National Traditional Dance Champions again!

We are so proud to report that for the 3rd year in a row, Tujatane’s Traditional Dance Troupe have become Zambia’s No.1 Team in National Competitions! The children are absolutely over the moon and as they have held the title for 3 consecutive years, they are allowed to keep the trophy permanently and not give it back for next years winners! It was also announced that as National Champions the dancers and drummers have been selected to travel to South Africa for a 2 week tour at the end of this term! The group are unbelievably excited and cannot believe they will be spending 2 weeks in South Africa together with the Zambian National Poetry and Choir winners. More about this trip coming soon!

In the build up to the Provincial and Final stages of the competition, the group and their teachers arranged two fundraising events that was held on the school amphitheater. Due to the high costs involved in taking part each year, the pupils and staff wanted to try and fundraise for new fabric for the dancers and drummers outfits as well as cover the food and accommodation costs for the next round.

Guests and friends from local lodges and Livingstone came to see the dancers perform their new dances. The events were held on two consecutive Fridays and the money raised was absolutely fantastic! The group collected enough money to purchase new fabric for costumes and pay for their food for the next round. Huge thanks to Tongabezi, Waterberry and Chundukwa for supporting us and bringing their guests. Also to Moores Roland, Livingstone, who took time out of their very busy schedule to make the event and made an extremely generous donation. Also to Acacia School who took the opportunity to make an outing for some of their students who were fantastic and cheered us all the way to the end, even getting up and joining! Absolutely brilliant!

Mind Maps at Tujatane

A big thank you to the lovely people at ThinkBuzan who have donated 9 licenses for their iMindMap software. We have been introducing Mind Mapping to the children and staff as part of our drive to develop thinking and learning skills. The progress has been very encouraging, with both children and teachers surprising themselves with how easily their thoughts flowed when using Mind Mapping instead of regular note making.

With the new iMind Map software, we will be taking their skills to the next level, as teachers use mind maps to help them plan more creative lessons, children review their learning and organise their ideas for projects.

All the upper school classes have been making simple class and individual mind maps to help them activate their prior learning, and to organise their new learning in Science.
Grade 7 have been developing their Mind Mapping Skills to summarise their learning on plants for the term, and to help them revise for their secondary entry exams.

The Magic Porridge Pot retold by Maggie Nkuwa - Grade 4, Aged 10

Once upon a time there was a little girl. The girl lived with her mother. The girl’s mother was a widow. Her father had died and the money her father had left was through. Once day the girl was very hungry so she walked into the park and then started crying. Then she heard a voice behind her. It was an old woman. She said “Why are you crying?”. “I am hungry, there is no food at home”. Then the old woman gave her a magic porridge pot. “You shall be hungry no more. You should say ‘cook little pot’ if you want it to cook. Say ‘stop little pot’ if you want it to stop”.

Grade 4 and Art Club Trip’s to the park

In June and July this term Grade 4 and the Art Club both took trips to the local Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park. Grade 4 had been busy learning all about Wildlife Management and Conservation in their Science lessons, and so a visit to the park was a perfect way of bringing this learning to life!

A big thank you to Bushtracks Africa who kindly donated the use of three game drive vehicles plus guides for the afternoon on both trips, without which neither outing would have been possible.

The children had a fantastic experience – sighting herds of Zebra and Impala, spotting Warthogs in the reeds and Waterbuck hiding in the shade. A close encounter with a herd of elephants on their way to the river was very exciting, as was finding a herd of Buffalo just as we were about to leave.

Before the trip, the children came up with a list of things they wanted to find out, including ‘How do Elephants live?’, ‘What do giraffes eat?’, ‘Which animals are dangerous?’ and ‘Is there poaching in the Park?’. The guides were more than happy to answer the children’s questions, and provided them with much more information besides.

