We checked out of the hotel early Monday morning in order to spend some time in Soweto before heading to the airport for our departure. Soweto (from southwest townships), a historic center of the anti-apartheid struggle, was home to two Nobel Prize winners (Mandela and Tutu). It was also the site of the famous 1976 student uprising against the Bantu Education Act, which put black schools under the control of the apartheid government and, later, established Afrikaans as a language of instruction. We visited the Mandela house on 8115 Vilakazi St. Orlando West, a "matchbox" structure not unlike many of the houses in the township. The house is filled with artifacts and memorabilia documenting his life and the role he (and Winnie) played in the freedom struggle. Mandela's home is a popular tourist stop in Soweto, while Tutu, apparently, still owns his house on Vilakazi St. We ate at Sakhumzi Restaurant, a successful business that has benefited from the influx of tourists to Soweto. We enjoyed some traditional township fare and in my last day in South Africa I put down my silverware and used the pap on my plate to soak up the delicious sauces from the lunch buffet. I tasted the tripe, but could not stomach the stomachs. Soweto is a vibrant and strange mix of shantytowns and mansions. Many in the rising black middle class choose to stay in Soweto because of its township traditions and significance as a center of resistance. Although more west than south African, my last purchase in South Africa was a dashiki that I bought from a street vendor in Soweto. I wasn't sure I could carry it off, but support from my colleague, Akinyele, ("You gotta own it, man!"), and the persuasiveness of the vendor gave me the nudge I needed. The shirt will remind me of my incredible experience in South Africa, of the importance of understanding cultural differences in a global world and the common humanity we share.
After teaching at Thandi Sibeko last Friday I joined up with my DC teaching colleagues and the GETEP leadership to tour Liliesleaf Farm in the Rivonia section of Johannesburg. It was a safehouse for ANC activists (including Nelson Mandela, who would pose as a domestic worker there) and planning ground for MK or "Umkhonto Sizwe" ("Spear of the Nation") the radical, militant wing of the ANC. The farm was raided by police in July of 1963, leading to the arrest of 20 anti-apartheid activists, including Mandela who was already serving a jail sentence. The ensuing Rivonia Trial is one example of how Mandela the lawyer (and others in the ANC) used the courts as a platform for their beliefs. We spent most of Saturday doing curriculum planning with our South African teaching partners. We were back at it Sunday morning, this time learning how to navigate Blackboard, the platform we will use to facilitate communication between the DC and Johannesburg/Pretoria schools. Sunday afternoon the US and South African teachers visited the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site. The original plan was to visit the Sterkfontein Caves, home to some incredible hominid fossil finds. In the end, we did a more Disney-like tour of a man-made cave at Maropeng (meaning “returning to the place of origin” in Setswana). The exhibition was interactive and thought-provoking. If it weren't so far away, I'd recommend it to my colleagues who teach World History and Geography I....field trip! By the way, Sunday was National Women's Day in South Africa. On August 9, 1956 about 20,000 women marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria in order to protest the abhorrent pass laws, one of the primary methods used by the Nationalist government to control the black majority during the apartheid era.
Last Friday I had the opportunity to teach some of Lebogang's classes. The first class started at 8 a.m. As my taxi pulled up to the gated entry, students were running alongside the vehicle to make it on time. Administrators and teachers made the stragglers pick up trash outside the security fence which surrounds the school. Lebogang reserved a room with an LCD projector and wifi, so I was able to use the brief Power Point I had prepared, as well as access Google Earth during the lesson. The first class, an hour long "double block," was 8th grade English. I shared a little bit about myself and my family, then described Annandale High School. They seemed surprised by both the size of the school and the diversity of the student body. The students seemed especially interested in the experiences of the Hispanic/Latino students and wanted me to teach them some Spanish. On the whole, they demonstrated tremendous linguistic dexterity, quickly picking up the handful of Spanish phrases I introduced. Many of them speak several of South Africa's official languages and most have been taking English as a first additional language since 4th grade. In addition to English, there are three home language offerings at Thandi Sibeko, including Sesoto, isiZulu, and Xhosa (this is pronounced "kosa" with a click at the beginning). While I observed Lebogang teaching primarily in English, she regularly switches into one of the home languages when interacting with her learners. Her own home language is Sepedi (also referred to as Sesotho sa Leboa, or Northern Sotho). I hoped to explore some of the stereotypes US school children might have about students in South Africa and vice versa. When I asked what they thought my students might say or think about them before actually meeting them, one girl volunteered, "They might say we are intelligent." Another added, "They might think we are beautiful." Wonderful self-images, I thought, and so I quickly dropped the exploration of potential stereotypes. At the end of the class, Lebogang's students wrote letters to my students at Annandale. My students will respond to these letters in the first week of school. During my favorite part of the class (I believe the learners enjoyed it, too) we acted out a story from the prologue of Congressman John Lewis' book Walking With the Wind: A Memoir of the Civil Rights Movement. Set in a rural African-American sharecropping community in Alabama, Lewis relates how a group of young children worked together to hold down a rickety house during a powerful storm. Without hesitation Lebogang's 40 plus students got in a circle and held hands. We made wind and rain and thunder and circled the room several times to keep different corners of "our house" from flying away. It was so much fun, mostly because the students seemed to embrace the activity. We talked about the meaning of the story and then I related it to the different historical storms that have shaken both the United States and South Africa and the resilience of the people in these nations to resist, survive, adapt, and thrive. What a wonderful teaching experience! In the third block I substituted in a math class. The students heard that I knew a portion of the South African National Anthem (Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika) and asked if I could sing it. I promised I would sing the first line if they did the rest. This was the beginning of 30 minutes of singing and dancing. One young lady bravely came to the front of the room and sang Bob Marley's Redemption Song with me. Another young man came up and performed a gumboot dance. Finally, I sang them an Irish Blessing. In the last class we used Google Earth to explore global geography and discuss how we might use technology to connect our schools and classrooms this year. I do not view technology as a panacea or silver bullet that will cure all manner of ills in education. However, I am excited to utilize tools that might facilitate the kind of global education envisioned by the World Affairs Council, DC.
