Mzumbe Secondary School
Host Community:
For my placement, I am located at Mzumbe Secondary School, which is about 15 miles outside of Morogoro town. The Mzumbe campus is actually a community comprised of both the boarding secondary school, as well as Mzumbe University, which is one of the main University campuses in Morogoro. The campus is located right in the middle of the Uluguru Mountains, and is rather vast and spread out with many fields and trails surrounding the community. It is quite peaceful and quiet at Mzumbe, with no lack of gorgeous scenery. Also, because it is a large campus, there are many resources available nearby including a market for any basic needs, as well as wireless Internet access at the University library, which is only a short 15 min. walk from the secondary school. Since the community is a bit removed from Morogoro town, most of the faculty lives on the campus in teacher housing, and this provides a great opportunity to get to know the other staff members of the school.
Host School:
Mzumbe Secondary School is known as one of the top secondary schools in all of Tanzania, consistently ranking at the top of all government schools in national examinations. There approximately 650 students (all male), and about 30 teachers. Mzumbe offers both O-Level (Forms 1-4) as well as A-Level (Forms 5-6) studies. Each form has approximately 100-150 students, with roughly 35-45 students for each “stream” or class. While the school has a sufficient number of classrooms, as well as a library, there is no functioning computer lab or appropriate science labs for the students to use for their studies.
Teaching Assignment:
I am currently teaching A-Level English Literature to a class of Form 5 students. There are 31 students in my class, and I teach them twice a week for 80 minutes each class period. For this class, I had to familiarize myself with many of the African texts that are on the Ministry reading list, since African literature is not commonly taught to American students. A-Level students prepare for a national exam that is taken at the end of Form 6 for each subject they are studying. If they are studying English as one of their subjects, they take one examination solely on literature, and one exam on language skills. The topics I have been covering include analyzing Novels, Plays and Poems. Most of my students have a good grasp of English, but still need a lot of help when it comes to analyzing literature and reading advanced texts. There is a lot of emphasis on English communication skills, including speaking and writing about texts in the English language. In addition to teaching A-Level, I also assist other teachers and provide language lessons to some of the younger classes from time to time.
Language Issues:
At Mzumbe, most of the faculty and the students speak English with ease. Since English is the language of instruction at all Secondary schools in Tanzania, it is encouraged for the students to speak English at all times while on school grounds. However, there are often times when students may not understand my American accent, or some of the more difficult words or phrases I might be using. Also, since English is a second language for both faculty and the students, they are reluctant to speak in English unless they have to. It can be frustrating at times when you can’t understand any of the faculty members in the staff room, or understand what’s being said during staff meetings, but on the bright side it encourages me to learn Kiswahili on a daily basis!
Living Arrangement:
As for my living arrangement, the house I have been provided with is basic for most American standards, but relatively nice for Tanzania! I have a fairly large house with a furnished kitchen, living room, bedroom, toilet and shower room, and a large porch that overlooks the Uluguru Mountains. I am also lucky to have running water and electricity. The accommodations are simple and basic, and aside from having a few insects and geckos as roommates every now and then, it’s a very comfortable house that’s quiet and peaceful.
Challenges and Rewards:
Living and teaching at Mzumbe has many challenges but also many rewards. As with all Tanzanian schools, the lack of resources and the large class sizes are some of the greatest challenges. There are often no textbooks to provide students, or teaching materials at your disposal, so it’s really up to you to get creative with how to teach a lesson to the class. While this is challenging, it’s also quite rewarding when you successfully pull off a lesson for a class of 40 students. Also not knowing the native language can be challenging, especially when you encounter someone who doesn’t know English. One of the other challenges of living in Africa is adjusting to the culture. Africans tend to take their time, and are usually more relaxed with their daily schedules. While this can be a luxury at times, for an American who is used to keeping a schedule it can be frustrating from time to time when you are unaware of when and where things are happening (like staff meetings or assemblies). Along with the frustrations of getting used to the culture, adjustment to it also brings some of the greatest rewards. Tanzanians are some of the warmest, friendliest and most welcoming people you will ever meet. Strangers will constantly smile and greet you respectfully, and as a foreigner you are always as welcome as any family member would be. Getting to know Tanzanians and getting to learn more about their rich culture has been one of the greatest rewards in this experience.
