Classroom Lessons

After watching the short video clip located in my last blog post the students in my class were asked to write and submit a short summary.  Here are a few summaries.  Students are learning to read, write and demonstrate media awareness!

         Erin writes:

Basketball Story Video

I think that the basketball story was about the St. Catherine’s School learning to play basketball and then playing against other schools.

A girl from the St. Catherine’s school named Catherine gives Truedell their thanks. Truedell played a part in the bball story by raising money to bring a bball to Africa.

The team won all 5 games and they played by working together, being positive, and believing that anything is possible!

Hayden Writes:

My Africa Journal!

The basketball team at St.Catherine`s school in Africa was sponsored by our school Truedell. We raised enough money for the team to get a dirt packed court and hoops and wooden backboards  and a few basketballs. They made it to the finals with many hard fought victories. Catherine, their announcer, was helping her team by cheering them on with little updates. She mentioned our school and Kingston Impact. St.Catherine`s school won the finals in first place and had lots of fun playing basketball. They are going to have a cement court. They will also have a girls team soon so the girls can join in on the fun!

Quinn writes:

The basketball story is about St. Catherine’s School going for gold and having fun when they play basketball.  Truedell Public School got them started playing basketball and now they are really, really, really, happy. Yay, for Truedell Public School and St. Catherine’s School but it’s getting BIGGER.  Soon the team will have a paved basketball court and then they will have a bunch of trophies and have lots and lots of fun too!  Yay for basketball!  WOOHOO!!

Basketball Tournament Recap

Thank you to John Geddes for creating and sharing this great compilation of photos, videos and special moments from the big day.  Watch and enjoy!https://youtu.be/LYFKlY1ZTig

Success in More Ways Than One!

We won!  Incredibly, a team who was largely unfamiliar with the game a short time ago, rallied and worked together to win all of their games.
The day was hot and sunny, a day for dreams to come true.  The boys looked so serious when I spoke to them before the last game.  I told them how proud I was of them, that they had overcome challenges to get to this point, how they had already achieved great success. I told them that no matter the outcome of this, the final game, I was proud of them.
We were playing the Manyatta Arabs Dragons in the final.  This was the only team to truly challenge us in round robin play.  The last time we played them the game had gone into double overtime but we had come out victorious.  I was concerned that the boys were tired, that they might be nervous with their muzungu sponsor watching on the sidelines.  But I had no reason to worry.  The boys came out strong and never looked back.  They dominated the entire game and were the clear victors.  We got the "Disney" ending after all.
When the trophy presentations were made, I was asked to present the Championship trophy.  This was a true honour!  I had travelled so far to witness this great event, but in that moment, I felt like I was just down the road from home.  I felt that if I turned my head I might see my own son, standing in pride, waiting to play a little one-on-one with any boy who still had energy to spare.  Perhaps, what I was seeing was a future event.  For I will be back.
We have momentum now and have demonstrated success.  Our action plan is developing and there is no turning back.  There is a lot more work to do but there is joy in this work.  Joy!

So, where was the success?  It was everywhere and in everything.  There was success, for sure, in the outcome.  There was success in the level of play of all of the teams.  These was success in the observed discipline, strength and sportsmanship exhibited by the players.  There was success in the presence of a girls' teams in the tournament.  There was success in having the ability to witness the fruits of our labours.  Thank you LDSB.  You helped to make it possible for my dreams to come true. There was success in the support received from many.  This support made this moment possible.  Thank you Truedell Public School.  Thank you Kingston Impact.  Thank you Lakers Basketball.  Thank you ETFO Limestone Local.  Thank you John Geddes for the encouragement to pursue this dream and for all of your help along the way.  Thank you to Dan Otieno, who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to coordinate my time there as well as to purchase poles, backboards, shoes, etc.  Thank you Donald Mark for coaching this team, for choosing to overcome adversity, for sticking with the plan and helping to make this happen. Thank you to John Oloo, from Yala, who helped to coach the team and to Patrick, from Kisumu, the tournament convenor.  Thank you to my husband and my son, who always support me in these adventures.  And, thank you to all of the individual donors, too numerous to mention individually, who gave generously to support these great boys, this great team.

My students understood the success, even before I did, it seems.  When asked the value of this basketball story earlier this fall, their response bears repeating.  "Well, that's easy Mrs. Grew.  This story has taught us that "Anything is Possible".  SUCCESS!

Anything is Possible

Three, two, one... basket!

Look at the two boys in the foreground.

Beautiful outdoor setting for a tournament.

Playing the girls' team,

Water is life!

Time to play.  Communicate!

Made a few new friends!

Enjoyed eating lunch with these powerful girls.

Patrick, John Geddes, John Oloo and Donald Mark!  Team!

