WorldTeach - South Africa Summer Volunteer Program Sample Placements

South Africa is such a fascinating country because of its contrasts. Unlike most other WorldTeach assignments where you would be living with the community in which you work, the program in South Africa reflects the character of the country by making you experience these contrasts through your daily life. You will be traveling between “First,” “Second” and “Third Worlds” every day. I lived in Fish Hoek (a white community), worked for some time in Ocean View (a colored community) and spent the rest of my time in Masiphumelele (a black township).

Initially you may not feel that you are living the ‘genuine’ South African experience but you will soon realize that all these worlds are equally genuine and that South Africa truly is a place of juxtapositions. It may be unsettling, but personally I gained so much more from witnessing these contrasts firsthand than by pretending I could understand the culture by only being exposed to one segment of it. It was so exciting to constantly be peeling away the layers. South Africa is such a dynamic country to be in and since the struggle for freedom now belongs to everyone, you can feel like you are actively participating and making a difference every day.

I worked in Masiphumelele for three weeks and in Ocean View for five weeks. Masiphumelele is a black area while Ocean View is a colored area—terms that had officially demarcated the areas during apartheid but which clearly reflected the reality of the situation today.

Ocean View is a community of about 30,000 inhabitants. It lies on the outskirts of nearby towns, although it is connected to both Masiphumelele and Fish Hoek by Kommetije Road. You’ll be able to catch taxis from anywhere along this road to Ocean View. Ocean View is somewhere between urban and rural. There are a lot of people out in the streets walking from the store to their homes, but it is not a bustling town. There are mainly apartment buildings, houses, shops, and three schools. Many refer to Ocean View as a ‘dormitory town’ because people come back here to sleep and then leave the community during the day to work. I found the town a lot more lively than this term gives it credit for. Although a lot of people don’t actually work there, many unofficial businesses have formed including women catering from their homes, or spaza shops where people sell basic goods. Most men leave Ocean View to find work, but you will see many women and children in the streets. I never felt uncomfortable walking around during the day.

You will hear some stories about drug usage, especially the notorious ‘tic’ (crystal meth). It is a problem that needs to be dealt with by social support networks, but it will not affect your personal experience unless you find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time, which could happen in any community. You should exercise caution but this does not mean you should be paranoid or let fear hinder your experience. I spent a weekend in Ocean View and walked around in a group at night, feeling perfectly safe.

People in Ocean View do sometimes feel like they are in an insular community since it is so removed from the larger Cape Town metropolitan area. Nevertheless, there is not a strong sense of identity, partly because the community had to build from scratch after having been relocated from Simon’s Town in 1966. They had to build everything from homes to streets to schools. Therefore, volunteers will find it a challenge to create after-school programs that will truly give the youth pride in their community, by helping them participate in local activities. It is important to instill in the youth a feeling that their future belongs to them, especially in the colored community where there has been a sense of stagnation over the past ten years. I must admit that it is sometimes difficult to inspire an adolescent when there are larger structural changes that are necessary but beyond your control. Still, changes occur a step at a time and as clichéd as it sounds, the smile you’ll see on a child’s face after she succeeds at a task is truly priceless.

I worked at Kleinberg Elementary School. Although the school lacked some basic resources, the teachers definitely did not lack training. I benefited so much from the teaching techniques I learned from them. I took on a class of my own for a few weeks because the teachers were absent, but otherwise I would help out in the classroom all day. I worked with younger children from Grades 1 through 3 (Foundation Phase). What shocked me initially was the class size. In Masiphumelele there were about 60 students per class, in Ocean View there were around 40 and in Fish Hoek about 20. These numbers demonstrate clear influences of the apartheid era on the school system.

The staff at Kleinberg is incredibly friendly and helpful. The principal, Mr. Chothia, is such a lovable character; he will definitely make you feel at home. We were invited over to his place numerous times and got to eat his wife’s amazing Cape Malay cooking. The teachers at Kleinberg will give you guidance where you need it but otherwise they are very flexible; you will be free to structure your schedule as you see fit. You can participate wherever you think you will be of the most help.

Volunteers will probably be crucial in creating after-school programs, since classes end around 2:00 and most children are not ready to go home. Moreover, it is after school that the children are more spontaneous and it is then that I truly got to know them. We would do everything from playing Afrikaans games to singing the latest hip-hop hits together.

