JGI Environmental Educators

Strategies for EE

2010-03-21T04:12:00.000-07:00

Review known
CL
Experiential

BUSINGIRO Forest Education Centre (Tues)

2010-03-21T03:45:00.000-07:00

Tuesday morning saw us climbing on to a bus for our trip out to Busingiro Centre. That is, all except for a very pregnant Aidan (letting Meg breathe a sigh of relief). Busingiro is part of the Budongo Forest which is an area that JGI-Uganda used to manage. On the other side of Budongo is Kaniyo Pabidi forest where JGI staff have worked to acclimatize

the chimps to humans. As a result of the work of JGI, various areas of the forests became popular with the ecotourists and started to generate money. The National Forest Association then took over the management (and “ownership”) of the forest.

The Forest Education Centre is still funded by JGI to teach local students about the environment.

Vincent introduced us to the centre, after we stopped staring at and taking photos of the incredible forest mural that covered one complete wall! He explained how the Primary 6 students in local schools were selected to partcipate in forest programs dealing with Uganda's place in Africa, the Budongo Forest (where we are right now), the importance of wildlife to all of us and in particular to those Ugandans who live close to it - and gave examples of how he would develop the attitudes of students to consider the forest as their home and to take care of it the same way. Vincent's thoughtful, and skilled answers to our questions was a lesson in itself in weaving related, relevant issues into answers.

Then, Vincent and Amon divided us into 2 groups and gave us guided tours of the area. This was followed by a snack of boiled egs and chapatis packed by the Hotel Arabis then eco-games to show both the negative as well as the potentially positive impacts of humans on our environment.

Masindi District Teachers Sun-Wed

2010-03-16T03:35:00.000-07:00

Sunday morning we got going early in the morning. Michael came by with a JGI van and picked me up from Gately about 8 am. We drove to Kampala where we picked up both Edna and Aidan. Kampala is a crazy busy city with roads doing in all directions and cars driving in 3 lanes where there are really only supposed to be two! Many kudos to Michael and his driving skills – avoiding the people and taxis that came from no-where – and most of the bicycles. However, there isn’t much a driver can do when a cyclist is determined to turn and cross right in front of you!

We made it to the town of Masindi about noon, and to the Hotel Arabis – a pretty place just off the main road with a large compound of fields and trees and palms. Of the two conference rooms, we got the best one! It’s a bit smaller, but round and filled with windows (think breezes coming through windows!).

A good number of the teachers were already there waiting comfortably in the shade getting to know each other. After the teachers registered we went across the veranda for lunch: Matoki (of course), rice, fish, greens and some veggies. EXCELLENT!! Sitting outside in the shade and the breeze while eating lunch beats being stuck indoors anyway.

After introductions, and a pre-workshop questionnaire, the teacher participants were introduced to the Environment, reviewed the Ugandan education system with respect to the Environment then Environmental Education.

The Ugandan primary curriculum is very packed and heavy. In addition, all of the students have to write an end-of-year exam set by the Education Ministry – which is very challenging. The elementary schools are called primary and go from primary 1 through primary 7. The P7 students have to write a Primary Leaving Exam, the results of which have huge ramifications for the students, teachers and schools. The highest pass is a “first”, and the more “firsts” that occur in a school has a lot to do with the school’s reputation and credibility. More parents will bring their children to a school which has a reputation for achieving many “firsts” and those teachers will also be popular and well known. What is not mentioned though is that some schools can run 2-3 P7 classes while smaller rural schools will only have one class which can have more than 100 students (one teacher. Not surprisingly, there is a huge pressure for the teachers to teach to the exam – as in all countries that have exit exams (e.g., Germany, some US States). It is very important that those students who are capable of earning firsts on these exit exams do so – for themselves, their teachers and their school’s reputation.

Aidan, with her 10 years of teaching experience, made a point of emphasizing that what we will be doing in this workshop is something the teachers are already doing to some degree, and this is not creating more content to be addressed, but involves integrating Environmental Education (EE) into lessons already happening.

The Education Ministry wants EE to be integrated into all of the curriculum. This exactly like Ontario, where the Roberta Bonder report has been and is being incorporated into all of the Curriculum revisions. All courses and subjects in Ontario, from grades 1 through 12 must now have and EE focus for at least one of their units.

