This August trained teacher Delia volunteered to give numeracy and literacy tuition for children at the local Institution that we visit. The return travel takes 5 hours from her home city and, because of her work commitments, she is only able to come on a Sunday. Kati, HANNAH’s social worker says of Delia:
“Delia has a talent, an ability to teach with heart these children. She entered in the heart of children. These children are thirsty to learn.”
What a blessing it is to have people like Delia! Here’s what Delia had to say:
It was good and at the same time difficult with the children, but I expected it to be so. I could not go into the classroom, because a day before one of the children slammed the door and it couldn’t be opened. The assistant gave me the keys for the storeroom; I quickly arranged the benches so that we could have enough room for the groups and finally everything was all right. It was hot, if I tried to leave the door open for draught, the other children came and disturbed us. Even then, they came to the windows. I divided them into two groups, but the others came to the window or to the door. At some point I was very firm with them, I asked them to leave us to work and that they go out to play.
One of the successes was that on Sunday G. learnt to count and write the multiplication table, it seemed to me that he could understand the most, A. understood it as well, but she still needs to do more exercises.
I received some text books from my cousin, she was very happy that she could give us support, she even didn’t let me pay anything for them. I started to do some exercises from them, but some are too difficult for them, so they will do the easiest at the beginning.
I was very happy that A. asked me if she could take some periodicals with her to her dormitory, so that she could work from them during the week.
Most of them are very clever and understand quickly what I say. It is true that there are children who distract to cover up what they don’t know or simply they are not yet interested to learn. But all of them have thinking brains.
Also M., the brother of G., is very clever and eager to learn. During the session something happened with him, I was very sorry for him. I had the second group, he was too. The door was shut, so that we could stay in peace from the others. M. was near the door and at some point a child from outside said: “Come, your father is here, he wants to see you!” I went to the door happily as well for his father coming, but when I opened it those who were outside began to laugh saying that they cheated him. I felt sorrow for him…