“At the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park it was exciting for me. I saw a Bushbuck. When I saw a bushbuck that was my fist time. I saw a Waterbuck, Zebra, Impala, Warthogs, Baboons, Monitor Lizard, Elephant, Giraffe and the old Livingstone graveyard. The car was near the Elephant. I was so scared of an Elephant. The drivers were explaining to us with the teachers. When the driver was explaining to us I was very hungry. I was glad when they said it is time to eat our snack”
Likezo Grade 4 Aged 9

Life and living By Jacqueline Kakoma G11

In a small town called Livingstone, a lot of people like to party. They go out regularly to drink beer, smoke and go clubbing. They borrow money and get involved in all sorts of activities and crimes. They get involved with drugs and have to support their new lifestyles by prostituting themselves, stealing or anything else they can manage. They seem not to be concerned, because this is normal for them now. Everything seems to be just normal.

Children are being chased away from their homes by their parents because of their bad behavior. They end up becoming street kids and spend their time disturbing other people. But this is all normal, right?

I touches me that these days in Livingstone, if you go to the cemetery, you will find that many, many people that are buried there are below the age of 35. And I ask myself, what is killing the young people of Livingstone?

If the young people are dying then who will be the future teachers of this country? Schoolgirls and boys are happily dropping out of school in search of a more free and fun lifestyle. What they don’t realise is that they can only enjoy a good life once they are educated. Life without an education is not a good.

Today we are already making tomorrow, we are the future. However life takes us, we should know that we are the ones in control of it and we only live once. Always do your best and leave the rest.

Jacqueline is currently in Grade 11 and studying in Livingstone. She gave birth to her beautiful son, Moses, last year and had to take a year off school to prepare and look after the baby. Jacqueline has returned to school this year determined to complete her education. She shows us all a great example of how we must take responsibility for our lives and look to better ourselves each and every day.

Jacqueline and Tujatane would like to say a special thanks to Jacqueline's sponsors for being so supportive during the last few years. Our sponsors are our lifeline at the school and also for all the individual stuedents and all those who benefit from our incredible Tujatane family.

Science Lab Opening

We are very pleased to announce that stage one of the science lab refurbishment is now complete! Our old Grade 5 classroom has been transformed into a practical science room, complete with 3 new sinks, more plug points and custom built benches and stools. The new benches are half-hexagonal, a shape which allows for a myriad of different seating arrangements – great for practical, creative and group work. Four of the benches have a special heat-proof surface for practical work involving flames and hot water. A very big THANK YOU to Solera and also Leigh Samuels who have both very kindly donated funds for the development of the math’s and science project. We could not have done this without you!

The 6th September marked the official opening of the Science lab, with an afternoon of displays, activities and refreshments. Teachers and staff had the opportunity to have a look at the lab and to discuss how it will be used. It was an opportunity for teachers to explore new teaching ideas.

The Science Health and Safety policy was also introduced.
 Teachers and staff then joined in a game developed by the Science Museum in London called ‘Mystery Boxes’. The aim of the activity was to introduce the teachers and assistants to the sorts of skills we aim to be developing in science at Tujatane. Each group was given a series of sealed tins containing a mystery item – they then had to use their science skills to work out what was in each tin. Groups then reflected on the skills and approaches they had used before a mini science conference was held in which each group tried to convince the other that their guess was the correct one!

We need specific supplies for next years G8 syllabus and need your help! Please email Kate at mathsandscience@tujatane.com if you would like to send us any items. Kate can tell you exactly what we need! Or check our wish list on the blog and follow our progress at www.tujatanemathsandscience.primaryblogger.co.uk

Yoga and Dance with Katherine

During the August holidays we had a wonderful week of Yoga and Dance for some of the children with a lady from America called Katherine. Katherine has been a professional dancer for 15 years and has danced in many countries across Europe and America. After dancing for the Walt Disney World company, a jazz company, and a modern company, she joined the Radio City Rockettes for 8 years. Now, Katherine is teaching dance and yoga worldwide as she and her husband travel for three years. Katherine’s husband Chris is the web designer for ‘Dance for Life’ who have been amazing supporters of Tujatane for many years. The close relationship between the dance company based in Chicago and Katherine and Chris resulted in Katherine’s kind offer to come and teach at the school for a week in the school holidays.

The children had a really fun time learning dance routines which was quite a challenge as they were very different from traditional Zambian dance moves. They also had time doing yoga everyday to help relax and stretch them and teach them about their bodies.

“The dance and yoga week was really fun. We learnt sun salutations, dragon warrior, dog stretching and we also used our imaginations to help us focus on what we were doing.” Milimo, John and Nchimunya.