It’s important to make clear that the teachers do not to add more to their curriculum, or to make huge changes in what they do with their classes. We are here to give them additional “tools” to put into their “toolbox” of teaching skills. We are also here to make everyone more aware about Environmental Education and how to incorporate it into the lessons they already do – and show how the books and posters created by JGI can be used in their classrooms.

The teachers examined the role of posters in communicating information about the Environment. Then, they had a few moments to see the types of posters provided on the JGI packages that can be used in P5, P6 and P7 classes.

Snow Balls and Angels

2010-03-13T08:50:00.000-08:00

Hey there Hannah, Valerie, Ronnie, June, Allan, Jane, Alda, Ariana, Elton, Allen, Leslie, Julia and Jannis (and Shamir and Thomas in spirit) – your snow “activities” have been the biggest hit!

The snowballs, snow angels and snow people have been SO popular with everyone from a grade 7 class, JGI, Gately and N’gamba Island staff – among others!

Well done and thank-you.

It's the Cast!

2010-03-11T04:25:00.000-08:00

It's the cast!
Not only is everyone "sorry" that I have to wear one, but the many surreptitious as well as the more startled stares I have been getting are all related to my "cast" - or rather, all the writing on it.

Ugandan's leave their white "plasters" white - and do not write on them.

OMG - she's 10 months pregnant!

2010-03-08T22:54:00.000-08:00

Today is a National Holiday in Uganda - Women's Day.
So, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect when I walked to JGI.

Back at Gately

2010-03-07T16:08:00.000-08:00

It really was like coming home!

Chris (who I recognized) and Gloria (who has started working at Gately since we were last here) were waiting for me at the airport...just outside the doors!
When we got to the van, I did exactly the same thing I did when Carol picked us up 18 months ago; I walked to the right-hand side of the van and wondered why there wasn't a door there...and why there was a steering wheel in the front. Ooops!
When we got to Gately, Juliette was there with her "You are welcome".
I was so delighted when Chris showed me to the same room that Allie and I shared 18 months ago. I was home!

After dropping off stuff into the room, I came back out to the patio/dining area for a Nile beer and to catch up with old friends.

After bragging to Judy Kay that I never had problems with jet lag, my body promptly made me into a liar. I didn't sleep for hours - then woke up around noon (Uganda time). Given that Uganda is 8 hours ahead of Toronto, it was a respectable 4 am - kinda'.

Sunday, I woke up at 7am and seriously considered going to Jinga. ...and no, Dr. Dvali, Lisa and the other OT's at Toronto Western...it wasn't to go white-water rafting! It would be an easy trip - catch the next taxi to Kampala (easily done since they all have someone hanging out the window saying, "Muzungu* - come to Kampala". It's easy to pick up a bus at the taxi park in Kampala, tho' I was given advice to sit near the front where the driver could see me - which should improve his driving. But - sleep won out. I crawled out of bed at noon (again) to wake up with some fresh Ugandan coffee. A very lazy day of reading and napping followed - a perfect cure for the previous UTS work weeks (does anyone there work less than 60-70 hours? I don't think so!)

* Mazungu - a white person from the west

Ugandan Wildlife Education Centre

2010-03-06T17:57:00.000-08:00

After a lazy morning and a great lunch, I meandered down the road to the Ugandan Wildlife Education Centre. I spent a couple of hours watching the wildlife and trying to take some good pics...while wearing this 1/2 cast.
I was impressed with some of the local primates...notice the Red Colobus reading the sign about his kin, the Black and Whte Colobus.
Last time I was here, the lions couldn't be found, but today, they were out relaxing in full view of the human primate gawkers.
The Shoebill Stork has moved outside into a wetlands exhibit - which was nice to see.

I've posted some of the pics from the Center at the side.

Ugandan Skies

2010-03-05T21:00:00.001-08:00

Almost there! Only an hour or so more to wait until the plane lands at Entebbe Airport.
I wonder if the money exchange office will be open?
I wonder if The Gately Inn will remember to send someone to pick me up? The plane is going to land late.
Will the Gately still seem like home away from home? Will they remember me?
Will I still be hit by the deep, rich smell of Uganda after the brisk, clear smell at the end of a Canadian winter?
Will I remember to speak slowly, since I'm the one who will have the accent?
Will I remember to stay in the shade so this white "winter" skin doesn't get fried?
Will I like Aidan (the education officer at JGI Uganda)?

I can hardly wait!