I was blessed with the best host family I could possibly wish for. I truly felt like I was a member of the family and not once did I feel homesick. They included me in every daily activity so naturally that eventually I did feel like I belonged there. My host father is a public health consultant, so he had an astonishing wealth of knowledge about the health system in South Africa, which was truly fascinating to learn about, especially because of its complex history of inequality. My three host sisters were about my age so I had no problem meeting young people and being involved in all their activities. My host family has really changed me and like any family member, I will always hold them close to my heart.

Since I lived in Fish Hoek (which is a primarily white and very “Westernized” community), I had all the basic necessities- shower, hot water, electricity, etc. I had the perfect balance between having enough privacy and still being included in the family. To get to and from work, I took a communal taxi (a minivan) for 4 rands. My house was very conveniently located up the street from the taxi rank and the train station.

You can get by pretty much anywhere with English. Most whites and coloreds speak English. The “African language” in the area is primarily Xhosa, which people speak in Masiphumelele. People in Ocean View might prefer speaking Afrikaans to each other, but they will also understand English. In Kleinberg there is an English and an Afrikaans section. I picked up a few Xhosa and Afrikaans words, but unless you make an active effort to learn the local languages, you will often revert back to English.

During the second phase my biggest challenge was finding a way to make myself most useful. Yet I quickly realized that by obsessing about how I could help, I was missing out on something much more important: receiving. I was so concerned about what to give that I did not let myself receive. To be perfectly honest, the school could have functioned fine without me. Instead of adopting a paternalistic attitude of helping an underprivileged school, I accepted my experience as one of mutual learning. We had so much to offer each other reciprocally, that it would be incredibly presumptuous to assume that I was only there to help.

My greatest rewards were undoubtedly the relationships I forged. I truly feel blessed to have met the extraordinary people whose paths I crossed, for they will surely affect me now and in the future. It is such an unbelievable feeling to be so far from home but to still feel like you are completely welcome where you are. I did not feel homesick once during my stay because I was so well surrounded by people who genuinely cared about me, even though we had only just met.

It may initially seem intimidating to try to find your place in three communities, but people in Fish Hoek, Masiphumelele, and Ocean View are so friendly that you’ll have no problem fitting in. I definitely had one of the best and most enriching summers of my life. It was difficult to say goodbye to people there, but at the same time I knew we would all leave this experience changed. I had faith that we’d positively influenced each other and that we weren’t truly parting ways since we carried our friendships for a lifetime.

I do think Ocean View was a good choice for our teaching placement, and I think that in the future volunteers should spend some time living there as well.

by Whitney Andreae & Michelle Kirchner

Host Community

Marine Primary School is located in Ocean View outside of Cape Town. Ocean View was established as a colored area under Apartheid following the displacement of many of residents from nearby Simon’s town in 1968. Today the community remains mostly colored and has roughly 60,000 residents.

Host School

Marine Primary is one of the two primary schools in the community. The school encompasses grades 1- 7 and classes are taught in both Afrikaans and English. School begins at 8 am and finishes between 1:15pm and 2:00 pm depending on the grade level, with a day ending at 12:30pm on Fridays. Throughout the day there are two intervals, at 10:00 and 12:00pm in which time the children have time to eat and play outside.

Teaching Assignment

We primarily worked in the foundation phase with Grades 1, 2, and 3. The day was divided into three time blocks with breaks separating each. For block one, we individually worked in a Grade 1 class with a master teacher. Our duties ranged from teaching to tutoring. At times we would be in charge of the whole class, teaching and planning lessons for the students. We also spent a lot of time working with individual groups within the class tutoring and giving support to the students who needed extra help. On days when a teacher was absent, we would be given control of the class and would be in charge of teaching the curriculum for that day.

For block two, we were both in the same Grade 2 class. In this class, we taught lessons, but our main focus was tutoring individual groups. We would work with students as the teacher was giving the lesson to ensure understanding of the material. We also spent a lot of time reading story-books and engaging the students in thoughtful discussions. During the third block of time, we traded off between two Grade 3 classes. Our jobs in the Grade 3 classes were not as structured. Our assistance ranged from teaching lessons, facilitating P.E., reading, and tutoring.

