With Art in Tanzania supporting over 100 community schools and education centres, there are numerous locations for teaching projects for volunteers and interns. Academic centres benefit from the work of interns and volunteers as innovative methods of teaching are introduced, helping not only the students but also the staff.
Earlier this week, I was given the opportunity to visit the local preschool in Madale.
Village; Tumaini Nursery School. Although there is no current project at this time, I was able to visit and experience a typical lesson, documenting the work of previous volunteers.
At this school, ages range from two to six, and there are three separate classes for different age groups. Tumaini Nursery aims to prepare the young students before they transition to primary school, ensuring that they are at the appropriate academic level. Not only have Art in Tanzania volunteers been involved in teaching and education projects at Tumaini but also projects involving construction to help enhance the quality of the nursery school. The renovation of classrooms to improve the teaching environment as well as the construction of basic facilities such as toilets (as pictured below) are some examples projects that have taken place in previous years.
During my visit to the school, the children were taking mathematics exams to monitor their progress and assess whether they were ready to move on to the next level. For the oldest age group (5-6 yrs old) the exam consisted of addition and subtraction of numbers and different ways of writing these sums. However, for the younger years (2-3 years old), they will be called to the teacher individually or in small groups and asked questions about what they have been learning. This acts as a more relaxed approach for the younger ones. Once the exam is over, after about an hour, it is break time for the students and they can run outside and play. There is ample open space just in front of the classrooms, where the children can run about safely. They are also provided with a swing set that is indeed very popular. Like all nursery school children, they enjoy playing different games, and this particular break time, they formed a circle by holding hands and began to sing what sounded like a traditional nursery rhyme or song.
With the help and support of our volunteers, schools such as Tumaini Nursery School and local organisations are able to benefit from the various projects run by Art in Tanzania! To learn more about how to get involved or to obtain additional information about our different projects, please visit our website.
Asante sana,
Lily
