Yukio Hamada – Mathematics Dept. 
Punahou School
Honolulu, Hawaii.
TEACHERS WITHOUT BORDERS
SOUTH AFRICA PROJECT, SUMMER 2004

IMPRESSIONS

…high school students walking to the workshops in near freezing weather…a veteran teacher crying tears of joy and pride because one of her former students is a teacher at the workshop…a gymnasium of nearly 400 students listening to a lecture on math and eagerly wanting to share their answers…teachers singing a hymn in harmony before opening the workshop with prayer…hearing the National Anthem sung in Xhosa, Zulu, Afrikaans, and English and realizing the struggle for equality and justice still continues…seeing the “informal housing” on our drive from the airport…crossing the bridge from Kwa-Zulu and entering Eastern Cape province and seeing the difference…women carrying bundles of wood on their heads…children carrying water along the roadside…six teachers from Hawaii honored to share their experiences with their South African colleagues…South African teachers encouraged and renewed…myself, humbled and awed by the dedication and call of these teachers to build South Africa and equip their students for the future…Mike Hu’s comment: “You could easily do what we do, but we can never do what you do.”…boarding the plane back to the U.S.A. and wondering “what lies ahead for this potentially great nation?”

As the Hawaii team approached the Vaal University of Technology for our first workshop, we were witness to a steady stream of students trudging on the side of the road to the entrance of the school. I couldn’t believe how many of them there were. It was cold and the temperature was in the mid-30s and who knows what the wind chill was. At the entrance of the school I was surprised to see guards opening the gate to the fenced-in campus and more surprised to see razor wire along the top of the fence. As we pulled up to the main building, I was struck by the bleakness of the campus and dismissed my impressions because I thought the grounds were dry and barren because it was winter. In the distance we could see the steel mill; the grey smoke only added to the bleakness. 

…we teachers should have been the ones cheering these amazing kids…

Like the sun bursting through storm clouds, the dreary mood was suddenly dispelled as the Hawaii team walked into the school’s auditorium for our first session. The room was packed with students and, as we entered, we were greeted with cheers. The energy and enthusiasm were unexpected and overwhelming. And I thought, “There’s no way I deserve this welcome.” And, when Yunus, Gora, and others told us that these students were giving up their vacation time and many of them had walked several miles to be here, it struck me that we teachers should have been the ones cheering for these amazing kids.

…Jim was like a rock star on stage…

That excitement and enthusiasm carried through into the specific topic areas. Jen Hong and Jim Clarke worked with the students in Geometry and Calculus, Joan Rohrbach and Erin Wilson in Physics and Chemistry, and Jim Metz and I in Trigonometry and related topics. In our session, Jim engaged the learners with his warmth and openness. Kids were leaning forward, shouting out answers, and waving their hands to ask questions. There were others huddled together as one student explained the problems and concepts to others. The positive learning environment was nothing like anything I’ve experienced before in my teaching career. Jim was like a rock star on stage.

…these boys were so determined to come to the workshop that they walked all morning…

In our last afternoon session, I noticed a group of five or six young men whom I didn’t recognize. They appeared to me as “jock” types, a little rowdy but definitely enjoying themselves as they worked together to do problems that Jim posed for the class. At the end of the day, we learned that these boys were so determined to come to the workshop that they walked all morning to get to this last afternoon session. Their teacher had forgotten to pick them up and, rather than go home, they opted to come to the workshop. One cannot imagine the dedication and determination of these young people. As a small reward for all the students who attended, they were give ten rand to purchase lunch. To watch them line up for their money made me think that this was such a small token of our appreciation for their effort and dedication. 

…it was heartening to have our South African counterparts share their expertise with us and with each other…

After that introduction, one would expect that anything else that happened on this trip would be anticlimactic. But, to our wonderment, each day on this trip was an amazing adventure. The numbers for the teacher workshops were lower than anticipated because the department of education was conducting its own workshop elsewhere. In addition, some teachers were missing because they stayed away to pick up their pay checks from their schools. Nevertheless, the teachers that were there were eager, enthusiastic, and motivated. The range of experience went all the way from only two years to over 25 years of teaching. One lady had taught during Apartheid when her students had no desks or supplies and she had over fifty students in each of her classes. Rather than coming as “experts” our team wanted to communicate that we were colleagues sharing our ideas and insights with them. As a result much time was spent discussing how to teach various problems and it was heartening to have our South African counterparts share their expertise with us and with each other. 

… Jen brought a lot more than just the math as she shared about Hawaii…
I had the privilege of working with Jennifer Hong, who was working on the Geometry component of the Objectives Based Education curriculum. Jen used a lot of hands-on exercises and it was obvious that the teachers enjoyed the experiential learning. In addition, Jen brought a lot more than just the math as she shared about Hawaii and, when she shared the Punahou legend with the teachers, they listened spellbound. 