There were about 25 teachers on the staff at Marine Primary and the majority was female. Class size ranged from about 40-45 students, and each grade level had four classes (two Afrikaans and two English-speaking). Within the classroom there is a lack of resources and materials. The curriculum was basic with the day often broken into three segments; maths, language and life skills. The material was not interactive and lacked discussion which often resulted in a rote style of learning. Creative expression and critical thinking were minimal. The materials themselves were quite outdated and did not speak to the culture of the children.

Greatest Challenges

Walking into the school on the first day was a bit difficult for the two of us. As this school had not been part of the program last year, we were unsure of where our place would be. Mrs. Jardien was our contact person at the school. As we quickly discovered the school was not prepared for us either. They had been told they would receive information about us and our backgrounds which they did not receive. Because of this, our experience resulted in quite a bit of trial and error on both sides. Originally we discussed a pull-out tutoring program for the students. Due to lack of organization, this did not happen.

Greatest Rewards

We felt that the children benefited most from having us in the classroom as a tutor. With 40 plus kids in the classroom, the children often lacked the personal attention they needed. We often played the role of ‘substitute’ and we felt that this did not meet the needs of the children. We found it to be much more effective to work in small groups within the classroom as the teacher was giving the lesson. As a sole teacher in the room, we were more of a disciplinarian than a teacher.

We thoroughly enjoyed being in a classroom environment where we were able to connect and really get to know the children and the South African school system. We encourage the future volunteers to spend at least one block of their day with one classroom. In addition, a pull out program would be an effective way to truly the help the students. After speaking with Mrs. Jardien and Mrs. Bean, they too agreed that the combination of the two programs would be beneficial for both the volunteers and the students.

WorldTeach History

Being the first time WorldTeach has worked with Marine Primary we faced many challenges and frustrations during our time at the school. In the end, however we were able to establish incredible and lasting relationships with both the students and much of the staff at Marine. We look at our experience as positive and valuable.

Simon's Town is a really beautiful town with many interesting shops to visit. It would get boring for someone who wants to go out at night though. It was not very difficult to meet people from the community as many of the teachers and students at the school live in the community. Also, the citizens of Simon's Town are extremely nice and welcoming in general.

My roles at Simon's Town School were many. My primary role was assisting the 8th and 9th grade life orientation teacher in his classroom. We covered topics such as healthy relationships, self-esteem, and career guidance. My other primary role was as an Arts and Culture teacher. I took over the whole class with another volunteer, as the Simon's Town teacher was out of the school for an extended period of time. I would teach these classes for about 3 hours of my day, with preparation taking approx. 30 minutes per lesson. There were very few resources for Arts and Culture, but the school did provide excellent workbooks. After school on Mondays and Wednesdays I led a group of students in drama/singing lessons, because they expressed interest in the topic. This lasted from 2:15pm-3:20pm. We did vocalization, annunciation, projection, and warm-up exercises. I would also help out with study hall from 7-9pm in the hostel, helping with English and Maths when I could. One of the integral resources I had access to was the copy machine. Lessons could have been very difficult without this resource.

A dorm-style hostel. I lived with one other volunteer and 2 students. We each had a locker to put personal items. There were also communal showers. The hostel has a dining hall. Breakfast in served at 7:30am. It is usually mealies or some wheat and water mixture. Lunch was at 12:20pm. It was either bologna sandwiches, grilled cheese, or eggs and mayo sandwiches. The quality was very poor. Dinner was at 4:45pm and it was little bit healthier, with a meat dish, some rice, and small serving of vegetables. Jaku Vissar (assistant principal) and Godfrey Schlemmer (teacher who lives at the hostel) were very accommodating, inviting us for tea and driving us places. Some of the other teachers helped with travel as well.

The most challenging experience was one the most rewarding as well, living in the hostel. While it was a very hard adjustment to living in a dorm setting again, with the lack of privacy and communal atmosphere, I built amazing relationships with the students in the hostel, and became extremely close to my fellow volunteers, in a way that other volunteers placed in host families did not get the opportunity to experience.

I loved my placement in Simon's Town, though I do agree that this placement takes a certain kind of person who is flexible, optimistic, and hard working.

