A NEWLY COMMISSIONED CLASSROOM BLOCK SAVES THE DAY!!!! STUDENTS DEVELOP OWNERSHIP FOR THEIR NEW CLASSROOM!!!!

 The children I teach at Namulanda C/U primary school love learning and enjoy the lessons. I know this because of the excitement in their eyes and their vibrant tones. This did not come easy however. My first day at school was both an amazing moment and a saddening one at the same time, the headteacher was very welcoming and supportive. The saddening part was partly related to the inadequate structures which I observed during my orientation shortly upon my arrival by the headteacher, Mrs. Betty Sentamu. She introduced me to the staffs, my co-teacher and eventually my class.

“The competing voices in the hall during classes were very frustrating to me and distracting to the learners during lesson hours....”

On my entry, I met the amazing learners stacked in a large hall with no boundaries or separation boards accommodating learners from primary one to primary five. The disorganized buzzes from the different groups in that gigantic room sent a cold shot down my spine. Unfortunately, my class was in the middle of all this mix using one side of the wall as a chalkboard. The headteacher must have seen the standing hairs on my skin and the fright in my eyes before tapping me gently and spoke softly

“I am working on a solution to this problem” she said reassuringly.

The competing voices in the hall during classes were very frustrating to me and distracting to the learners during lesson hours. If it weren’t for the few school uniforms that could be spotted at certain spots and the few writing materials on the desks, one might assume it was a church gathering. Every other person and thing in the room would compete against me in capturing the attention of the learners, worst off when all the five classes have teachers and are on full session – the market noise is peaceful. There wasn’t a single place for me to put up learning aids and materials after teaching I had no wall to hang my learning materials. Absenteeism was at its peak, partly because learners were not motivated to learn, thought their absence wouldn’t even be noticed, and they did not have a class to own. At times I would take my class out under a small tree since other trees were occupied by primary six and seven but the harsh rainy weather wouldn’t let us be. This vicious cycle of the hall and the tree classes continued till third term last year when Hon. Amos Lugoolobi saved the situation by commissioning an A5 block and renovated an A4 block.

When we moved to our new classroom, there was plenty of space to put up the learning aids and materials which created a conducive environment and favorable condition for learning. The learners and I made our behavioral management plan, set our class vision and goals, subject goals and classroom rules. Visiting my learners helped curb the challenges with scholastic materials, uniform and school shoes. Parents were impressed by my initiative of visiting their children. This encouraged them to support their children and this also increased enrollment this year. My learners love their new class, cherish studying and absenteeism is only when the circumstances are unavoidable like sickness. I enjoy teaching my learners in an undistracted class and this has impacted my learners positively and they are progressing daily.

 

 

Ann Ruth Acham

Teach For Uganda Fellow

Cohort 5

Namulanda C/U primary school.

Kayunga District.