… our type of workshop was more helpful because we were addressing their concerns and problems…

In one of the afternoon sessions one of the instructors from the technical institute gave a “powerpoint” presentation on an application of a maximum/minimum problem using areas and perimeters. It seemed to me the presentation was over the heads of many of the teachers. After the session one of our teachers said that the presentation was so typical of the department of education workshops in which some “expert” would tell them how to teach by simply lecturing at them. He said that our type of workshop was more helpful because we were addressing their concerns and problems.

… the highlight was a response by one of the older teachers, a woman who had taught for 28 years, and she movingly shared how proud she was that her student from 24 years ago was now sitting next to her as a teacher…

Our final day in the Vaal was highlighted by a luncheon at the Technorama, a conference center which housed an Apartheid museum. The program began with a dramatic presentation by the staff depicting conditions and events leading to the infamous Sharpeville Massacre. The rest of the program included a slide presentation and speeches and introductions of dignitaries but the highlight was a response by one of the older teachers, a woman who had taught for 28 years, and she movingly shared how proud she was that her student from 24 years ago was now sitting next to her as a teacher. I realized that this kind of testimony was the kind of legacy that Teachers Without Borders wanted to bring to South Africa and to other places in the third world.

The next destination for our South African odyssey was Port Shepstone…

The next destination for our South African odyssey was Port Shepstone on the eastern sea coast. Between the Vaal and the ocean were the vast farmlands of the former Orange Free State from which the white Afrikaners promoted the policies that led to Apartheid. It seemed almost ironic to me that we teachers from Hawaii were on this mission to try to un-do the injustice and inequalities of Apartheid; yet, we seemed oblivious to what the Free State once represented. 

It was amazing that these kids were giving up time during their winter vacation to study math!

Once again, it was the students that captured the spotlight in Port Shepstone. By day’s end, there were probably over 800 students in attendance for these workshops. Our classrooms were jammed to overcrowding. Rooms that were supposed to hold a maximum of 25 students were jammed with over 40 students with students sharing desks and others left standing. Erin and Joan had a larger lecture room and the math people rotated their presentations in the auditorium. When my session came in the late afternoon, I had over 400 students. Someone guessed that it was closer to 500. Despite the crowd, the students were attentive and engaged. Many were more than willing to come forward to present solutions on the overhead. It was amazing that these kids were giving up time during their winter vacation to study math!

Pauline’s dedication and vision has been vital to the success of Teachers Without Borders in South Africa.

As Pauline Duncan, one of the prime movers who worked with Yunus on this project to bring teachers from Hawaii to South Africa, watched the students and their enthusiasm, she was moved to remark that she couldn’t 
believe how excited and focused the students were despite the less than ideal circumstances. Pauline’s dedication and vision has been vital to the success of Teachers Without Borders in South Africa. And, even she teared up, when the students began to sing “Shosholoza” to honor the teachers. It seemed fitting that this song that the miners used to sing in hope as they labored under hopeless conditions would be sung hopefully by these students facing their own futures.

… the addition of Jen, Erin, and Joan was enthusiastically received…

As in the Vaal the workshops with teachers was not nearly has spectacular as with the students but they were still inspiring. The ability level of teachers at Port Shepstone was noticeably higher than in the Vaal. Jen’s hands on projects were again a hit and in the physics and chemistry sections Joan and Erin added similar projects, creating lab tools with everyday things, like a balance with a rubber band, a ruler, and paper clips. They also made silly putty and ice cream to demonstrate certain chemical reactions. Since there were so many women teachers in the workshops, the addition of Jen, Erin, and Joan was enthusiastically received and their teaching styles added a different dimension to the workshop.

It really brought into focus what Yunus had said about “nation building” in South Africa being a by-product of our joint effort as presenters and participants in this workshop.

If there was any doubt on our part that we were appreciated, the teachers who were boarding in a nearby elementary school dormitory for this workshop invited us for a braai and dinner and I was touched by this gesture. And, the final day in the workshop was highlighted by the obvious gratitude and appreciation of the teachers for our efforts and I think all of us were humbled by their dedication and commitment to education. It really brought into focus what Yunus had said about “nation building” in South Africa being a by-product of our joint effort as presenters and participants in this workshop.

…the poverty was apparent from the round mud huts and skinny livestock and barren gardens…

The final leg in our South Africa adventure began as we crossed the bridge from Kwa-Zulu into Eastern Cape and Yunus pointed out a casino that was frequented by the rich whites during Apartheid and noted the irony that the pleasures that they sought were at the expense of the same blacks that they had exploited. As we traveled through Eastern Cape, the poverty was apparent from the round mud huts and skinny livestock and barren gardens. Women and children carrying water or firewood were seen walking along the side of the road. Since it was a Sunday, there were probably more people than usual on the roadside as they waked to or from church services. Although the road was paved, Yunus and Gora dodged the giant potholes that dotted the roadway. Gora had noted earlier that the highway had been paved only a few years earlier and was a marked improvement for travelers. As we crested the coastal mountains and caught a glimpse of the Indian Ocean, the terrain changed dramatically as trees and green vegetation supplanted the dead, dry grasslands of the inland valleys. 

