Three weeks down the line…

I cannot believe that Ikhaya Labantwana Montessori has been operating for 3 weeks already – time really does fly when you are having fun.  Our tables and chairs were transported from East London to Viedgesville on Friday and we will  hopefully have them in our classroom by Thursday this week.  When all 12 children attend school, our one work table with 4 cuhions is so not enough, not to mention my back……….

The month end passed and when I asked some of the parents what they had observed with their children, comments ranged from, “Everytime he coughs, he now puts his hand in front of  his mouth” – Sonwabise’s mom.  Tobelani’s aunt who works at Coffee Shack says that when she goes to work, Tobelani always says, “See you tomorrow” , (which is the way I say goodbye to the children daily).

The children are really absorbing English very quickly and their sense of order is being well displayed. Our Practical life shelf  is needing extending, so that is what I will be working on this weekend and I am also busy getting quotes together, so that we can turn our shelving on tata blocks into PROPER 3-tier shelves, with backs and sides.

Some classics overheard in our classroom this past week:  Kyan was really wanting Carl to work with him, to build the brown stair, but Carl was already working with Colour Box 2.  Kyan asked Carl about 3 times, “when are you going to work with me?” and Carl eventually turned to Kyna and answered, “I don’t know, maybe next year”.

When the children pour too much water into their mugs for drinking, they are allowed to pour the remaining water onto the plants.  Carl had just poured some water onto the plants, and I had just been given a mug of water by our assistant, so I said “thank you” to her.  Carl had the strangest little expression on  his face…….he came over to me and quietly said, “Dawn, I just heard the plant say thank you” – Of course I had to laugh and then I explained to Carl that he had probably heard me saying thank you to Mbini for the water.

Our children have adapted to school quite quickly – it’s only Esona who still cries and screams when he arrives at school, and that is because he had only attended 5 out of 15 days – I have since spoken to his mom and he has attended daily this week.  On the one day he attended school last week, he was really crying his heart out and had a really angry expression on his face.  I put my hand out to him, and he gave me a very harsh stare and said something in Xhosa. I asked Nontsha what he had said and she said it was something along the lines of  “If you touch me, I will tell my parent”. Nice one Esona, at least you know that no-one may touch you without your permission!