First Day on the Project!

Dressed in our suits, the team grabbed an early breakfast and spent an hour going over the materials we'd received prior to our arrival.  We expected our client to arrive at the hotel to pick us up about 9:30.  The time came and went, and we put some tables together under the trees in the garden and worked on initial planning.  Already we were learning patience, flexibility and adaptability!

About 10:30 our client showed up - and we quickly learned that since we were 2 teams - technology and professional development (to support the implementation of technology in classrooms) - Mr. Seroka was the liaison to the technology team.  So the PD team continued to plan our initial questions and approach.  Throughout the morning we received several messages that our contact was coming....so our team continued to plan the project including beginning to develop data collection tools.

About 4:30 we received a message that our client was in his office - and that he would speak with us a the reception that evening.

We did gather some very important information:  We will be working some of the time in the district - which is a rural area about 55 km from Limpopo to the district office.  We'll be visiting some schools which are another 50-100km... so some traveling in the rural areas.  We'll also be observing some classes - BUT - the younger children are taught in their native language - there are 11 official languages in South Africa - and begin English (or Afrikans) about the 4th grade.  Prior to that the 2 'main' languages are optional/informal.

We also learned that unlike many CSC projects that work with small enterprises we will be working on an IBM project to continue building relationships with the Department of Education within Limpopo.  IBM is donating KidSmart and Reading Companion - and we are helping with the infrastructure and teacher professional development for the Sekhukwune district - one of 5 districts in Limpopo provide.  It's also one of the poorer ones.

The team will be picked up shortly to start our second day - we begin at the provincial office to get our security badges - and then we'll 'go with the flow'...