues to exist to a large extent is evident in the art and in the culture of the people. Strong historical figures like Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Ghandi, and Moses Mabhida are highly revered and respected for their unrelenting efforts to bring justice and equality to the people of South Africa.
Friday, August 18, 2017 - Our first visit to Slangspruit Primary School & Community Dinner
We had the opportunity to speak with Mr. Msomi, the school principal, and ask questions about the education system. This helped the team conduct a needs assessment for the kinds of workshops that were needed at Slangspruit Primary School. We were greeted with a warm welcome from the staff and from the students.
Needless to say, the warm hospitality at the communal dinner with members of the Ukulapha Board, local Zulu friends, and the Slangspruit Primary School Senior Management Team was a memorable evening!
Saturday, August 19 and Sunday, August 20, 2017 -
Leisure Activities and Workshop Planning
Zip lining at the Karkloof Canopy Tour made way for stunning views of South Africa's landscape!
We came face to face with some of nature's giants at the Nambithi Game Reserve!
With limited resources and little access to reliable technology, we had to create visuals to present on the topics of the workshops....chart paper, colored markers and adhesive putty did the job!
Monday, August 21, 2017 - Ethembeni HIV & Aids Ministry and Slangspruit Teacher/Administrator Workshops
Meet Mama Dudu from the Ethembeni Tribe of Hope. Mama Dudu graciously shared her life story of living with HIV with us and yet continues to serve her community in the social outreach program with the ministry. Ethembeni provides the community struggling with the HIV & Aids crisis with support by providing resources for health screenings and testing, educational support, and adherence clubs.
The first workshop at Slangspruit allowed the teachers and administrators to better understand Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The team broke down the components of the training session on ADD/ADHD that left the educators with an assessment tool, classroom intervention strategies and behavior modification techniques that can be implemented in the classroom for students with the disorder.
Tuesday, August 22, 2017 - Visit to Alexandra High School & St. John's Diocesan School for Girls (Preschool - 12th Grade) and Slangspruit Teacher/Administrator Workshops
Visiting other schools in Pietermaritzburg allowed for first hand comparisons of the resources available to students. Alexandra High School is a tuition based high school with basic technology in every classroom (computer, LED projector, and white screen). Students with excellent academic standing from all schools in Pietermaritzburg may receive scholarships to attend the high school.
St. John's Diocesan School for Girls in Pietermaritzburg is a preschool to grade 12 school built on Christian principles for those who both board and attend daily. They are equipped with smart boards & LED projectors in every classroom, computers, a music instructor and a music room filled with instruments, as well as a science lab. The excellent standards and ethics is evident as the girls stand to greet the visitors passing by.
The team decided to take on a different approach for the second workshop presented to the teachers and administrators at Slangspruit Primary School. We put together mini timed information sessions with role playing. We found that teachers could benefit from a workshop on managing a large class size of an average of 45 students and meeting the individual needs of students. The five mini sessions consisted of the following:
- the role of the teacher as the authority figure and leader in the classroom
- structuring the classroom environment
- managing student behaviors
- increasing student engagement
- motivation and positive reinforcement
Wednesday, August 23, 2017 - Edendale Primary School Visit & Workshop and The Drakensberg Boys Choir
The teachers at Edendale Primary School have a very similar demographic to that of rural Slangspruit Primary School. Their large class sizes and limited resources determined a need for mini information sessions on managing student behaviors, student engagement, and motivation & positive reinforcement.
The Drakensberg Boys Choir up in the mountainous area of Champagne Valley is an all boys' school for those with a gift to sing about the history and rich culture of South Africa. The performance was just as majestic as the scenery!
Thursday, August 24, 2017 - University of KwaZulu-Natal Psychology Department, Slangspruit Teacher/Adminstrator Workshop, and Parent Meeting.
The Honors students and Masters student in the Psychology Department at the University of KwaZulu-Natal presented on various projects on substance abuse, HIV/Aids, learning difficulties, mental health disorders, and community service programs. These projects currently underway for their in-field experiences occur in local primary schools, high schools, psychiatric facilities and hospital settings.
One of the most difficult workshops the team delivered was on integrating technology into the classroom. Slangspruit Primary, like many rural schools, has very limited technology. Although the school has a library set up in a trailer from the Ukulapha Community Outreach Project with 15 desktop computers, having no WiFi connection and over 1,000 students from kindergarten to grade seven makes it difficult to integrate technology into the learning process. We had to find ways to work with the limited resources available so that we can provide teachers and administrators with a workshop that is both useful and relevant to their situation. The team broke down the understanding of what technology is and how it has changed over time. We situated the room with stations that included change in the organization to begin to implement technology in the classroom, digital literacy, and mobile learning with various applications that can be used without WiFi connection. Resources were compiled on a flash drive of all the available learning applications for the educators as well as for the students and parents to use at home on their own mobile devices.
After a lovely performance by the students for the parent meeting, parents from the Slangspruit community filled the room to meet with our study abroad team from America. Our own life stories and struggles echoed the message that no matter the circumstance or the available resources, student academic success is dependent on the commitment and the involvement of the school, the community, and the home that all work together for the child to succeed.
Friday, August 25, 2017 - Slangspruit Primary School Student Assembly & Farewell Lunch
The Slangspruit Community came together for a beautiful assembly of student performances, speeches, and a delicious lunch. Teachers would not send us on our way to the airport without a song and a dance to show their warm gratitude. I hope they know that we were the fortunate ones to have such a humbling, learning experience. Thank you Slangspruit for allowing us to come in to share our experiences and work with you, Carolyn and Ukulapha for hosting us, Kari Prince for organizing all the events, Dr. Torres & Dr. Giddie for your leadership and guidance, and to The Chicago School of Professional Psychology for making this opportunity possible for its students. Our lives have been changed forever!
