URBAN SCHOOLS EXCEL BECAUSE OF EXPOSURE

THE reason why there is a wide gap in performance between rural and urban schools is because of exposure. Students in urban schools are exposed to many learning materials and experiences which help them recall real concepts during examinations.

They visit zoos, national parks and sanctuaries, among others, which make them remember certain concepts.
(in the picture Pupils look at chimpanzees at Wildlife Education Centre. Such visits help them grasp concepts better)
Teachers in urban schools are given allowances to have extra hours of teaching which makes the learners grasp concepts at their own pace.

Coaching in urban areas is done under cover although the ministry banned teaching during holidays. Children of senior government officials are taught during holidays.

Children in urban schools are exposed to UNEB past papers and monthly revision papers which rural schools don’t have. Boarding schools in urban areas nurture children to become responsible. This makes them concentrate during preps and extra teaching at night. But in rural schools where children are day scholars, concentration is minimal as pupils spend most of their time doing domestic chores.

Lack of role models in rural schools is another factor. Teachers come to school on foot, others on old bicycles and others are drunkards. This makes the children imagine education is all about drinking and leisure.

Many children in rural schools go without lunch. The poor learning environment also causes many to drop out.

THE BRITISH COUNCIL FACILITATES SEMINAR TO EQUIP GLOBAL SCHOOLS PARTNERING

7th and 8th December 2009 saw some Head teachers and teachers, headed to Namirembe Guest House Conference facilities for a seminar that is yet to rejuvenate our much longed schools partnerships mainly those in the U.K and Uganda.It is true that after such orientation, schools in Uganda will be able to take on their partners in U.K in the right direction given that there are several strategies the facilitators of this workshop brought to the attention of the participants.Among the issues talked about that need to be approached with a global mindset included;1.Controversies encountered during partnerships.2.Joint curricula ideas.3.Equity based relationships.4.Sustainable partnerships.5.The need for the Head teachers from both Uganda and U.K to meet and support the school collaboration.Clips of video presentations of such kind of Head teachers interventions were shown to the participants. The type of projects both schools should take on and their involvement without any being left out were also discussed; much of this will be taken to our discussion forums i.e. http://www.classroom20.com/profile/MARTINSEBULIBA

Many thanks go to the British Council facilitators, DFID Global schools partnerships, the materials they gave out during the seminar, the teachers who offered ideas and suggestions plus the certificates they awarded the participants at the end of the seminar as in the picture.British Council promised more workshops and close support on building effective partnerships. Further reference is also obtainable on the website i.e.; http://www.britishcouncil.org/globalschools

7th and 8th December 2009 saw some Head teachers and teachers, headed to Namirembe Guest House Conference facilities for a seminar that is yet to rejuvenate our much longed schools partnerships mainly those in the U.K and Uganda.It is true that after such orientation, schools in Uganda will be able to take on their partners in U.K in the right direction given that there are several strategies the facilitators of this workshop brought to the attention of the participants.Among the issues talked about that need to be approached with a global mindset included;1.Controversies encountered during partnerships.2.Joint curricula ideas.3.Equity based relationships.4.Sustainable partnerships.5.The need for the Head teachers from both Uganda and U.K to meet and support the school collaboration.Clips of video presentations of such kind of Head teachers interventions were shown to the participants. The type of projects both schools should take on and their involvement without any being left out were also discussed; much of this will be taken to our discussion forums i.e. http://www.classroom20.com/profile/MARTINSEBULIBA

Many thanks go to the British Council facilitators, DFID Global schools partnerships, the materials they gave out during the seminar, the teachers who offered ideas and suggestions plus the certificates they awarded the participants at the end of the seminar as in the picture.British Council promised more workshops and close support on building effective partnerships. Further reference is also obtainable on the website i.e.; http://www.britishcouncil.org/globalschools

THE BRITISH COUNCIL FACILITATES SEMINAR TO EQUIP GLOBAL SCHOOLS PARTNERING

7th and 8th December 2009 saw some Head teachers and teachers, headed to Namirembe Guest House Conference facilities for a seminar that is yet to rejuvenate our much longed schools partnerships mainly those in the U.K and Uganda.It is true that after such orientation, schools in Uganda will be able to take on their partners in U.K in the right direction given that there are several strategies the facilitators of this workshop brought to the attention of the participants.Among the issues talked about that need to be approached with a global mindset included;1.Controversies encountered during partnerships.2.Joint curricula ideas.3.Equity based relationships.4.Sustainable partnerships.5.The need for the Head teachers from both Uganda and U.K to meet and support the school collaboration.Clips of video presentations of such kind of Head teachers interventions were shown to the participants. The type of projects both schools should take on and their involvement without any being left out were also discussed; much of this will be taken to our discussion forums i.e. http://www.classroom20.com/profile/MARTINSEBULIBA

Many thanks go to the British Council facilitators, DFID Global schools partnerships, the materials they gave out during the seminar, the teachers who offered ideas and suggestions plus the certificates they awarded the participants at the end of the seminar as in the picture.British Council promised more workshops and close support on building effective partnerships. Further reference is also obtainable on the website i.e.; http://www.britishcouncil.org/globalschools

INSIST ON A WRITTEN MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING(MOU) BEFORE GETTING DEEP INTO A COLLABORATION:

Ask your partner to state specifics of areas of collaboration and have an MOU signed!