“In dance we learnt a dance called ‘Freeze!” Martha “Step, step, touch! Step, step, touch!” Milimo

“We learnt balancing and breathing. Deep inhalation and exhalation. Some of the balancing was really hard! But some was easy. My favorite was mountain pose” Peter.

“Teacher Katherine was really nice and kind. I think it would be a good idea if we had yoga all the time.” Faith and Theresa.
We'd like to say a very special thank you to Katherine for taking time to include us on her amazing trip and also for the fundraising she did with friends, family and colleagues at home in the US prior to her visit. These much needed donations are helping us meet the demands of this years performing arts activities and competitions. A HUGE THANK YOU from us all!

UK exchange update

Since the teachers trip to the UK in April all the teaching staff have been working especially hard to improve and develop the pupils learning in all the grades. In May we adopted a School Development Plan and in consultation with staff, we chose 4 Priority Areas and associated Targets for school development for this year. The teachers and assistants priority areas are 1) Inclusion of all learners in class 2) Developing pupils thinking and learning skills and 3) raising pupils self esteem.

"As a result of sharing learning objectives with pupils, participation in class is becoming more vibrant, and everyone is able to think ahead" Sharon

"I have experienced more commitment and motivation from TAs" Kenneth

"High achievers are being challenged by the differentiated work, while those who struggle are being supported" Bond

"The self- esteem of certain pupils who struggle has increased - they are happier to ask for help" Kenneth

"For example, the motivation of two of my struggling pupils has increased - they are now asking to borrow books to do their own reading after class" Richard

"Pupils were initially a bit scared [to self-assess their learning], but now they are being honest" Bond

"Pupils are beginning to think for themselves" Sydney

Tujatane would like to say a very special thanks to Ron Gandalfo, Head of Lingfield Primary, and his team who hosted the exchange and provided our teachers with the trip of a lifetime. Also to Steve and Holly Lucas for all they did during the trip and for sponsoring all the teachers flights. To all the sponsors and friends of Tujatane who helped look after the teachers and made the exchange such an incredible success.

Sponsor a Child

By sponsoring a child at Tujatane you are providing the funds for us to pay for our essential core needs for the children's education. These are funds to pay the teachers and staff salaries, money to pay for electricity and the basic classroom materials needed for each class. Our sponsors receive a piece of work each term from their child (which starts with splashes of paint on paper when they are in preschool and progresses to difficult mathematical questions or English comprehension!) together with a letter from the teacher on the terms events and the childs report.

Without sponsorship of all our kids we cannot meet the demands of the school, fulfil the potential of the children or plan for the future. We are growing every year and are in more and more need of sponsors who can commit to paying a regular contribution, no matter the amount.

Many of you will already be sponsors of the children, or the medical and feeding programmes, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Some of you may have visited us and been swept back into the routine of normal life after getting home, waiting for a moment to follow up on making a donation, becoming a sponsor or telling a friend. If so, please dont hesitate to either contact Vanessa at vanessa@tongabezi.com or donate online with JustGiving by clicking the button below.

Sponsor a child costs £40 per month or $750 a year but any regular amount makes a huge difference.

Christmas Card for Sale 2012

This year we are selling just a single Christmas Card, size A6, with six smiley Tujatane faces in Santa hats.

We would like to thank Nigel Stubley from Northend Creative Print Solutions for once again donating the printing.

For every card bought we get 100% profit.
Big thanks to Marie and David for the design and photo!
Cards come in packs and the more you buy, the cheaper they get! This year unfortunately we are only selling in the UK due to shipping and postal costs.

Prices....

By purchasing and giving a card from Tujatane this Christmas, you will directly be helping children at Tujatane. Every single penny we receive goes direct to the kids.
Pack of 12 (4 x 3) = £5.00 (41p)

Pack of 24 (4 x 6) = £9.00 (37.5p)

Pack of 40 (4 x 10) = £14.00 (35p)

Pack of 100 (4 x 25) = £30.00 (30p)


To find out more (plus postage costs) or place an order please email Silvia at silviaharris@ntlworld.com (only for sale in the UK).
All the proceeds go straight to the school feeding program which feeds all 196 children a much needed breakfast and lunch every day.