After School with Angels

I think I should buy myself a t-shirt that says “I Survived the After School Program at Gugu Learning Center.” After climbing Mt. Sinai a few days ago following a 10 hour bus ride both directions, one would think that the next week would be simple. This false hope is soon shattered after one tries to have 25 children make a bee hive/ bee-havior foam craft with many small pieces.

Actually, the program is going well. The craziness is a bit of an exaggeration.

I have started this after school program at Gugu as an incentive program for the children who are performing well in class. I developed the curriculum last September and this is the first opportunity I have to use it. The staff and I chose about 5 kids from each of the grades based on their efforts in the classroom. However, as always, not choosing everyone causes problems. Fifteen minutes before the program began, there was a mob of children outside of the school waiting to get in. You would think that they were waiting for the front row of the largest rock concert to take place in a decade. I then had to pull the kids who had been selected out of the crowd and allow a select few to enter as well. I would love to take all of the kids, but the space and resources are limited.

The children were incredibly attentive for about the first hour. Then attention spans started to vary as the students are ages 6-14 years old. Frustrations mounted as the glue wouldn’t stick to the foam or a bee wing fell on the floor.

Let’s not forget the language barrier. I asked some of the older girls, “Do you want some more?” referring to the glue. One of the girls then asked me if the glue bottle was called, “some more.” It’s easy to take for granted teaching in English sometimes.

The difficulty I find teaching children here is that the kids don’t get to have fun regularly. This is such a sad thing to consider. It’s amazing to hear them laugh as we play a game, smile as we sing a song, or show off their new sticker. This one second grader gets so excited about the smallest things- it’s so cute. However, since the kids lack these everyday experiences of “fun,” things can get out of hand when they do get it. To play the game of “hot potato” creates an overwhelming excitement that soon turns into chaos. Coloring with crayons turns into a hectic party. If you give them some fun, they take it too far. I hope as I continue to teach, I will find a balance.

I will be having this program every Monday. Fortunately, I have some assistance. As the program continues I can only pray that it provides an environment for learning, laughing, and loving for these children.