Basketball Success Story Part One: Getting there!

Today was the day of the tournament.  The big day was here!  A day to witness the fruits of "our" labours.  This was a true team effort and it was immediately evident how the coaches and the boys worked hard to achieve success. Many of these boys were relatively inexperienced with the game of basketball.  They had been working together since last February and they worked diligently to learn the many aspects of the game.  They went five for five, winning all of their matches, including the Championship final game.  "Kingston's Team in Kenya" came away with victory but the success was not all basketball.  My Truedell students say that the "big idea"of this basketball story is that "anything is possible".  Today's outcome is direct evidence of that!

Anything is Possible!

Once again I awoke to the crow of the rooster.  It is never surprising to hear and see farm animals on city properties and streets in Kenya.  On this, my fourth visit, the appearance of a cow on the road is not even newsworthy.  We set out around 8:55 am to travel to the school grounds where Kingston's Team would be joining 5 other teams in a tournament.  Getting there was an adventure in itself.  After  all, this is Africa!

Dan was firm in his statements and reminders that we should be ready to leave by 8:30 am.  John and I, therefore, were outside and ready to go close to that time.  We waited and waited for Dan, who arrived 20 minutes later, saying, "there is time".  This is Africa.  Into the car and off we went.  After driving for 20 minutes to a destination that was supposed to be 10 minutes away, even Dan had to admit that we were lost.  How could this happen, you may ask?  Well the answer is not one, but many.  First the location given was not clear.  Second, the school listed was one of several in the region with the same name, and third, there are no street names or signs to direct you.  Finally, Dan got directions by cell phone and two minutes later we were there.  But where the heck were we?  This was not the school listed on the tournament schedule.  We pulled in and the staff member present had no idea about a tournament and there were no children evident.  Just when my stress level was about to peak, (I had travelled some 15000 km to attend a game and we were now about 30 minutes late) I turned my head and there was Donald, the coach.  He told us that the boys were just "over there", indicating the direction with a casual wave of his hand which could have meant just about anywhere. In reality it meant an entirely different school a few more minutes down the road.

"Ok, well let's go".  "No, not yet, you need to be received by the Chairman", said Donald.  My stress level continued to increase.  "Received?  Why are we being received here when the tournament is somewhere else. The answer was not immediately clear but nonetheless we were escorted through the school grounds, into the building where the Chairman welcomed two very confused muzungus into his office.  (Muzungu is the African word for white person).  After introductions we were given a bottle of water and then we went back out the car and followed the Chairman to the school where the tournament was being held.  Later, it was explained to us that the Chairman was the convenor of the tournament and it had been his request that we come to his school to be received.  The fact that we had gotten lost and were now late was never considered.  There was no reason to modify plans, to adapt the schedule to account for our time lost in travel.  There was a planned program and they were sticking to it.  This is Africa!

Needless to say, we arrived, now more than an hour late.  It didn't matter though as nothing had started and not all of the teams had even arrived.  The stress it seems was all John's and mine.  Everyone else was not concerned.  This was a normal day for them.  Time has its own schedule here and despite the fact that we were an hour late, in the end we were, in fact, early!  In my next entry I will tell you more about the tournament but I will leave you now with this photo of the winning team, Kingston's Team in Kenya.

The boys relax after achieving victory!  Go boys!  Go Team!

Song, Dance and Strategic Planning

I awoke from an African dream to the crowing of a rooster, only to discover that it wasn't a dream. I am here! 

Another beautiful and productive day in Africa. Had two successful strategic planning sessions related to plans to develop basketball in the Siaya District of Kenya. Plans are in place in two schools, proving that, in fact, some dreams can come true.   #AnythingisPossible

John Geddes and I arrive to the gifts of song and dance.

My first African Selfie with girls from Ramula Secondary

John performs the ribbon cutting ceremony.

Looking out on my world.

Donald Mark appreciates gifts from Kingston Impact and Lakers Basketball Organizations and the Vreeken family.
Go Team!  Kingston's Team in Kenya!!!

Meeting the team for the first time.

Let the Games Begin.

Looking to the Stars

She was there!

Ramula Secondary wants to Play!!!

Build it and they will play!

When people ask why I am encouraging children in Africa to play basketball, I tell them that basketball is a great sport and it teaches important life lessons.  It is fun and it does not require expensive equipment.  The skills needed can be learned in some degree by all or most children.  Why basketball?  "Why not?", I say.

