Monday, February 10, 2014

Yoga at JBFC




JBFC was lucky enough to have a real life yogi here on campus for the last few months. Elisa Masso has since left us for Thailand to receive her yoga certification, but not without leaving her mark here with us.












Over the school break, Elisa led yoga classes several days a week for the JBFC girls. I attended a few of these classes and it was great to watch the girls grow throughout the weeks.


Early in the sessions, the girls were often reluctant to attend and apprehensive about this whole yoga thing. Then came the giggles as they watched their sisters attempt down dog and grow
their trees.













In Tanzania, people like to get really close, nothing like the boundaries of personal space we keep up in the US. So getting them to spread out in the school dining hall could sometimes prove a challenge.

My first day, Nyalmalwa was close enough to whisper in my ear that I was doing cobra wrong. I had to take special care not to plow Dotto in the head as I moved into warrior.












By the end of Elisa's time with us the girls were counting down the minutes to their next yoga practice. Some even took their mattresses to the dining hall in lieu of yoga mats.

I've since seen some of the younger girls, Rachel and Salome, perform the series that they learned from Elisa in their dorm room.






This was a great program over the break to both keep them active and work on their emotional well-being. As for me, it got some muscles moving that I haven't used in awhile.

 
 
 
 








Blogger Melinda Wulf is JBFC's Administrative Director.  

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

JBFC & Right To Play



JBFC launched a partnership in 2012 with Right to Play, a global organization that uses the transformative power of play - playing sports, playing games - to educate and empower children facing adversity.

Right To Play staff members came to JBFC’s Kitongo campus to train our teachers and work with student volunteers on the curriculum which uses games to teach students about subjects like health and conflict resolution. Several of JBFC's Ambassadors attended training in Toronto to work with Right to Play on creating a brand-new tennis curriculum.
 
 
 Almost two years later, JBFC's Joseph  & Mary School teachers are still using what they learned from Right to Play facilitators.
 
Second grade teacher Mrs. Zaina recently led her class in on the Right to Play games - Spiders. The class started with a stretch and a warm up activity. Mrs. Zaina then led a short discussion about what spiders eat and how that affects the environment around us. The game then started with two spiders in the middle and children on either side having to run by them without being tagged. Those who are tagged then become spiders.

Spider madness ensued....

 
 
 


And a whole of smiles...




After 20 minutes of this massive game of tag,  Mrs. Zaina led another discussion. She asked questions like: "Did you feel safer running from the spiders or being home in the safe zone? Why?"
She then followed up by asking what the children do to be safe at home- the answers included:
- washing our bodies to prevent disease
- washing our clothes
- sleeping with a mosquito net
- playing to be happy
- eating healthy food
- drinking clean water

After the discussion the children participated in a cool down activity by pretending to pick mangos from a tree, out them in a basket, and eat them.

As you can see from the smiles on the kids' faces, this activity was a lot of fun. But it also got the kids thinking about some important life lessons.

We're glad to have partners like Right to Play in our mission to end poverty.








Blogger Seth Diemond is JBFC's Campus Director.

Monday, February 3, 2014

JBFC Difference: School Clubs

 
I recently wrote about the excitement of opening a new school year at JBFC and Joseph and Mary Schools and the promise for the future that comes with that. This excitement is shared across Tanzania, if not the world. However, there is something that we do at JBFC and Joseph and
Mary Schools that sets us apart from education in the rest of Tanzania- school clubs.

In my five years of working with schools, NGO's, and students in Tanzania, I have very rarely come across school clubs that actually meet- extra-curricular activities that are an integral part of our
development into well-rounded, well-educated, capable, leaders in America. These activities are even more important in Tanzania where a strict curriculum and a lack of access to resources, information, and tools stunt interest and make it hard for students to gain the knowledge and skills that are often found outside of an official curriculum.

This year, Chris, Melinda, and I will be partnering with our Tanzanian teachers to pass on their knowledge, interests, and skills to students outside of the traditional classroom setting.

This year's clubs will include:

1st Grade English Competition



-Our pre-school through 3rd grade students will be participating in English games and competitions every Friday to improve their basic understanding of the English language.

-Chris and one of our science teachers, Mr. Cornelly, will be leading a poly-culture club to pass along to our students the skills that our poly-culture experts have taught us. They will be learning techniques in sustainable agriculture, methods to be self-reliant as they become young adults, and the joy that comes with working on a farm to provide your own food.


Budding Young Journalists
 
 
-Melinda will be co-leading a journalism club that will eventually produce a school newspaper and a year book and in the process improve our students' writing skills.



Neema R during Debate Club



-Mr. Freddrick and I will be co-leading a debate and current events club that will pass along our passion and knowledge of world events to our students and train them in speaking in front of groups, sharing ideas, and the importance of valuing different perspectives and viewpoints.



Debate Club trying not to laugh during tongue twisters





Jonas laughing during Drama Club




 
-A reading club led by our librarian, Mr. Simon, will involve students in reading groups and book clubs to improve their reading and comprehension skills. The ability to read in English and to appreciate the value of books is an integral part of educating the next generation of Tanzanian leaders.


-Other teachers will be leading clubs in arts and crafts, music, and drama.

Something so often taken for granted in America and often under-appreciated is helping us revolutionize and re-define education in Tanzania and in our effort to create well rounded, well-informed, global leaders.














Blogger Seth Diemond is JBFC's Campus Director.