Acholli End of Term Teacher’s Meeting
On Sunday 20th April all the teachers from the Northern Empowerment Centres (in the Acholi region) gathered at Lamunyungu. These include Acii, Amur and Lamunyungu teachers.
I delivered the message that sister Shebear gave to me for the teachers. They were happy to hear this.
“Talk about not comparing one child to another instead praise the progress the individual child has made. Every child has their own unique skills and passions and as leaders/guides it is our job to help them find them and encourage them in their passions.
If a child can teach/help another with their work then this child really knows their topic.
In Empowerment Centres, everyone is equal. Children are equal to staff, and parents are equal. We are all made by God, brothers, and sisters together. If a child is misbehaving, then there must be an issue somewhere in their life. They feel unsafe. Engage that child in a positive way, perhaps they like cleaning the chalkboard. Encourage that child to talk about their problem. If they won’t talk to an adult, ask them to tell an animal or a tree. Do not use force to try to calm anger and upset. Every child needs at least one adult they can trust and turn to If they have problems. A child that has a supportive adult will become a good adult.
Another thing to talk about is how can the Empowerment Centres make some of their own income. For example the selling items and you charge for them to have a stall at your sales event.”
We discussed the approach and learning we were going to deliver to the children and decided that we would have one timetable that would suit all three Centres and occasionally swap teachers to another centre in the area to help strengthen and support the those struggling:
All the centres have their own land though not big but at least it can provide for something good!!!
We also discussed ways we could get an income from the resources we already have at the centres, for example, raising rabbits and chickens and keeping bees.
The meeting was so good and we shared much openly after giving them a brief background of the Centres, now they know where they belong and I shared the message you sent with them, they were so happy.
About their own income, we gave them options of projects like Bee keeping, Rabbit rearing, chicken rearing etc, so they will choose and make proposals then we wait faithfully. That’s now the 2nd term’s plan.
We will be having such meeting every last week of the term. And we suggested that we can be exchanging teachers, we will make one timetable that suits all the three centres to strengthen and support the weak!
Blessings and Peace to you all! Generous