A AT A TIME

(A WAY FORWARD FOR PEOPLE WITHOUT OWN HOMES TOWARDS POVERTY ERADICATION IN LESOTHO BY THE YEAR

2020)

MPHO PHAKISI Email address: mphophakhisi@gmail.com

Cell No.+26658866541

School contact number: +266-22324998

School Name: Phethahatso English Medium Community

City: Maseru (Mohalalitoe)District: Maseru

Class 6

Subject: Social studies

Innovative workshop center: Maseru

STATISTICS OF PEOPLE IN LESOTHO WITHOUT THEIR OWN SHELTER

(2005-2010)

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20

40

60

80

100

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

years

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Project Description

The project that is on collaboration and community is in line with Lesotho’s Vision for the year 2020 to eradicate Poverty as per Learners curriculum on effects of rapid population growth, both socially and economically. Learners, through curiosity wanted to know why there were so many people without their own homes? because rentals were high on tenents, hence clay was in abundance. They asked themselves questions as to whether this was due to rapid population problems or just that citizens were lazy to tap their rich resources .On this, they were assigned in groups with different task to find out the real cause from the community, parents etc. Interviews were conducted with the community and a local brick industry next to the school on how to make the Vision a reality. They , during the later stage of the project, helped in brick laying to build a Piet house to be handed over to some homeless people who always loiter in the school to beg learners for food etc. Findings on thier Research were later presented to the Assistant Minister of Home Affairs to Parliament for further consideration.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION The project that is on collaboration and community

is in line with Lesotho’s Vision for the year 2020 to eradicate Poverty as per Learners curriculum on effects of rapid population growth, both socially and economically. Learners, through curiosity wanted to know why there were so many people without their own homes? because rentals were high on tenents, hence clay was in abundance. They asked themselves questions as to whether this was due to rapid population problems or just that citizens were lazy to tap their rich resources .

On this, they were assigned in groups with different task to find out the real cause from the community, parents etc. Interviews were conducted with the community and a local brick industry next to the school on how to make the Vision a reality. They , during the later stage of the project, helped in brick laying to build a Piet house to be handed over to some homeless people who always loiter in the school to beg learners for food etc. Findings on thier Research were later presented to the Assistant Minister of Home Affairs to Parliament for further consideration.

Phethahatso school

CONTEXTLearners at school

Bing map of School

Photo of School

Learners with teacher

PROJECT LEARNING DESIGN AND STRUCTURE

Objectives & Learning outcomesi. To use Technology as a means to 21st Century skills for learning to be able to identify

problems of rapid population growth and its effect socially and economically on development of the country.

ii. To be able to draw awareness to the Community on ways of solving rapid population problems through use of tapping its rich resources to demonstrate self reliance

iii. To demonstrate Lesotho’s raw material through appropriate Technology use

o Main components of project

Learners, Community, Brick, Poverty, Vision, Eradication, Rapid population, effects

o Time frame of project The project is ongoing because it is part of the country’s Vision 2020 plan. Learners

have started this project and are still working on it since it was their quest to help in eradicating poverty in the country.

o Students Planning & assessment Students planned their work by working together in groups whereby brainstorming and

interviewing were done both in and out of the class and even under trees to take decisions as of the old. Lots of assessment criteria and materials were used. Examples are in embedded work.

Learners assessment type Microsoft Office Word Document

BUDGET FOR A SINGLE ROOM HOUSE

ONE BRICK A TIME       BUDGET FOR A HOUSE    

MATERILAL NEEDED   QTY UNIT PRICE ACTUAL    

BRICKS   5900 M1.40 M8,260.00    

RAFTERS   6 M106.70 M640.20    

ROOFING SHEETS   6 M85.00 M510.00    

DOOR FRAME   1 M200.00 M200.00    

WINDOW FRAME   3 M45.00 M135.00    

WINDOW GLASS   12 M14.00 M168.00    

DOOR   1 M179.00 M179.00    

    TOTAL M631.10 M10,092.20    

 

EVIDENCE OF LEARNING

LEARNERS IN CLASS ON IDEAS

Learners typing information on Computers

Learners gathering information from community

Learners help in brick laying

Piet house

COLLABORATION

Students collaborated with the community (brick laying community next to their school), with the general public through interviewing, parents and shared information with the class 7’s of their school, and finally, the World at large on a blog as well as the Assistant Minister of Home Affairs to present their findings which was covered by the T.V. Lesotho group.

