Tanzania primary schools.
Primary Schools consist of seven standards classes with students between the age of 7 and 14. Sometimes, due to lack of teachers, pupils from different standards are in the same classroom. The classes are usually quite large, with classes ranging from 30-80 students. Government schools, which are essentially free, still require students to pay for certain materials and uniforms, which is often too much for some families to pay. Therefore resources at the school are at a bare minimum. The language of instruction at most of the Primary Schools is Swahili. Our volunteers and interns teach English and sometimes Maths to the Primary School students and volunteers who feel confident enough are encouraged to teach other subject such as geography, science, music or sports. If the school has a curriculum, the teachers will work with our volunteers and show what is expected of them. Some schools do not have any curriculum in place, therefore we encourage volunteers to come with lots of ideas on topics to teach. The teachers are also keen to learn methods of interactive teaching from the volunteers.
Lessons usually begin at 8.00am and finish by 3.30pm from Monday to Friday. The volunteer will be teaching only certain subjects and will be given a timetable of lessons that he or she will be asked to attend. There are Primary Schools in all of the (TBL) locations. Remember to dress appropriately as teaching is a highly appreciated job in Tanzania. Any donations that volunteers provide such as books, teaching aids, sports equipment and paints are greatly appreciated. It might also be useful to make some flashcards or wall displays to create a better learning environment as the schools are usually very plain and hardly decorated. Volunteering and performing your teacher internship education in developing country primary schools in Tanzania is big help for the struggling education sector and a great experience that you do not forget. |