Time Keeps On Slippin...

Well, I left last week and it was November when I returned.  Time keeps on slippin'...

I had a BLAST this last weekend touring and workshoppin' through the south.  We (Mr. Gallant & Mr. /Hoxobeb and I) took 8 eleventh grade learners to Mariental to conduct four workshops on Digital photography and computer research as well as co-facilitate two workshops on computer hardware basics.

Day 1
The learners really got along well.  Even after the workshop was finished, they spent some time together and played some games.		The group really got along with the hostel kids.
They were very happy with the accommodations: their own beds at the hostel!  They especially loved the hot showers they got to take every evening and morning.	Dinner on the first day.  They setup a special table for us at a hostel for Emplehiem Junior Secondary School.  The food was basic but good.  It was great seeing exactly what these kids eat here- and it's not much!	After a long day teaching computers and installing programs, we signed off with a group picture in front of the school.

These 8 learners have been preparing for the past two weeks for this event, learning about facilitation techniques and developing lesson plans.  The end result was a little bumpy but overall every impressive.  All told, they facilitated six workshops for a total of 70 participants, five of which were teachers. 

This is all part of a Tech Squad program that sort of started itself at Hage Geingob High School. The Tech Squad is learning all about computer labs by installing them, repairing them and teaching in them.  On this particular trip, they visited four schools with labs and applied what they learned in class about differing operating systems, lab configurations and software options. 

Day 2
The research team, giving their first workshop.  They were very nervous due to the four teachers in attendance.	Mervin and Loide showing participants how to look up information in Microsoft Encarta.	The learners working with Encarta.  They were all fascinated with what you can do in this program
The research team again, this time facilitating their second workshop at Empelhiem JSS.  This lab had 30 computers!	More facilitation.  These guys did an awesome job.  The participants all enjoyed their time, brief as it was.	In the computer hardware and repair workshop, Tech Squad members were paired with learners from the host school.  Here they are getting to know each other.
Matroos shows what the different parts of the computer do.  They were all tested briefly after this, and Tech Squad members were competing to do the best job teaching these topics.	Troxi shows a learner what the cords and connectors on the back of the computer are for.	Another long day comes to a close.  This picture was taken outside Empelhiem JSS.

I have to say I'm damn proud of these guys.  I've been working with them most of the year along with 8 more twelfth graders and a few others on everything computers.  They have learned a great deal.

Day 3
Our last stop, Baumgartsbrumm, a primary school 50k outside of Windhoek.  Here the learners used an open source Linux lab for the first time.	It was here that I said goodbye to my learners.  I got a tad emotional watching them drive off.  Great kids, all of them.	Our last group shop, just outside Mariental at the sign.

I got a chance to really get to know these learners on our long drive (3+ hours) to Mariental.  I was surprised to have a future Marine Biologist, Lawyer, Judge, Teacher and Politician in our group.  It was great to talk about how the things they are learning in the Tech Squad will help them pursue their educations and careers. 

I also had a chance to answer a lot of questions they had about the States.  They thought that people are paid more in the states, which means people have more money.  They also assumed that finding jobs would be easy, few people are hungry and cities all look like New York.  I dispelled these misunderstandings and invited them all to my house should they ever find themselves states-side in the future.

I can't wait to push these guys further next year.  I will be tendering on a bid for computer lab installations next year so that our Tech Squad can actually get paid for their work.  I also want them to teach more classes in Katatura as well as surrounding schools. I'm planning several tours that include two-day stops at schools to facilitate workshops, game tournaments and more.  These guys are going to be busy next year!!