In Ethiopia as a young teacher

I was in South-Ethiopia in Soddo city on a period of 02.-21. January 2016. Amongst other things I gave science lessons to the pupils over there. Main incentive to go there was to experience the different cultural setting and volunteering seemed to be the most best way for getting a genuine experience and most adequate picture of Ethiopia. To gather ideas for the lessons I visited the VHK springfair where a science theatre was held. I also looked over secondary school physics, biology and chemistry textbooks and my own notes. Surfed the internet and paid a visit to Olustvere observatory Orion and to its curator Oskar Kõiv, a physics teacher. Since the number of students in classes in Chora school, where I was to conduct my lessons, average on 60 children the number of experiments that I could do in which all the children ccould participate and for which I could bring materials for from Estonia, remained fairly small. Considering the lack of knowledge of the expecting situation and the limitations to what I was able to take with me I decided upon doing experiments which can easily be repeated with the same materials and suit all age groups.

Static electricity

Experiments

Lesson with the fifth grade

In the lesson with the fifth grade

White and black hair under the microscope

How to use a microscope

The objective of the first experiment was to help the children comperhend the nature of static electricity and general composition of matter more better. We talked about elementary particles, electrical charges and supported the theory with an experiment. I instructed the children to give a charge to a plastic tube by rubbing it and then observed what happens when the tube is held above pepper grains. We proceeded by placing a lanyard above it that was made out of plastic threads. We discussed why one of the substances is attracted to the tube and the other one is repelled from it. I had the children make a drawing of what happens to each of the materials at the atomic level. There was enough activity and exhilaration for 45 minutes and some of the students learned something as well.

In the second lesson I explained the working principle of a microscope and how to use it. We started the lesson by talking about the invention of the microscope. We compared the light microscope, the electron microscope and a scanning tunneling microscope and their working principles. After that we learned how to use the light microscope and took a look at objects at the students choice. Since one microscope per 60 students is not enough not everyone got a chance to take a look. The upside is that when the students should have a chance to use a light microscope in the future they will not dirty the reflector or the lenses with their fingers.

 

 

I started the third lesson by talking about microbes in general. I explained to the students that glitter represents microbes. I asked them to divide into groups of six and strew some glitter into the palm of one children of the group. That student then shook hands with all the other students in the group, touched different objects and proceeded with everyday activities in the classroom. We sat down and started to observe all the places where we could see the glitter. I explained that in a similar way you can find microbes which at first were only on one persons hands. It was interesting for the students to see how microbes spread and what happens to them on washing up.

 

Gallium is a non-toxic metal that has a melting temperature of about thirty degrees. Since the concept of liquid metal fascinated me a lot I decided to buy some of it over the internet. In Ethiopia I talked a bit about Gallium and let a piece of to go around in class. We then used warm water to speed up the melting process. I sent the melted metal in a glass to go around in the class. It seemed to me that some of the student really liked gallium since once it got back to me half of it was gone. Later on it reappeared mysteriously. Even though experiments don’t offer much academic knowledge seeing liquid metal helps to understand the physical states of substances.

If the oppurtunity should present itself to do all those experiments in Ethiopia again I would definately bring along all the necessary materials like soap, bowls and other containers with me from Estonia. Secondly I would run the lesson for a smaller number of students, 10-15 students who are interested in the matter at once to prevent chaos. I did give plenty of thought on how to run the experiments, but did not think about how to involve all of the students. In the first lesson we were busy with the teacher and and a handful of students around one desk while all the other children minded their own business. Lastly I must mention that a number of setbacks resulted from the inability to assess the local oppurtunities. For instance I could not do giant soap bubbles with the children like I had planned because some of the necessary materials were impossible to obtain over there.

I got a real experience of teachers work. I learned that one is not a good teacher when one only knows their subject very thoroughly. Working with people and managing them play an important role, also ones own personal characteristics. I saw what volunteer NGOs are up to and how they present their work to the sponsors. I realised the importance and the hinterland of these activities. I found out that what people far away imagine hardly corresponds to the reality. Without the experience of having been there it is hard to comperhend the reality. What is important and valued in developed countries might not be there and the other way around. My picture of the world grew wider thanks to this experience. I revalued some of my priorities. I came to the conclusion that the world is much more varied than I had previously thought.

A practical thesis can be seen HERE

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