My First Day of Class!

My first day at the Emafini Township School was fabulous and exceeded my expectations. After meeting the friendly staff, we were taken on a tour of the school and met with the principle, Mr. January. He was an extremely kind man and within minutes of meeting him, you could tell how passionate he was for his school. Afterwards, Mr. January asked us which grade levels we had taught in the states. I told him that I had taught in a 1st/2nd combination class and he paired me with a wonderful 2nd grade teacher, Mrs. Gladyss.

Upon arriving in my new classroom, I was greeted by the smiling faces of 38, 2nd graders who eagerly rushed over to me as I walked in the door. Initially, I became nervous by the massive wave of students students that came my way. However, as I walked around the room and introduced myself to each student, my anxieties dissipated. The students were very respectful and smiled ear to ear as I shook each of their hands. As they introduced themselves, I tried my best to repeat their names in Xhosa (their native language). After introductions, my partnership teacher left the room and it was up to me to take charge.

As a warm up activity, I decided to have the students play "Simon Says." After several rounds, I realized that there was a significant language barrier. While playing, I saw students look at me with some bedazzled looks. It was clear that some of the students were having trouble understanding my English. Within the next few weeks, I look forward to helping my students gain a better understanding of the English language. I also, hope to learn some Xhosa along the way.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my first day at The Emafini Township School. I look forward to working with these inspiring kids on a regular basis and helping them develop as life long learners.