We've spent the past two days at our individual schools. For me, that meant traveling back to Thandi Eleanor Sibeko Secondary School in Duduza. Yesterday, I briefly introduced myself to Lebogang's classes, observed her teach, and got a better understanding of the school context. Lebogang teaches English and Social Studies to 8th and 9th graders, but she is also the IT specialist at the school. If there is a question from another teacher about using a Smartboard or wifi accessibility issues, she may be pulled from her class or planning period to help a colleague. In one of the pictures below you'll see evidence of her flexibility and adaptability. One of the classrooms where she teaches (teachers move around, not students), had no surface at the front of the room on which to write. The chalkboard or whiteboard had been removed to make room for a new Smartboard. However, the Smartboard had not yet been installed. Lebogang quickly made do with a dry erase marker and the shiny corrugated metal walls of the classroom pod. I did get a chance to briefly introduce myself to a 12th grade history class. They were a smaller group--20 students, as opposed to the 40-45 students in Lebogang's 8th and 9th grade classes. These numbers reflect both a significant drop-out rate and the lower number of students who choose to focus on the social sciences in the upper years. When I asked the 12th graders if they had any questions, one of the young men politely inquired: "Why does your country always get involved in other people's business?" It is an interesting perspective of which I am aware, but it carried more weight coming from this school context and "corner" of the globe. I did not have time to discuss in depth our post-World War II role as a superpower, our championing of democracy, and our clear geopolitical and economic interests. However, I did challenge the crude stereotype of the United States as (only) a self-interested empire and the idea that all US citizens share the same political views on global issues. Another student asked, "What is your government's relationship to communism?" And yet another chimed in, "How could you lose the Vietnam War?" Some of my colleagues are working with 12th grade classes in other schools, so I bet some of these great questions will be explored in the context of the GETEP exchange. In the afternoon, we had an opportunity to shop and bargain at an African market in Rosebank where traditional arts and crafts from across the continent were sold.
Yesterday we visited two schools in Pretoria, South Africa's executive or administrative capital. The Union Buildings, pictured in the gallery below, form the official seat of the government and house the offices of the President of South Africa. President Jacob Zuma, who is facing charges of corruption, was questioned in Parliament today. The African National Congress (ANC) was the party that led the freedom struggle and it has controlled the government since 1994, however, it is increasingly coming under fire. The first school we visited yesterday was Seshegong Secondary School, where Angie Rollet, a fellow FCPS teacher (Chantilly HS), is teamed up with Thoko Sethole. We were greeted enthusiastically by Thoko, her colleagues, and the students at Seshegong. The highlight was our observation of an arts and culture class. Students were practicing cultural dances, including a gumboot dance (developed by miners in South Africa) and a traditional Zula dance. Next, we visited the historic Pretoria High School for Girls. It is an integrated public school, but not in the way we think of "public." Since 1994, formerly all-white government funded schools like PHSG have been given "previously advantaged schools" status. They are funded partly by the government and partly by tuition and fees paid by the students and their families. There are scholarships in place to support families who show financial need. Nearly 150 boarders stay on campus during the week. Julie Caccamise (Woodrow Wilson HS, Washington DC) is teamed with Dani Cooper at PHSG. We were given a tour of the building, visited several classes, and met with administrators, who addressed a range of issues concerning the direction of education in South Africa. Next stop was the University of Pretoria for professional development. We listened to presentations by several faculty members in the Faculty (College) of Education. A highlight for me was the presentation by Dr. Rinelle Evans, who discussed "the complexity of the linguistic landscape of South African classrooms." We also heard from Mr. Hendrik du Toit, principal at Hendrik Verwoerd High School. He integrated this all-white public high school during a very difficult and tumultuous period in the 1990's. Mr. Albert Mkhwanazi also spoke about his schooling experiences in South Africa. A graduate of the University of Pretoria, he is now a primary school teacher. In the end, we were treated to a musical performance by several of the education students at the university. They performed two Mariam Makeba classics.