When Dan graduated as a teacher he was fortunate to get a teaching job in a private school soon after. The terms of the job were verbal. He was simply told to immediately start work. Three months down the road, he had not received any salary. He chose to leave the job without any pay since he had no written agreement with his employer. Like Dan, many people all over the world get into cooperation without any written terms.Usually; there are many reasons why people end up working under such conditions. These include the nature of who you are to relate with, expectations from the collaboration, high need for the cooperation, high levels of un-employment to mention but a few.However, even where there is no written understanding, parties therein should reach a consensus. A written MOU can be replaced by a company or business handbook which lists the terms and conditions of the collaboration let alone the specifics of areas of cooperation. In the absence of such an MOU, you should refer to the company handbook. If such written MOU is not there, parties therein will have to rely on a verbal agreement. Verbal agreements are difficult to verify especially in cases where there is a clash between the parties. For instance, if one party wants to get rid of the cooperation, you may recall that when it was started, the notice period would be two weeks. On the other hand, the other party seems to remember that the notice was one month. Who is right? Unless there is a witness who was a party to the conversation to verify your allegations, you would have to negotiate for a compromise. Unfortunately, this is the scenario that many people let alone co operations with only verbal understandings find themselves in. Verbal contracts do not reflect professionalism on either side of the parties in cooperation. If there are no agreed upon principles, it is your word against his. Indeed there should be respect between both parties in form of a written agreement. An agreement does not have to be 10 or more pages; it can be as small as one page and still serve the purpose.Because you have nothing in writing, you will have to hope that the other party is an honest one, has a good memory and remembers that you are owed a week’s holiday and maybe a generous commission. In many cases if there is only a verbal agreement, but the cooperation has been functional for over two months, one party can insist on a written record of the most important terms of the collaboration. This will ensure that there are agreed regulations and procedures one party has to follow in the event that they decide to Quit. Such Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) can be in form of a traditional written agreement that is signed and agreed upon by both parties. More frequently, such MOU’s are “implied”— from verbal statements or actions taken by either parties, through company memoranda or the parties handbooks, or via policies that are adopted during such making of MOU.Most co operations offer written agreements and handbooks stating all the terms and conditions of each other’s work. If one says they will do something for another and in return they agree, then the parties therein have made an agreement. If one agrees to work for someone and that person agrees, then you and that person have a contract of employment. The type of work that you do, hours of work, wages and other allowances can all be part of your agreement. These are called conditions of employment. They are express terms of the agreement. Even if either party did not talk about some conditions of the collaboration, for example, when the collaboration will be having a holiday and it is the custom that all toil takes some sort of holiday. These are implied terms of any agreement. The law says an agreement does not have to be in writing. If two people speak and they agree about something, then that is called a verbal agreement. A verbal agreement is also legal. However, legal experts advise that a written agreement is better, if all its conditions are written on a piece of paper, and each party signs the paper, then its proof of what was agreed upon.

Expecting a Visitor from Leeds, UK

"I look forward to hearing from you and to develping an exchange programme which will benefit our children at Springs Alive and Whitkirk." - Leeds, UK

Thank you very much for having got in touch. It has been a long wait though and I think this time you will manage to make it. We are still very excited awaiting your visit to us my Dear! Needless to say , I have to mention here in this still very early introduction that Madam Sue Bishop really would want collaboration with your school to work! I can mention that she has seen our school get a new classroom block and now the exchange visit, to mention but a few!

(a picture of Chloe Hogdson with some of the Kids and Guardians at SPACC)

We therefore have very high expectation as a result of your coming here and also an innovation that will see our one time called impoverished school turn “to be of international renown”! I have shared with you a Google document on some more information of the expectations of visitors coming to Springs Alive and frequently asked questions.

Martin

Great Need has Turned into Big Fun!!

Hallo there, great need has turned into big fun!!

It is unbelievable for a student from SPACC to compete with students of the so called better schools in the community and turns to be the best. What a privilege it was!!

Students at SPACC asked fellow students from other schools to join together for quiz competition, two from each school. The other students were so sure they would win ours, while the pupils of SPACC were half sure! Shockingly when the results came out, two from SPACC were the best.

Why did it happen?

Pupils from SPACC were always challenged by the messages in the letters they got especially from Creek View Primary school pupils. They do comment that the children seem to be younger than them but the things they talk about are big.

Say:

• The clubs they have
• The preparations they do towards Christmas
• The topics they talk about; because most of their topics are studied in secondary school in Uganda e.g. History

Our pupils developed confidence which caused every teacher at SPACC to wonder. The pupils say that since they have international connections, they too must turn international and they are now very serious with their academics in order to be different from the local schools and pupils here.

During the struggle to become international, one student amazed the whole school. She failed to pass to go to Primary five last year,2008.She repeated Primary four in 2009 but said that “how can an international student fail a class? I will never be after the first best three”. Term one, she was the first and term two she was the second! No one believed she could perform that way. Internationalism!!!

Thank you our blog readers because through you SPACC has been put on the map (in the limelight!) in the community and outside. We have been able to put up more classrooms, also a friend from the U.S donated to us scholastic materials, which included learning aids such as charts, text books, writing pads, pencils to mention but a few.

Thank you for being so supportive in turning SPACC into a real school!!!

Have you ever seen or heard of unprofessional teachers challenging those who are the so called “professionals”? It has started happening at SPACC because really our teachers have a heart for the underprivileged children in our school.

Thank you