LEARNING THROUGH PLAY, INCREASING ENGAGEMENT AND ATTENTION SPAN!!!

 

My journey to improve the educational outcome of a low-income rural community’s public school, end education inequity and ensure that all children attain an equitable, quality and inclusive education began at Kikalu Primary School in Namutumba District as a fellow in the Teach for Uganda’s Teaching as Leadership Fellowship Program.

My first priority was to understand my new area of abode. Community visits, stakeholder engagement and interactions with political leaders was fundamental in understanding my community in terms of their beliefs, cultural practices and attitude toward education. It was baffling to know that parents were incurious about education, a subject that impelled me to device strategies that would quickly change social perception by using my students as the messengers for positive feedback first by igniting their interest towards learning through play-based approach and using songs in my teaching that's aligned with the content to be delivered. Additionally, I realized that the attention span of these little ones was very low, play and songs was very effective in making learning fun while keeping them engaged.

My newfound approach became a win-win strategy in developing an excellent rapport with my students. Out-of-the-blue, they started addressing me using the aspects we sing about. It was an immediate sign that learning was taking place. My interest and love in my work grew tremendously despite the unavoidable circumstances in this hard-to-reach community.  The thought of missing out on playing, singing, and dancing with my students as the weekends approaches saddens me, and it is even worse during holidays.

"I have a strong feeling it's one of the reasons the children come to school: to sing, dance, and play...."

It is relaxing to embark on community visits and engage with education stakeholders just to see the smiles on my students and hear them calling me out using the songs we sing. What started as a joke has kindled a bond between me, the students, the parents and the entire community evident through positive responses (high turn up) toward school programs and meetings. To bring the point home, in more than one occasion during Parents and Teachers’ Association (PTA) and other meetings, parents have demanded that the children sing, it's an indescribable joy to know that songs and plays can also make adults more attentive. The love I get inspires me to compose at least a song for every theme I teach, forces me every day that dawns to go to school to listen and hear the angelic voices even in ill health - putting in a lot of energy to design a wonderful classroom environment to encourage continued learning. I always sit down and make teaching - learning aids to help students easily connect what is sung to the content taught. They love the class very much and protect the teaching aids jealously from destruction by intruders.

It is a sight to witness the learners sing and point at each piece of material pasted on the wall. For example, when singing a song about relationships at home, they point to pictures of people found at home. I have a strong feeling it's one of the reasons the children come to school: to sing, dance, and play - enabling incidental learning to take place. Bringing something to class for students to see (visual), hear (audio) and touch (kinesthetic) will always make them more intrigued towards learning.

In the teaching and learning process, it's crucial to keep everyone jolly, excited and always smiling. He or she will learn easily.

 

Okiru Tadeo

Teach For Uganda Fellow

Cohort 4.

Kikalu Primary School.

Namutumba District.