Caption: Projects Abroad staff with foreign volunteer students and students of Namaka Public School and children from the Treasure Home Nadi. PHOTO BY: ASHTOSH SINGH
BY ASHTOSH SINGH
“Tell me and I forget, Teach me and I remember, Involve me and I learn” – Benjamin Franklin
With their third year in bringing volunteer student teachers from overseas countries for internship programmes, Projects Abroad Fiji this year has brought 15 foreign student teachers from Norway including United Kingdom, Germany and France.
The Jet news today went for a visit at Nadi’s, Namaka Public School where 15 of these young, bright and energetic teachers were carrying out teaching activities with 50 students from Namaka Public School and children from the Treasure Home in Nadi.
The foreign students teaching Maths, English, history and Fun activities like Sports and Dancing were all involved in their tasks.
Project coordinator for Projects Abroad Fiji, Mere Gaunavou said that,” We have been taking out these programs mainly in the second term of holidays, since 2011 and this helps us as teachers and our children to learn more from these students that are here and willing to share what they know and in return it builds their confidents to be future teachers”.
She added that these students come on a 3 months basis and return back after teaching various subjects at different schools allocated to them.
Lisbeth J O’ssang, from Norway a student doing her Bachelors in Social Care from the “Diakon-hjemmet University” said,” Fiji is a very nice place to live in, its warm, the people and children are always smiling and polite, it feels like Iam being cared”.
Mrs. Gaunavou also took time to thank the management of Namaka Public School for giving their space and facilities to use for the programme to be successful and the team is planning to get a lager number of students next year if other schools do step in.
Namaka Public School’s class 7 student, Caroline Ruth a pioneer of the Holiday School programme said,” “these teachers teach us many new things which also gives us a chance to improve on our Math’s and English during the holidays so that we can get good marks in the exams”.
Meanwhile, as of next week these 15 students will be taking up teaching at various schools in the Nadi area before they head back in October.