This morning our client arrived along with the driver that we'd be working with for the rest of the project. The client took about 10 minutes to introduce the team to Noah, the driver, and do the 'hand off' of our team to Noah for safe transport during the project.
Our first stop was at the provincial education security office for our badges. We needed our passports and computers - these numbers were entered into their data files. The process of getting badges - and waiting for Noah to return - took about 2 hours. The IT team was met by the client IT team and they headed off to their work space. Noah took the Professional Development team to Sekhukhume, the rural district where we're be working. Security is tight - Noah had to sign out of the provincial parking area - and when we arrived in the district, had to sign in there. The district site is about 55 km on rural roads.Noah drove into a service delivery area under the building - and as we talked to the building we saw large stacks of boxes of the national assessment tests - in the local languages - which the students will complete later this month.
We met in our client's office - and noted that a major portion of the national forest was there. Every flat surface - including much of the floor- was covered with stacks of paper at least 2 feet high. Did I mention our key client has 24" dreadlocks? We had a really productive meeting - and were provided with a schedule of activities which included our providing 3 days of training for his staff! We'll need to do some expectation management there - as this was not part of the initial description of work that we received prior to our arrival.
When we finished the meeting, he suggested we join him at the teacher in-service day where teachers were learning about the new curriculum framework. We learned that when the government changes, many other parts of 'life' change. For education this meant a new curriculum. The hotel where the training was help was another 30K - through rural roads. We saw what we thought was a large dog - but as we got closer we saw that it was a baboon - who had a partner on the other side of the road!
When we arrived at the workshop, the client introduced us and asked to 'to say a few words' to the teachers. We were warmly received - and after each of us spoke, the teachers responded with a rhythmic clapping that started quietly and increased in volume. They they sang for us. We were then when the broke for tea and had the opportunity to speak with the teachers. We discovered they were learning new teaching methods to support the new curriculum - and they reported that the materials needed to work with the client - these are kindergarten children - were not available in any of the schools. One teacher noted that without the materials the children would have no idea what was being taught! We also learned of the large class sizes - the smallest class was 37, another was 62, and 2 teachers shared a room with 67!!! young children! They said that classroom management was a challenge - especially with few materials to engage the children.
Our team is part of a larger IBM project in which IBM will be donating KidSmart computers and software to 25 pilot schools. We talked with the teachers about their experiences with computers - and learned that only 1 had used a computer very much - most likely at college since she was one of the youngest teachers - but that it was broken. None of the others had a computer and some indicated they had never used one. One teachers indicated that her school met in a farm house and there was no safe in the house so no way to lock up the computer when no one was there.
Today is a school day - and teachers reported that although they were attending the inservice program, the students had taken the bus to school and were spending the day - because that's where they would get much of their food for the day.
Our return trip - on the freeway - was white knuckle! Noah's day ends at 4:30 and we were late - so he drove at 160 kph!
This evening we enjoyed a dinner at the lodge and we exchanged the gifts we had brought for our teammates. We enjoyed a fan from Japan, silk Christmas ornaments from China, and chocolates from Canada. I shared peanuts from Virginia.
Tomorrow we have an early start - 7:30 (although that may mean any time between 7:30 and 8:30) - and will head to the rural area - to meet more of the staff and continue gathering information - and revising our scope of work!
This sounds amazing, Susan, and I'm so glad you have such a great team. Some of the logistical challenges, like where the teachers can safely lock up the computers overnight, make this a project unlike anything we deal with in the US! I am so eager to hear how the "training" goes and how well the teachers learn KidSmart without any prior computer experience. Good luck and please keep the stories coming!
ReplyDelete