Danika takes PE: Brainstorm with me!

So as I wrote about before, my job here in South Africa is working primarily with the 10^th graders in a township setting. The school in which I am placed is particularly difficult because it is the “last resort” school for the students who either couldn’t or didn’t make it elsewhere. Pair this blow to a 17 year old self-esteem with the mentality that there is no future outside of the life you know in the township. Oh, and throw in extreme poverty, unemployment, violence, and a terrible education system. Its daunting.. So, this year Masinyusane is slightly shifting gears, and I get to help facilitate! While my students certainly need remedial academic help, my focus this year will be other facets of personal development. I am BEYOND excited about this, right up my alley! J

My goal is to empower these kids to believe in themselves. That sounds trite, but basic leadership skills and self-worth is lacking because it is so easy to get bogged down with all of the negative influences that are constantly pulling at them. Many of the social skills that I take for granted have never been instilled, but these kids have huge potential! Seriously, ALL of them want to make it, but they all need a boost. Ok, worldly people with far more experience than I: brainstorm with me!

It is winter break here now, and the students have almost no productive activities that they can do. I have been trying to just hang out with them in small groups and get them out of the out of the Location (another word for shanty settlement). We have gone to the beach, an elephant park, hiking and today I think I will take some girls to the university for a tour. It’s going excellent, I must say!

Once school is back in session, I will only have them for an hour every day. Here is the thing; their schooling is crap, and the last thing that they need is a white board lecture from me. I need creative and ENGAGING ways to work of things like leadership skills, goal setting, and self-esteem. For example, last year the kids made “dream boards” where they used magazine photos to make a collage of all of their hopes and dreams for themselves. I guess some well-to-do psychologist has concluded that visualizing your dreams daily in an artistic will help you achieve them. The kids then took home their “dream board” and were told to look at it each morning to reinforce what they saw themselves achieving.

NOW I NEED YOUR BRAINPOWER AND CREATIVITY! I know a lot of you are teachers, of some form or another! Does anybody have any ideas or resources about other activities that would be helpful for these guys? Even the smallest idea could turn into a world of inspiration! J Help a sister out; I can use all the help that I can get!

If you do come up with something brilliant, I will be forever in your debt! Email or FB me at danikalindquist@gmail.com

THANKS WORLD.

Oh, and here is some inspiration: