Community Service Day 2-St. Augustine’s Catholic School

Today is community service group two’s story (Julianne Viani, Dan Lang, Amanda Knapp, and Kristen Sztyndor)

Today, Group 2 completed our second day of community service at a Catholic School, which teaches children from the ages of 5 up to 18. The four of us got dispersed to different classrooms for the day to help out the teachers. Amanda and Dan went to the classrooms that teach students ages 5 and 6, and Julianne was with 6 and 7 year olds, while Kristen was with a class that consisted of second graders, however, due to the absence of some teachers the class had students who were from upper level grades.

Something that was apparent with the children was that they needed a lot of love and nurturing. The children were constantly hugging us and seeking affection. In speaking with some of the teachers they informed us that they lack that kind of love at home, so they look forward to it at school. We were also told that many of the children are abused at home and that most of them are fatherless and lacking a role model and mentor. While playing and interacting with each other, we observed the use of violence as a normal form of which is a result of their culture and family dynamics. Some children displayed a natural ability to mentor and lead their peers. In the second grade class, two older students (ages thirteen and fourteen) helped teach the younger children their lessons, assisted them with the completion of their assignments, and answered questions. In the younger classes, there were a number of girls that acted as their teacher’s helpers by handing out papers and pencils as well as assisting their fellow peers with class assignments. Also, when one of the students would start crying these girls would comfort their classmates out in the hallway and make the other children feel better. During recess some of the older kids would come and watch over the younger children as they played, because of the lack of teacher supervision. This is one of the major problems with the education system in South Africa; the lack of people in the teaching profession makes it very difficult for the system to grow. Some teachers were from the U.K., Germany, and Holland, while other teachers are native to South Africa. The children are taught in English, Afrikaans, Zulu, and Khosa.

Classes are taught in double-wide trailers, with up to fifty children in a room. The children are two to one desk, and have one pair of scissors for every twelve students. Children also rely on their parents for school supplies and lunch, and some come to school with nothing. Because it is required that all the children share their lunch and school supplies with one another, many only eat a half of a sandwich or less during the day. There are two breaks a day, where the children play unsupervised in a fenced, paved area and eat lunch. We enjoyed spending time with the children, answering their questions, and providing as much love, hope, and faith as we could.

Pictured below Julianne and Kristen with the students!