Snap for them!: lessons in learning, landscapes and language.

Our students are learning to find a healthy balance between working hard and playing hard. On Tuesday we started our STEM lessons at the Boma facility. The Boma is about 20 mins from the education center where we are staying. We have affectionately dubbed the bus the "Boma Bus”. At the Boma facility, students learn about biodiversity, conservation, Botswana's geography and animal adaptations. Once the students learn in the classroom they get the extraordinary opportunity to learn in the field. The students have participated in game drives, sunset hikes, and wildlife identification as a way to put what they have been learning in the classroom into practice. 

Our nature expert, Dusani, teaching in the field at Mokoldi Nature Reserve.

Penelope talking with the girls at Moselewapula Junior Secondary School.

 In addition to STEM lessons, the students participated in Setswana lessons. Setswana is one of the National languages in Botswana. The students have learned to say basic phrases like  “good morning, how are you, my name is and I am hungry. “

Our Setswana instructor congratulating Iris' language skills. 

We got to experience a public and private high school in the capital city of Gaborone. There were very noticable differences between the two schools but many similarities to home. Students at both schools wear uniforms, take the majority of the same classes, have midterms and have a lunch break. We visited Moselewapula Junior Secondary School which is a public school for students in 8th grade to 10th grade. The students at the public schools have free education and bring their own snacks and lunch to school but they are allowed to go to the corner store (tuck shop) to buy snacks. The public school also had a tea break in between morning and afternoon classes. While at the public school, the students had an assembly to give out academic awards and our students got to award the medals. Public schools have a higher participation in sports compared to private schools. The public school had lots of school spirit that our Global Navigators enjoyed taking part in. 

Students at Moselewapula Junior Secondary School during art class.

One of the highlights of our trip so far was visiting Legae Academy, a local private school. The students welcomed us with ice breakers. Our students were surprised at how much pop culture the Legae students knew. Our students connected quickly with their peers at Legae,which is a great thing because the Legae students would be hosting our Global Navigators in their homes later in the week. The students at Legae and other private schools in Gaborone participate in more music programs than the public schools. Their music programs include the guitar, choral singing and the marimba. The Lagae students gave us an amazing performance of cultural songs with the marimba and showed us some traditional dances. Of course our students joined the students in Tik Tok dances and tried our hand at the Marimba as well. 

Marimba practice at Legae Academy 

Our Global Navigators are here to learn about themselves, the Botswana culture and the wildlife of this beautiful country. They are well on their way to gaining a new appreciation for their education but also embracing this journey with the help of new friends along the way.

Sunrise at Mokoldi Nature Reserve