The bottom line is that it is not really about basketball, it is about having the opportunity to play and learn and enjoy.  Basketball is the vehicle by which children can learn skills to be successful in life.  Skills like leadership and communication.  Skills like team work, sportsmanship, and collaboration.  Skills like problem solving, how to win with humility and how to lose with dignity.  Ask yourself if these are important skills and if you feel that they are then I think you can appreciate that playing basketball can encourage leadership for the future.  As adults, these young basketball players will apply the skills that they learn on the court to all aspects of their daily life.  They will be leaders in their communities and they will impact the world positively in ways which we can only hypothesize.

If you are still questioning whether playing the sport of basketball is important, well, don't take my word for it.  Recently I asked my class if sports were important?  "Of course", they replied and then they went on to tell me all the reasons why.  Here they are:

Benefits of Playing Sports

By Grade 4/5 Students

                  We have been discussing the benefits of playing sports and this week we wrote about this topic.  Together we came up with many benefits.  They include:

·       Sports can strengthen your confidence.

·       Sports help you to get good exercise.  Exercise is good for your body.

·       Sports can strengthen your muscles.

·       Playing a sport can help your concentration in the classroom.

·       Playing a sport can help you to deal with sad feelings.

·       Sports help you to get rid of extra energy.

·       Sports help you to focus more.

·       Sports can help you develop teamwork!

·       Sports help you to live a happy life!

·       Sports can help you to be a better problem solver.

·       Sports can help you to deal with competition.

·       Playing sports can help to make you healthy.

·       Playing sports helps you to have fun!

·       Sports can help you to be flexible.

·       Sports can improve your balance.

·       Playing sports teaches you about good sportsmanship.

·       Sports can teach you to be responsible.

·       Playing a sport can be inspiring!

·       Sports can help you to be a good winner and a good loser!

·       Playing sports is better than doing nothing.  You won’t get bored.

·       Playing sports can help you to make new friends.

·       Sports can help you to develop courage.

·       Sports can help you to travel.   For example, you may travel to tournaments.

·       Sports can challenge you.

·       Sports can teach me that I can do anything if I believe in myself.

·       And yes, if I am lucky, if I have skill and talent and if I work hard I may even be a professional athlete!

Coming home!

People often ask me, "Why Africa? Why do you want to keep returning there?" My response, if I give it, is that I feel like I am going home. 

Returning again yesterday, I was anxious to know if my reaction would be the same. It was. If anything, with each return visit, the feeling intensifies. 

It is hard to describe without sounding overly dramatic but when I step off the plane and out into the moment, my body is bombarded with a sensory overload whose impact, it seems, serves to awaken my DNA. Latent chromosomes lying deep within each cell are triggered awake by the scent of woodsmoke, the heat of the sun's rays and the buzz of bird song. My retinas are stimulated by a delicious array of colour and images. Flowers, green plants, symbolic shapes and motifs, activate optic nerves that have long waited to transfer these same impulses to the nerves of my brain. 

In summary, the combined effect of all of these stimuli serve to awaken in me a consciousness that has been dormant for the many months or years since my last visit. The feeling is like walking across the threshold of your family home after having been away for far too long. Like walking across the threshold and into the welcoming arms of your mom. It feels like, "ahh, I am home!"

Many people reading this will question my sanity. Nancy is being melodramatic, they will say. A few people though, will get it. Those few have felt the same sensation when returning to their own part of the world.

This part, this place, is mine!

A Basketball Journey Has Begun

The long anticipated trip to Kenya has begun.  It first involved a train ride to Toronto followed by a 25 minute ride on the UP light rail train with direct service to the airport.  This was a pleasant way to avoid the winter storm that appeared to bid us farewell.

Once at the airport our luggage was checked.  Boarding for the 12 hour flight to Dubai involved surviving a crush of passengers at the gate.  Given that we all had assigned seats the mob scene made no sense.  It was a "Gong Show".  (Students you can google and find out what this means to "Old Mrs. Grew".)

The same chaos continued onto the plane where all of these same people tried to crush multiple pieces of carry-on luggage into overhead bins designed for much smaller bags.  This pushing, crushing and heaving continued for 20-30 minutes delaying our departure from the gate.  Finally, when all bins were safely secured we taxied to the runway and took off.

The flight itself was uneventful and I managed to sleep for part of the 12 hour journey.  The Dubai airport was not busy and my layover was quite pleasant and relaxing.

The next flight took us from Dubai to Nairobi.  These flight maps taken off the screen on the back of the seat in front of me are what I would like my students to study and research(see photos and questions below).

This flight was followed by a second short flight from Nairobi to Kisumu.  It was great to arrive, check into my hotel and go for a walk in the bright Kenyan sunshine.

Students, study these photos and see if you can find good answers to the questions below:

Q.1  There appears to be a blue shape moving across this map of the world and our flight path.  What do you think this shape represents?

Q.2  Why do you think the shape appears to be moving?

Q. 3  What do you think that the vertical lines mean on the bottom map?