Still Life Drawings

In the past few weeks standard IV has been focusing on still life drawings in Vocational Skills.  Much of the year has been spent encouraging pupils to give voice to their own creativity, building confidence to critique themselves and say what they like or want to change about their own work, and removing the idea that there is only one "right" answer to the assignment. 

With the still life drawings pupils were challenged to draw what they see instead of what they imagine.  They were asked to look for details and to notice how each object is unique and different from the adjacent object.  Next year, these skills will be essential in Science where they will be asked to keep a weekly observation journal of the environment around KEMPS - combining drawings and written descriptions of plants, animals and their interactions. 

In the first still life, pupils used only pencil, moving to colour in the second week.  The results were some spectacular, though unfinished drawings.  (Please excuse the grainy quality of the photos - they were edited to make the pencil more visible.)

By Augustino

By Edwin

By Avith

By Erick T

By Debora

Story Time!

Over the past few weeks I have been visited every evening by many standard 1 pupils who come to have their bedtime story.  Their arrival can be predicted by the quick shuffle of shoes on my porch followed by a pounding on my door that sounds as if they launch themselves fists first into my door.

When I open the door, one of two sights will greet me.  The first is a gaggle of students clustered around my door while one, usually Evance, will exclaim "Teacher, we have come!".  The second is at first appearance an empty porch, until pupils jump up from their hiding places with giggles before they ask to come in and read a story.

In they troop, with freshly washed t-shirts and sweaters over their arms and on their heads as impromptu hats.  When the story has been picked they tell each other to "scoot" to make room for me to sit in the middle of the couch - 3 boys on either side, Joyleen and several others perched behind and others leaning over from the front.  It is a miracle I can see the page to read at all.  I have often thought what a wonderful picture it would be, but it is physically impossible to move to get a camera!

While the boys are enthusiastic for their evening story, Joyleen in Standard 1 is the most eager reader.  She will come most afternoons to read, sitting on my couch to read out loud, sounding out words, and even affecting deep and high voices while reading the Three Little Bears! Not bad for a first grader who is learning English as a third language!

Joyleen in Standard 1 reads one of her favorite books.

A Little Team Work

The first 300 bricks are almost done.  Only
about 700 more to go.

 (picture courtesy of Axel)

In addition to making matoke during this week off, my help, along with Zelva, the secretary, Sister Fraisca, Madam Peace, and Teacher Albogast, was enlisted by Axel, a German volunteer to help him update the football (soccer) field.  After researching several long lasting methods for marking the sidelines, Axel decided that laying white painted bricks into the soil would be a cost efficient and durable option.  He ordered 1500 bricks to be delivered to the school, along with primer to protect them from the weather, and white paint.  All was going smoothly according to plan until we met the painter.  After a frustrating discussion as to whether the painter could or could not paint all the bricks in time,  we decided that the six of us, Zelva, Sister Fraisca, Madam Peace, Axel, Teacher Albogast and myself could prime and paint the bricks ourselves.

We got out our work clothes, kangas or tie dyed shirts, and Sister Fraisca even donned the first pair of trousers I have ever seen her wear.  Appropriately attired, the primer was opened, paint brushes found and the work began.  With radio music in the background and chatter in English, Kiswahili and Kihaya, we managed to paint all those bricks - along with our hands and feet, jeans and kangas.  A local teenager earning money to continue his studies helped to dig where we would place the bricks and after only a short week of work, the pitch looks brand new with sparkling white sidelines. 

In celebration of completing our work, some old jerseys were found on campus along with a football.  After toasting to our success and a group photo the six of us went up to the pitch and played the first 3 on 3 game.  Although not a long game, the competition was intense (with much laughing and fumbled balls!) and ended in a 1 all tie.  

The painting crew - ready to celebrate.  From Left to Right: Axel,
Teacher Albogast, Zelva, Sister Fraisca, myself, and Madam Peace.

The finished football field - ready for the pupils to return on Monday.

The ladies of KEMPS - game faces on!

Summer days off at KEMPS

The school holidays have begun.  After two busy weeks with graduation as well as writing and marking exams, we have a week off.  I will be spending the week on campus along with Zelva, the school secretary, Madam Peace, one of the dorm matrons and Sister Fraisca.  Today, Madam Peace taught me how to make matoke.  Matoke is the signature dish of Bukoba and it is made from (unsweetened) bananas.  Although not my favorite food, I felt that I could not live in Tanzania, and particularly in Bukoba, without learning to make matoke.  It became the topic of much discussion among the teachers who remained on campus.  Zelva and Sister Fraisca smiled and laughed declaring that once I knew how to peel Bukoba bananas I would be a real "mama".  Albogast declared that it was so easy and he couldn't believe I didn't know how to do it.

