My First Day as a GVI Mombasa Teaching Volunteer

Today was our first day of as GVI volunteers teaching Standard 3 at Precious Vision Care Centre. We started off by establishing the rules of the classroom and the children all enthusiastically raised their hands saying “Madam, Madam...Love your teacher” and “Sir, Sir...No Fighting!”

Volunteer Katie with Standard 3

We then asked the children to write three or more sentences about themselves that they wanted me and my GVI teaching partner, Richard, to know about them. This included their names, what they love doing and what they want to be when they grow up. 

 

A few came rushing over and tugged at my shirt with their books, saying ‘I love my new teacher’ and would then bashfully hide their faces and run back to their seats. That’s when I knew what I was in for doing this programme; a rewarding experience that makes you feel grateful for what you had when you were growing up but also admiration for these children’s happiness and loving nature when they have so little. 

Volunteer Katie with Darmarus having a 1 to 1 reading lesson.

Of course there are a couple of children that are cheeky, but that’s the fun of it! I’m looking forward to making relationships and becoming friends with these little people, whilst helping them learn and encouraging their creativity! We’re handing back their tests tomorrow so we’ll see how that goes…

GVI Volunteer,

Katie Lavan.