“I will come back to this table every day!” Vuyo said as he was leaving the Masiphumele Library. He was one of the many learners that eight of the WorldTeach volunteers had the pleasure of experiencing in Masiphumele. This two week reading tutoring program not only encouraged the learners to have a greater love of reading but also gave the volunteers a sense of joy and warmth within their hearts. Each day the learners were filled with excitement waiting for permission to walk upstairs to greet their teachers. The volunteers were always greeted with sparkling eyes, big smiles, hugs, and an eagerness for learning. What was nice about the program was that it was a voluntary choice for the learners to participate in it.

Before starting our reading tutoring program, the eight volunteers were trained by a very knowledgeable woman named Shelley. She has developed a Word Works Program that helps learners get better at and love reading. She provided so much support, materials, and organization to make the two weeks incredibly successful. Even though she did provide us with many supplies, we still recommend that you bring as many books, pencils, crayons, sight word games, and paper as possible. Shelley loves new ideas!

The program was broken up into two one hour sessions. One was 9:30-10:30am, and the second was 10:30-11:30am. We had no break in between the two sessions which made it a little difficult to get ready for the second session, so we recommend that you try and provide one for yourself. All of the volunteers normally arrived around 9:00am and that gave us a half hour to discuss ideas and prepare for the learners. During this time, we read our stories, made sure we had supplies, and practiced games. Organization and dedication was what made our program so much fun!

Each of the volunteers had about 2 to 3 students ranging from grade one to grade four. Each session was divided up into 20-minute parts. The first 20 minutes involved reading one or two stories. During this time it was important to emphasize the students using their finger to follow the words and really trying to sound out words that they didn't know. At times the language and skill variability made things very difficult, but having an alphabet chart handy, going over alphabet sounds, breaking up words, and working with learners later on in the day really seemed to help. If some books seem a little too long or difficult, there was nothing wrong with the volunteer helping to finish the story.

Keeping a flexible and relaxed mind is very helpful. It is important to remember that the students are on their holiday and this experience should be fun and exciting for them. Making animal sounds, imitating certain parts of the story, and attempting to learn and speak their native language always brought a nice sense of comfort and relaxation to the sessions. We always felt it very important to show the students that we appreciate and love their culture and language. Lots of laughs and smiles came every time we tried to speak it! Don't be afraid to get them out of their seats! Try and picture it as if you are reading with a younger sibling, cousin, or neighbor. Having a learner gain a love for reading is the best gift you can give them!

The second 20-minute part of the session is meant to be concentrated on writing. It normally involved pulling words or sentences from the story and having the learners write them and then relate to them by adding a sentence. For instance, for a book about animals, they could write: “Many animals live in the desert. It is dry.” Then they could write a sentence about their favorite animal or an animal of their choice that lives in the desert. The sky is the limit! You can set how many words or sentences they write according to their abilities. Shelley has lots of word cards that you can use to help the learners, but again, you really want to emphasize them trying to sound out the words and spell them on their own. Even if the word is slightly wrong, at least they are getting the practice of sounding it out! Please be mindful of erasing! The learners are constantly aiming to please and looking for reassurance. This can cause the writing part to take a very long time! If it is necessary, you may want to hide the eraser or keep it in your hand and erase their work when needed. They can also draw an illustration to go along with their sentences if there is time. They all love to color!

The last 20 minutes of the session involved playing a word card or board game of some sort. The learners would pick a card with an animal or object on it. They would then have to try and spell that word, read it, or sound it out (depending on their ability level). If they got the word correct, they could then roll the dice and move along the board! The learners always loved this part of the session! Again, helping the students to sound out the word and spell it on their own is very important. If they miss a letter or two, you can help them correct it and then allow them to move along the board. Shelley provided so many games for us, but if you know of any fun ones, bring them along! The only down fall we ran into at times was that we ran out of time to play the game. The writing part is very important and strongly emphasized and it was very easy to get carried away! It was always promised that the game could be played for a few minutes in the beginning of the next days session.

Greatest Rewards

At the end of our two-week holiday session, it was very difficult to say good bye to the library and all of the learners. We did hold a small certificate/prize giving celebration for all of the learners and their parents. We hand made them certificates, and gave them some small prizes that were generously given to us by the Fish Hoek Library.

“The volunteers must not leave,” one of the parents stood up and said. We all had tears in eyes with the overwhelming amount of appreciation we received from the parents, staff, and learners. Another parent said, “I am very proud about the teachers who volunteer themselves to help our children improve reading and writing. Keep it up lovely teachers!” It was a very memorable experience that none of us will ever forget!