I discovered it is quite an easy dish to make.  Peeling the bananas, which was declared the most difficult part, is done just as you would peel a cucumber.  Add some cooked ground beef, onions and tomatoes, water and oil and leave to simmer until the bananas fall apart and look (and taste) a bit like mashed potatoes.  Voila!  I am now officially a Bukoba mama...

Although the amount that Madam Peace helped me make was supposed to be for my lunch (a very large serving), Zelva, Madam Peace, Sister Fraisca, myself and others set the table on my front porch, opened sodas, cut some watermelon, and ate sambusas (samosa's) and matoke for our lunch.  All declared that my matoke was "tamu sana" or delicious. 

Going Green

Since returning to Kemps in July, I have grown green fingers and begun planting a garden.  Teachers and pupils are astonished that I know how to use a hoe and that I would want to get my hands dirty if I didn't have to.  But they are excited to see things grow and the pupils particularly have started to help me plant seeds. Once or twice their enthusiasm to help resulted in the drowning of the seedlings - but they are learning! 

A small patch on one sunny side of my house, my garden currently includes, lettuce, eggplant, nyanya mshumaa, green pepper, mchiche (spinach), one zucchini plant and hopefully some green beans and peas if my seeds grow.  So far, I have harvested 6 eggplants, lettuce, one lovely looking pepper and many nyanya mshumaa (these are mini green eggplants - I don't know what they are called in English!).  Although a New Yorker who has never grown vegetables before, I must confess that there is nothing quite so satisfying as eating vegetables that you have grown yourself.

Nyanya mshumaa ready for harvesting.

Ma Esther, an older woman who helps around the house twice a week, has noticed my interest in gardening.  As we were watering some newly planted seeds Thursday, she announced that she thought I should dig up the patch of ground on the other side and the back of my house, and that she would help me plant beans and potatoes.  A very talkative woman, she then proceeded to tell me about past gardens at KEMPS by various teachers and many other related stories that got lost as I tried to understand her rapid Kiswahili.

Since I have begun planting, other teachers have also renewed their interest in gardening.  Sister Fraisca and I enjoying walking to examine each other's gardens, and she even has a lettuce plant of mine.  Teacher Joyce has also started a very large garden and is the source of my zucchini plant, and 3 tomato plants if the cuttings take root.  She even has strawberries.  Just thinking about them makes my mouth water!   Gardening has become a communal interest.

Along with the gardening have come some culinary adventures.  Sweet potato and onion quiche, fajitas with homemade tortillas, guacamole and mango salsa, lemon cake with lemon glaze, dahl and saag aloo, and pineapple upside down cake.  Yes, life in Tanzania is hard! 

Sitting down to a decadent meal of fajitas after a long afternoon walk.

A Year in Review

The second semester is now fully underway.  It has been wonderfully easy to return to the routine of life at KEMPS.  Teachers, students and matrons are all busy and I feel more a part of the community here than ever before.  Since returning from the United States for the June holiday, relationships with teachers and matrons have grown and blossomed, and living with the students is as engaging and busy as ever.  Not an evening goes by without knocks on my door as pupils ask "Please, Teacher, may I have a tennis (ball)?" or "May I have a rope?"  I have spent evenings jump roping with the kids, teaching Standard 7 girls how to make cakes, and evenings sitting on mats with teachers and matrons practicing my Kiswahili and enjoying the view of the Lake. 

In the classroom Standard 5 has been observing water samples from around Bukoba under the microscope and applying their knowledge of the carbon cycle to the current debate about global warming and the greenhouse effect. 

Standard 4 has moved on from one point perspective and is now learning about George Seurat and the patience required to do a drawing entirely in dots - I hope to get some of their work up as soon as they finish the project.

Standard 1 and 2 continue to be curious in French class.  We have been working on several simple phrases of which the most popular is "Je suis fatigé" because pupils get to stretch and do very exaggerated yawns.

It is unbelievable that a year has come and gone since I first arrived at KEMPS to be greeted by these seemingly shy children.  This past year has truly been a most challenging and rewarding experience, and I have the pupils and the staff at KEMPS to thank.  I am looking forward to my next year here.

Cityscapes

Standard 4 has been looking at one point perspective, vanishing points and horizon lines in Vocational Skills.  By drawing a vanishing point on their paper and adding squares that they made 3D going back to the vanishing point, they built cities that were completely in one point perspective.  After outlining their buildings and street, they added their own details, naming the buildings after stores and banks that they see around town - Fido Dido is the only western supermarket in town.

By Anita

By Debora

By Godson

By Jordan

By Augustino

Thanks to  www.mrsbrownart.com for help with this lesson.