Transcript Changing children's views about Africa

Changing children's views about
Africa
(1) Perceptions of Africa
• Aims
The aims of this lesson was to find out what the
children thought of when they heard the word Africa.
• Overview of lesson
The children had to close their eyes and think about
Africa. They then had to note down what ideas came
to them under different categories which included
natural and built environment, education, transport
and technology, people and jobs.
• Outcome
The children had very interesting ideas on these topics.
Which included:
(2) Photos of Africa
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Aims
To find out if the children’s stereotypical ideas also translated to pictures of Africa.
Overview of lesson
The children were shown pictures of different aspects of life in Africa. They had to
note down what country the pictures had been taken and give a reason for this.
They were not told that all the pictures had been taken in Africa.
Following this task we told the children that all the pictures were taken in
countries from Africa. We asked them what they had learned? Have some of their
perceptions changed? Which? Why? Why do you think that this is what we think
of Africa?
Outcome
Again the children were very stereotypical. For example if they saw pictures that
has a McDonalds in it they instantly thought that it was taken in the USA.
We also noticed that many referred to Africa as a country. This was something
that we would have to try and change.
Where in the world?
Think…..pair…….share
Study each photograph.
With your buddy, talk about:
Where do you think the photograph was taken?
In which country?
Why do you think this?
Which clues helped you to decide this?
Record your answers on your sheet.
(3) Stereotypes
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Aims
Following the previous lessons we aimed to teach the children what the term
stereotype meant and to make them more aware of stereotyping when looking at
information.
Overview of lesson
We again discussed the children’s initial perceptions of Africa. How many thought
everybody was poor? Sad? Black? All live in tents or huts? These are the images
and information that we are normally given on Africa. We then discussed, if by
looking at one picture can you tell everything about that country? Finally we
showed pictures of Porthmadog and they had to make comments concerning the
pictures. For example we showed a picture where everyone in the picture wore
glasses. Did this mean that every single person in Port wore glasses?
Outcomes
Very important lesson because the children started looking at the information they
were given in a different way. Now when they looked at information they did not
generalise what they saw to the whole country. They used words like sometimes
instead.
(4) Working against African
Stereotypes
• Aims
To teach the children that Africa was a
continent not a country. We wanted to show
the children how diverse Africa was.
• Outcome
The children started to correct each other as
well as correcting some of the teachers. They
started to understand how diverse Africa was.
Europe is a continent made up of many countries.
Wales is one of these countries.
Italy is another.
Would you expect all Welsh people to be the same as
each other?
Would you expect all Welsh people to be the same as
Italian people because we live on the same continent?
Africa is a huge continent made up of many
countries.
Tanzania is one. Egypt is another.
Would you expect all Tanzanian people to be the
same as each other?
Would you expect all Tanzanian people to be the
same as Egyptian people because they live on the
same continent?
Would you expect all Africans to be the same
because they live on the same continent?
(5) Research on one country in Africa:
Tanzania
• Aim
Learn all they can about Tanzania and hopefully change
their initial perceptions.
• Overview of lesson
The children gathered as much information as they
could about every aspect of life in Tanzania. Year 4
used this information to create a poster. Year 5 used
this information to create a scrapbook about Tanzania.
• Outcome
Hopefully the children have a fuller understanding of
Tanzania as a country.
(6) Perceptions of Africa – Year 2
Further lessons
• Children from year 4 and 5 to teach year 2 what
they have learned about Tanzania therefore
changing their perceptions.
• Study another country in Africa to compare it
with Tanzania. For example Egypt or South
Africa.
• Links with school in Tanzania. Hopefully when I
go there next year we could do a similar task to
find out their ideas.
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Qn: why do you have night watchmen at school?
Ans:we need watchmen for security and defence of people /students and school belongings. Q:why is the school called olympus pre &
primary school?
Ans: these are two shools in one. kindergarten school (year 4-5/6) and primary school (7-13). The name OLYMPUS was derived from
Greece. It was believed that the gods of the Greeks lived on hills of olympus. The placewhere our school is situated has the same kind of
history- hence the name Olympus.....( Refer Encyclopedia)
Q:how many lessons do your pupils have in one day?
ans:lessons start (8 am-3:20pm). Pupils do wake up at 6am and make preparations for a new day. Workers report officially at 7:30am
and end their day at 4pm.
Qn: has anyone ever spoken Welsh in the school? Would you like us to teach you some welsh?
Ans: knowing welsh would be a great idea. Welsh should make my next language after kiswahili and english.no one has attempted
welsh except myself as i tried some words you sent me
qn:what is the most popular boy's and girl's name at school?
Ans: these are Rosalina Wambura and Cizer kazmili.
Qn: what is the naughtiest thing a pupil has ever done at school ?
Ans: there is nothing strange in their behaviours. However, we experience damages of electric switches,bulbs as part of naughty
practices.
qn:how many pupils are in your school?
Ans: there are 570 pupils... 45% girls & 55% boys
qn: how many schools are in tanzania?
Ans: there is at least one primary school in each village and a secondary in every ward. There are over 14000 primary schools
countrywide.
Qn: do all children go to secondary school in tanzania? If not , why?
Ans: only those who qualify the National Examination are chosen for secondary education.last year < 60% of those who completed the
primary school joined secondary schools. There are cases like ," parents failing to pay school fees and other contributions leading to
dropouts"
qn: how many children are in each of your classes?
Ans:we have double streams in most of ou classes. Each strem accomodates 40-45 pupils.
We have two kindergarten classes (4-6) and seven primary school classes (7-13yrs)
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Qn....is tanzania a happy country?
Ans...yes! it hs ever been happy since independence. people call it an island of peace.
Qn: do many people visit your country? why do they come?
Ans:Tourism contributes 75% of our visitors. however some visit our country on both professional and commercial
basis
Qn:who is the president of tanzania? what can you tell us about him?
Ans:Dr. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete. he began political career a few years after completion of his studies at the
university college of Dar es salaam sometime in 1970's. he is ambitious and so dedicated in promoting our nation
in all walks of life
Qn:what kind of cars do people drive in your country? do most people drive or not?
Ans: almost all brands of cars on market around the world are available in tanzania. it is difficult for a person at a
low profile earning to own a car. an exempeted taxes and duties make these cars expensive to purchase. high
ranked civil servants, bussiness men and large scale farmers own cars of any expense.
Qn:how many follow the muslim religion and how many are christians or follow indigenios beliefs at your school?
Ans:7% of our students are muslims and the rest are christians. we do respect beliefs.
Qn: are there wild animals near the school? if so, which?
Ans:it is about 15 km from our school boundary to the borders of the largest national park in the world " The
mighty Serengeti"the area that extends from serengeti borders to our school covers various settlements. during
dry seasons some animal seek water close to the settlements.
Qn:when did you start workig as a headmaster in tanzania? why?
Ans:i was appointed the headmaster a two years after being employed by the company"OLYMPUS EDUCARE
COMPANY LTD". I am at maximum enjoying my professional career.
Qn: which different tribes do your pupils belong to?
Ans: tanzania is a country very rich in ethnic groups/ tribes. we have more than 100 different tribes. at school ,
students belong to more than 40 tribes of these. eg sukumas, jitas, chaggas, hayas taturus, kuryas etc