Mongola Secondary School:
Host School/Community:
For my placement I am located at Mongola Secondary School, which is a day school located about 15 miles outside of Morogoro town in the community of Mzumbe. Mongola is located across the street from the Mzumbe University campus, and is surrounded by the Uluguru Mountains and vast plain fields as well. The school is fairly new (founded in 2006), and while there are plenty of adequate classrooms, some of the grounds and facilities are still being constructed or are under improvement.
Mongola Secondary School is strictly an O-Level school, meaning it only offers classes for Forms 1-4. There are approximately 600 students, but only about 10 teachers for the entire school. This means that there are some subject classes that do no have a teacher, including English. Until I arrived at the school, there were only two other English teachers for the entire school. Each classroom has a blackboard for use, but because there are so many students in each class, oftentimes students have to share desks and even chairs.
Teaching Assignment:
I am currently teaching Form 3 English. Form 3 has two “streams” or classes and each class has about 45-50 students. The students have already been studying English for over two years, and since every class in secondary school is taught in English (with the exception of Kiswahili) the students have at least a basic grasp of English. Many of the topics I cover with the class include more advanced English communication skills, including writing, speaking and listening in English more effectively. Also, Form 3 is when the students are introduced to literature (novels, plays, poems), so I have been discussing basic concepts to them based on African literature texts on their syllabus.
Language Issues:
While all of the classes are taught in English in secondary schools, most of the students are still at an intermediate level when it comes to understanding the language. It’s often difficult for them to understand my American accent, and they sometimes don’t understand me when I speak at a faster pace. On the other side, it is sometimes difficult to understand my students as well, since they all speak with thick African accents when they attempt to answer a question I ask of them. It has been an adjustment, but as time continues we grow to understand one another more clearly. As for my fellow colleagues, they all know English well, but are often reluctant to speak English unless they have to (meaning in the classroom or in front of students). Usually they will speak to me in English, but it can be frustrating at times to not understand any conversations taking place in the staff room or to be aware of any important information that might be relayed to the staff.
Challenges:
As with most Tanzanian schools, there are many challenges. Aside from the challenges with language, the most challenging aspects of my teaching assignment are the severe lack of resources and the class sizes. None of the students have any textbooks, or copies of any of the books we discuss in class. The school doesn’t have the resources to provide books to the students, so it’s up to the students to purchase any books they may need for their studies. Unfortunately, since most of the students come from poor families, this often isn’t possible. The large class sizes also pose many challenges, as well. It’s near impossible to learn every student’s name, and also since there are so many students there is a large discrepancy between each of their individual English language skills. Therefore, it is often difficult to gauge if the entire class comprehends the material that is being taught to them. Also with large class sizes, space can become an issue, making it difficult to move around the classroom or divide the class into proper groups and conduct class activities. Another aspect of Mongola that can be difficult to understand many times is the use of corporal punishment on the students. Of course, I have no interest in taking part in this practice, and don’t appreciate any of the other teachers using it as well, but as a visitor it is difficult for me to say anything to change the policy. All I can really do is show by example and not get involved with this uncomfortable form of discipline.
Rewards:
With the many challenges also come many rewards. Because there are many difficulties teaching at a school like Mongola, it challenges me as a teacher to be more creative and attentive to my lesson plans and class needs. It is extremely rewarding when you pull off a successful lesson and effectively teach a new concept to your class. While not every student understands each lesson, there are many that are eager to improve their English skills and learn more about the subject. Teaching at Mongola has been incredibly rewarding because both the faculty and students have been tremendously grateful to have a native English speaker at the school. The students have been eager to get to know me and more about American culture, and I have enjoyed learning about their culture as well. While it is definitely a challenge teaching at Mongola, with each challenge that is successfully overcome there are many unforgettable rewards that I won’t forget after my time here.
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