Spectacular vistas of the restless ocean below the verdant green cliffs that we were hiking made every turn on the trail a Kodak moment…

When we arrived at Port St. Johns, it was as if we were in a different world. And, to underline that, Yunus dropped some of us off at Second Beach and encouraged to hike over to Third Beach with Jim Metz as our guide. Spectacular vistas of the restless ocean below the verdant green cliffs that we were hiking made every turn on the trail a Kodak moment. The beauty was indescribable! And, when we arrived at the park reserve where we were staying, we were greeted by several grazing wildebeest and a zebra in an unfenced field. As we approached our cabins, we noticed monkeys eyeing us suspiciously. It was a different world!

… this province was the hardest hit by apartheid…
We discovered that it was indeed a different world in Eastern Cape. Yunus had warned us that this province was the hardest hit by Apartheid. This was where Nelson Mandela and many of the leaders of the African National Congress had come from. This was the province where Black families were relocated from the urban centers to supposedly restore them in their original homelands. This is the province that had little government support for highways, schools, housing, and other essential infrastructure and ten years after the end of apartheid the effects are still evident in the poverty of the region. 

There were no real towns, just small settlements with few or no businesses…

Our drive from Port St. John to Umtata on that Monday seemed to accentuate that picture. It was cold and cloudy and overcast. There were no real towns, just small settlements with few or no businesses. Lots of round mud huts in various levels of upkeep. Small groups of cattle, goats, and sheep could be seen on some the farms – hardly enough to call herds or flocks. As we crested one of the hills, we spotted Umtata in the distance and seeing this large population center was a real contrast to the rural setting on our drive.

There were signs saying “Teachers Without Borders, Math-Science Workshop”…

Seeing the poverty and bleakness, I was expecting the mood to carry over into the workshop. As we entered the teacher training center, we noticed right away that this was going to be different than the Vaal or Port Shepstone. There were signs saying “Teachers Without Borders, Math-Science Workshop” and, as we entered the reception area, there were tables to register the teachers who were participating. The organization and the professionalism were encouraging but, when we entered the auditorium for introductions, the mood of anticipation was overwhelming. I began to wonder if I could even meet their expectations. All of that, plus there were easily over a hundred teachers, more than any of the other workshops we had done. 

What was great that the stronger teachers were eager to work with the weaker ones…

Jen Hong and I split about 60 teachers in the Objectives Based Education workshop, the two Jims had about 25, and Erin and Joan must have had about 60 too. Jen and I were surprised that the level of math sophistication was generally higher than the teachers we had worked with earlier. Of course, there were some who had very little background. What was great that the stronger teachers were eager to work with the weaker ones – talk about cooperative learning! Equally impressive was the willingness of teachers to stand before the others to share how they taught particular types of problems. At the end of the week one of the teachers remarked that she could hardly wait to return to her classes to share some of what she had learned in this week.

There was a sense that they were building a future for South Africa…

That eagerness typified what I saw in the South African teacher – the sense of teaching as a vocation and not merely as a job. There was a sense that they were building a future for South Africa and they took that mission and task seriously. That dedication and commitment was demonstrated on our second day at Umtata when we drove through near freezing temperatures and rain to get to the workshop. Knowing that some of the teachers would be walking and the distances that they were traveling, Yunus and I talked about how we would have to adjust our program because of the smaller number of teachers. Out of the 140 teachers who had attended the first day, we had 138 in attendance despite the weather and hardship! 

…it was obvious that their hope and faith in the future didn’t come from government programs or foreign assistance but from a deeper, spiritual source…

Needless to say, a week with these teachers was an inspiration and an awesome experience. But, what I couldn’t anticipate was what happened in our closing ceremony. As each of members of our team entered the auditorium, the teachers were standing and greeted with us with cheering and the shrill warbling that one hears at athletic contests. The excitement and enthusiasm were electric! All the speeches and accolades by the dignitaries were paled by the heartfelt gratitude of these amazing teachers, many who were in native costume to honor us and their own history. And, as we sang the National Anthem, I couldn’t keep back the tears and I got so choked up that I had to stop singing. These people faced such daunting and overwhelming obstacles and it was obvious that their hope and faith in the future didn’t come from government programs or foreign assistance but from a deeper, spiritual source. 

… the experience is too important and powerful to be limited to those of us who went this past summer

So much had happened in that month in South Africa and it’s really impossible to relate what happened because it was so personal for each of us on the team. But, all of us are grateful for the vision and work of the Peer Family Foundation, Yunus, Gora, Razvi, Firdoz, Yunus Chamda, Pauline Duncan, and the many others who made the South Africa project a reality. When asked if I would go back, I said that I would without question but the experience is too important and powerful to be limited to those of us who went this past summer and other Hawaii teachers should be given this opportunity to work along with our South African colleagues.