In recent weeks, we were captured by various events- some welcome others saddening:
Firstly it was the confirmation that the South African National Lottery Commission will again support Tsibogang with a large amount of funds. That was an answer to many prayers during the last months. We all felt relieved after hearing this message, especially our coordinator, Dr. Wolfgang Hermann.
End of March, during the last week of the school holidays the first module of the Montessori diploma course was held. There are 10 participants, including seven members of Tsibogang. All of them ar
e aware of what a big step forward this is: they are allowed to study and got a scholarship from the US Embassy. The first module contains the basics of Montessori pedagogy: it is about how Montessori sees the learning and development of children and what consequences this has for the adults who deal with the children. We had lively debates about how to deal with children who do not abide by the rules of the preschool.
The lecturer from Cape Town says: “There are no naughty children according to Montessori, only children whose needs have not been recognized”. She encourages us to think about the children in our preschools who we have labeled as “naughty, difficult, not obedient” etc. How can we find out what their needs are?
Each of us makes resolutions, what we want to change when we come back to the preschool after the holidays. We commit ourselves to observing each other and reminding each other of our commitments. Becoming a Montessori teacher means firstly to reflect on oneself and to be prepared to change our own attitudes towards the children. We drafted a list of house rules for our preschools which contain only positive rules which we want to introduce once the preschools re-open. Jane e.g. wants to speak quietly with the children instead of shouting.
In the first two weeks of April, we have to part ways with two members of Tsibogang who have died suddenly. Florence Jonjolo, one of the first home care givers of our organization, also one of the oldest members died at the hospital in Mafikeng. She had Asthma. The second one is Grace Leburu, also a longstanding member, firstly as a peer educator and later as a homecare giver. I attended both funerals and I could witness how respected both were in their communities.
Last Saturday a long-planned gala dinner was held in a guesthouse; a group of Tsibogang members had planned this as a fundraising event. Each member had to pay R 200 and could bring a guest along. The dinner started with a moment of silence where we remembered our two colleagues who had passed away. A motivational speaker encouraged us to be determined in what we are fighting for in Tsibogang. We had some musical items, a ball room dance and one member of the’ A re Tshamekeng Bana’ Group presented poems. Last not least we enjoyed a nice and sumptuous meal. It is noteworthy that the members of Tsibogang came up with something to help our finances to increase.
Christel Lorato Hermann