On Monday I started helping out out the local school. The school is very basic. The class sizes range from about 40-60, and the class rooms are just big rooms filled with broken desks and a chalk board. They have no electricity.

The first day I didn't really do much, just observed. I quickly learnt that the style of teaching is very different. The children are still beaten. Half of a class another volunteer was in got beaten for failing their maths test. The children are also not praised at all if they get something right, and if they get it wrong, they are shouted at, and given no explanation as to what they have done wrong.

On Monday afternoon, we also went to the local hospital to go play with the sick children. It was very sad seeing so many young children so ill, but incredibly rewarding to see their faces light up when we started playing with them. Simple things like bubbles and balloons made them so happy. It also gave the mothers and carers a bit of a break, so I really enjoyed this.

On Tuesday, I was given the English lesson on pronouns to teach. I think it went fairly well, but the teacher I am with also teaches Social Studies (geography and history) and RE. As volunteers we don't teach RE, and I hadn't been asked to do a lesson plan for the Social Studies, so I spent most of the day sitting around watching, or helping do the marking. I didn't really feel I was being overly helpful, as all I was doing was replacing the teacher (and only for 1 lesson!), and not doing as good a job! However, I did notice how the children responded to my praise, and all those that I helped that had got it wrong 1st time, got it right second time when they did their corrections. I did however have a chat with All Out Africa and told them how I felt, I was assured the teachers love us going and helping because we bring new ideas and enthusiasm to the class room. This got me thinking and so I spoke to the teacher and asked if I could divert from the book a bit. I can't really do it in English, but I can in Social Sciences, and I have also asked to teach Science, as this is something I actually know about. I am currently having to learn the social science topics myself before I can teach them! Tomorrow I am teaching them about the countries of Southern Africa, something I don't know myself.

Today I again didn't feel like I did an awful lot because the children were just doing exercises in English, then they had RE. However, I was once again reminded of how much the children appreciate praise, when all the children started queueing up for me to mark their work, and not going to the teacher, then a little girl handed me a folded up piece of paper at break time. It was a (very accurate!) drawing of me, and above it it said 'I Love Emma', I was very touched by this. It made me realise, how doing very little still means so much to these children. I was half way through my only lesson of the day, when the bell went. The children get fed at school during their break, rice and beans everyday! For a lot of the chidren, this is the only meal they get all day. However today they had a problem in the kitchen, and when the bell went, they thought they were getting their food, but they told them they weren't getting any today, and they didn't even complain, as if not eating all day is normal. Apparently, there is going to be a big party on Friday for 2 teachers that are retiring. There is going to be a big traditional Swazi ceremony, and the children will be dancing and singing, so they spent the afternoon rehearsing. Therefore I left early so that I could go to the hospital with the others. Those working at NCPs finish at about 11.30, but school finishes at 2, so if we want to go to the hospital, we have to leave early. Again I really enjoyed my time at the hospital.

I spent this evening making a big map of Southern Africa, and cut out all the countries, so I can get the children to stick them on the map as tomorrows lesson is on the countries of Southern Africa. I wanted to make the lesson a bit more fun and interactive for the chidren, so I look forward to trying it out on them. Also, once they have completed it, I can put it on their classroom wall, as they are so bare at the moment. I have also got hold of some stickers so I can introduce a reward system for my subjects. I am going to reward achievement or effort with a sticker, and offer a reward for the top 5 children at the end of each week. I am hoping this will give the children some motivation. I am also going to do some drawing with them as I don't think they often get the chance to do that, and my next geography lesson, to 'test' them, will be a word search of all the countries in Southern Africa.

On Friday there are no lessons because of the party. I am really looking forward to seeing a traditional Swazi ceremony, I think I am really lucky to be here while it is taking place! Then this weekend I am going on a trip in Swaziland and doing some ziplining!! So its not all work and no play!