Well, it seems that the last 2 weeks we will spend in Laifa will be the busiest and most stressful! We have been given a huge budget for World Aids Day, International Volunteering Day and World Disability day - £500 which goes a hell of a long way in Lafia! We can now make those days really special and our team is hoping to set up a social club for the disabled. There is so much to do and so little time!!
The newsletter is coming along slowly. We still have no money to get it printer, but we have someone to help us with the design and who may get us a discount on the printing! Some of the articles that have been written are excellent and at least people will get to know more about GX if they read the newsletter. It may even encourage youths in Lafia to volunteer!
Life at the school is now becoming very interesting - typical now that there's only 3 more days there. The school council set up a debate between two of the senior classes about corporal punishment today and it went so well. It was the first debate the school had ever had and it went down a storm! The kids were cheering and clapping at every good point and they want to have them every week from now on. I was so happy that it was the kids who organised it and not us - they deserve all the praise and it was just great to watch!
We also met with the principal today after wanting to see him for about 3 weeks! We gave him the list of 18 problems with the school that the school council had formulated. I was very nervous about him reading it as one of the points was about a particular member of staff who is a bit of a battle axe. He was more than receptive to all the ideas and we were pleasantly surprised with his response. He said that he will try and implement all the ideas and agreed about the particular member of staff. I said that she just needs to show more respect to the children and stop beating them for their sandals being broken!! We said that she should take on the role of counsellor and mother to the school, rather than disciplinarian. He actually called her to the office while we were ther and asked me to explian what being a mother to the school would involve!!
I just said "if I can give the example of my mother sir - she has only ever shown me love, kindness and respect and as a result, now as a grown woman, she is my best friend. If you want children to respect you, you must gain their trust and respect. It takes time, and their trust has been broken up until now through the use of flogging." We said that they can turn things around, but it won't be easy! He has agreed to change the discipline in the school from now on and has asked us to help him design a discipline scheme!! It was that easy, we just asked, and he agreed.
I am really beginning to feel that we have made a difference at that school. We have the talent competition tomorrow and it's going to be great! If anyone has any ideas about the discipline scheme - please email me as all ideas will be welcomed!
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There are not many "discipline" policies left in schools - rather schools tend to use behaviour policies or positive behaviour.Praise is given for keeping the rules and sanctions exist for non-compliance. Good work on this, you and the team have done brilliantly, under very difficult circumstances. I have emailed you an example of a good policy.
Beti
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