We started the workshops with the Ankole Secondary students two weeks ago and they have been going really well! It has been a little hard because we have been teaching with an average ratio of 11 students to one computer and with that many students it is hard to give each student time to practice what we are teaching them. But we have been doing our best to work it out and it seems as though the students are really enjoying the workshops.
We started by teaching the students basic computer skills (how to use a mouse, how to create a folder, etc.) and we moved on to Microsoft Word. Yesterday we started Microsoft Powerpoint with them because Powerpoint is a fun program to work with and we thought that they would like to know how to use it. The students have expressed the wish to learn how to record on the computers, so Tess downloaded a free recording program on to the computers for them to use. They are also very interested in music and like to listen to a CD at the end of each workshop.
During our first workshop, I was blown away by how perceptive the students are. After the workshop we like to give the students some free time on the computer to be able to practice and explore. After having only taught them the basics of how to use a mouse, I left the room to talk to Tess, and when I came back I saw that the students had found the games on the computer and wanted me to show them how to play them. After showing them Pinball, I left the room again, and when I came back they were playing Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 on the computer because that was one of the sample songs that were on the computer. They then asked if we had any other music on the computer and we told that we didn’t, but we told them that they could bring a CD or we could bring a CD to have them listen to at the end of the next workshop. I found it amazing how after only learning how to use a mouse, they were able to navigate the computer and they found the things that interested them the most without any help from us.
Last night we decided to do something nice for the students so we went up after classes were finished around 7pm and we did a movie screening at the school. We showed two movies (one on each computer), Bad Boys 2 and a Nigerian movie called Butterfly. The students seemed to really enjoy it and we are hoping to be able to do it again next week.
The workshops with the teachers at Kimunyu Memorial Primary School have also been going very well! A new group of teachers arrived for the start of the term, so Tess started with the basics with them while I continued teaching more programs with the other teachers. It is amazing how fast everyone is learning, we are teaching programs, like Powerpoint, that we didn’t think they would be interested in or that we would have time to teach! But everyone is just flying through the workshops we have prepared and are going into new programs.
On Sunday we went to go play at the local soccer field with some of the boarding students at Kimunyu. It was so much fun! We played a ball game with the girls and then we showed them some games and they showed us some as well. Monday was Tess’ birthday, so we went out with some friends we had made. It was a fund night!
Last weekend we tried to do a trip down to Rwanda. We got up nice and early on Thursday morning to get to Mbarara where we caught a bus down to the boarder. When we got to the border, we found out that we were not able to buy a Visa at the border like we had been told by a number of people. Apparently we had to apply for it on the internet and wait for a couple of days to see if we are accepted, print off the Visa and then bring it to the border with us. So we turned around and made the long trip back to Ibanda. We have applied online and have been accepted, so we will be leaving again for Rwanda tomorrow morning…let’s hope it works this time!
I hope everyone is enjoying the amazing Canucks spirit in Vancouver right now! I have been waking up at 3am to watch the games…it’s tiring but so worth it!!
That’s all for now!
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