Today we visited two schools in the large township of Thembisa. My GETEP colleague, Akinyele Emory Calhoun (Paul Lawrence Dunbar High School, Washington, DC) is teamed up with Mushwana Hector from Phomolong Secondary School. The design and physical structure of Phomolong is very similar to Tandi Eleanor Sibeko Secondary School, though the student body is larger. Ponelopele Oracle Secondary School is the first brick and mortar school we have visited. It was built with significant funding from Oracle South Africa. Sara Romeyn (Bullis School, Potomac, MD) is partnered with Shomane Sekhula from Ponelopele Oracle. After our school visits, we went to the Apartheid Museum, just outside the Johannesburg Central Business District (CBD). We toured the museum for two hours and were able to explore exhibits on a range of topics, from the early history of the San Bushman to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Also nearby is the First National Bank Stadium (aka Soccer City or the Calabash), which we could see from the highway. Over the past two days I have taken pictures of some of the Johannesburg area teachers. Many of the other adults pictured in the blogs are parents of learners at the schools. They help to prepare food, sell snacks, and provide security at the schools. They work for a six month period, then another group of parents takes over these positions. This serves as a job creation program and involves parents in the school community. We were treated to magwenya (fat bread) by the women at Phomolong--delicious!
This morning we met with Jared Yancey (Assistant Public Affairs Officer with the U.S. Consulate General--Johannesburg) and Selaelo Maseko (Programs Specialist who supports programs related to education, HIV/AIDS, arts and culture). They shared valuable insights about South African history and culture and offered their support during our year-long partnership with the Johannesburg/Pretoria teachers. One of the most interesting projects they have supported recently is the Rosa Parks Library in Soweto, which we will visit later this week. We had a delicious dinner this evening at Moyo restaurant (Melrose Arch, Johannesburg). Our dishes were inspired by traditional cuisine from countries/cultures across the continent and we were treated to music on the mbira, a thumb piano from Southern Africa. The highlight of the day was our visit to Tandi Eleanor Sibeko Secondary School. The school is near Nigel in the township of Duduza. We were welcomed by the principal and staff, including my partner teacher (Lebagong Serwale) and her student teacher, Lindiwe. The students were getting ready to leave for the day, but were warm and spirited and eager to have their pictures taken by the GETEP visitors. I will return to the school on Thursday and Friday and spend the entire day with Lebagong and her classes. Pictures from our school visit:
Wonderful adventures today at the Lion Park in Gauteng and on safari at Pilanesberg National Park. Pilanesberg was about a two hour drive from Johannesburg. We saw lions, cheetahs, wild dogs, jackals, giraffes, elephants, hippos, rhinos, ostriches, wildebeests, springboks, waterbucks, and more! Our guide, Peter, did talk about the serious problem of poaching, which threatens animals like the rhino. On the way to Pilanesberg we saw evidence of the platinum mines in the area, where there has been significant labor unrest and challenges for the rural poor. Witnessing the majesty of the natural world was incredible! However, moving beyond the confines of Sandton (where our hotel is located and referred to as "Africa's richest square mile") provided an introduction to some of the social and economic ills that plague post-apartheid South Africa. That many of these problems have their roots in colonialism and apartheid cannot be denied. Exploring that past with students is a critical part of understanding current issues. Toward that end, Lebagong's students will be visiting the Apartheid Museum in September and will share their reactions with my world history students. We'll use that as a springboard for our own investigations. Hopefully this will be the beginning of some fruitful exchanges between our students. Some pictures from today:
Today we met our South African counterparts and had a full day of professional development. I will be working with Lebagong Serwale, a teacher at Tandi Eleanor Sibeko Secondary School in the East Rand, which is part of the Greater Johannesburg metropolitan area. It is located in Nigel, a small town in the Guateng province, which began as a gold mining center and now is home to both heavy industry and agriculture. Tandi Eleanor Sibeko Secondary School is part of a "paperless school" initiative in the province and Lebagong plays a significant role as a member of the school's ICT (Information and Communications Technology) team. She teaches Life Orientation to 8th and 9th graders and we are looking forward to collaborating on learning projects centered on human rights and world religions. Below is a gallery of pictures from our workshop. We did identity mapping and personality compass exercises, discussed the importance of "21st century skills," and explored many of the issues and challenges facing teachers and students in the D.C. area and in Johannesburg/Pretoria schools.
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AuthorTim Kelly, Social Studies ArchivesCategories |