The learning activity, with reference to the Syllabus for Class 6 requires Students on the topic to discuss the social and economic problems caused by rapid population growth to gain skills of decision making, problem solving and attitudes such as awareness and, cooperation and appreciation.

Collaboration has made my learners aware that learning is not only confined to the four walls of the classroom, but can also be extended beyond the four walls to make learning fun as new approaches are used everyday to gather, process and present information. Learners attitude towards homework and others has improved tremendously and parents bear witness to that through Parent Teacher Interviews held at School quarterly.

KNOWLEDGE BUILDING

Learners have acquired the knowledge of building a house.

They worked beyond the classroom. Interviewing the community and gained the skill of

communication and higher order learning.

Sensitizing the community about the problem through the use of flyers and coming up with

solution together with the community at large.

Learners have acquired understanding and problem solving skills and to be independent

using time efficiently and profitably as way of management that is crucial to life and different

ways of assessing their own work

LEARNING BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

The learning activity has brought awareness to learner’s that unless something is initiated, it will only be a paper work, and for things to get doing, it calls for one people, one nation to work towards the same vision to bring into reality and they employed practices of the old as solving problems and taking decisions “under the tree” as our ancestors did.

Students solutions/findings are shared with the real world through issuing of flyers and creating a blog that has attracted so much comments. The community at large come to the school to share their joy on the project and to see the Piet building donated to the homeless.

USE OF ICT FOR LEARNING

Student used ICT to support learning when they go on field trips, have to gather more information in line with a given work at school and use of teacher’s laptop connected to the internet to view how some countries learn in 21st Century time as a way of motivation to make learning fun, innovational and creative.

Use of ICT enables new knowledge because they get out of the box to gather more as was remarked by the Assistant Minister of Home Affairs in her office during the visit. Without the use of ICT, Learners would not have been able to share easily and process information, but now ICT has made it possible for their findings and project spread like lightning at not much cost but minimal.

Tools used have made learners to appreciate their own work, because they have gone beyond the original use of it to help in learning. Examples are Cell phones and Digital cameras that were used to capture photos were more memorable through Auto collage creation into one photo, Enjoying the project through songs using Songsmith and listening back to their own songs using Songsmith made it even more fun. Lastly reaching to the community through flyers that carried their message “ A brick at a time” and their blog.

TEACHER AS INNOVATOR AND CHANGE AGENT

Through this project and that of my mentor’s Peer Coaching practices, Teachers’ in my school now are able to type their lesson plans , take it on USB flashes and save on the old computer in the Principal’s office and feedback also given instantly on saved work for reviewing and correction. They also visit my class to see how I am integrating ICT in my teaching to practice as such though with limited resources. Learners also are able to use Cell phones to send instant messages to me on areas of teaching that need clarification when they are away from school compound, to make learning ongoing anywhere and at any time. Also Learners are able to type their work using the school computers and print to hand out as neat copies to me as their facilitator. The Principal assessing a teacher’s Lesson plan on

her office computerTeachers at computer lab typing their lesson plans and other school work

CONCLUSION

The project that Learners and I have presented is innovative because

i. They have used ICT tools to bring the world closer to them saving on time, energy and money that restraints people from reaching their goals.

ii. It has also made the vulnerable people have hope in which ever small business they are in (local brick industry next to my school) for awareness.

iii. Learners now enjoy learning and are willing to take up more projects with their teachers as they see the tools available.

Learners song.songsmith

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The following teachers have highly contributed to the success of the project which is still ongoing.

Their various inputs have really worked with the project through suggestions, corrections and advice and will never forget their efforts. They are as follows:

Mrs. Relebohile Paneng ( Principal)

Ms. Lilian Ofori Asare ( Mentor), NtsoakI Ramakatsa, Mr. Emmanuel Gyasi, the brick laying community, Lesotho Television, Parents and the learners at large. May you be blessed richly.