09.16.11 High School in Langa

The high school I visited today with two SIT friends is one of four high schools in the township of Langa. The demographics – as well as the resources of the school – reflect the legacy of Apartheid. The student population of 880 is entirely black, the teachers are all black as well (except for one Indian teacher), and the Indian principal has been at the school for 15 years. The three of us spent the morning sitting in on classes and informally interviewing teachers and the principal. We went in with very low expectations, and overall we were pleasantly surprised with how the school is functioning. The blatant lack of resources, the heavy burden carried by the teachers, and the lack of motivation among some students, however, present the school with some tough challenges. One teacher described her job as a three-in-one package: “I’m not just a teacher. I’m a teacher, a counselor, and a psychiatrist for these students from tough home lives.”

Personally I had such a great experience at the school – I wanted to stay for the rest of the day and to talk with more students and teachers. I loved the students. They were respectful for the most part, disrespectful at other times (as expected of any high school age students), hanging out in the wrong places in between classes, eager to know why I have a Xhosa name, somewhat intrigued with having a white person walking around their school, and just typical teenagers… After an introduction with the principal, he led us to a room of thirty or so students and then left us saying: “have a conversation together for ten minutes.” My two friends and I looked at one other and laughed! That is exactly what our SIT teacher told us to avoid: “don’t let them leave you in a classroom with students alone. That’s not why you’re there. And one time an SIT student and broke down and cried in such a situation.” O well, we had a good time! At first the students were not talkative in the large group but we asked more questions and then moved into a game which helped, before the principal returned and whisked us off to another class.

Overall, the day was a powerful hands-on experience and such a great break from our 8am-5pm routine in the SIT classroom these past two weeks. One of the feelings I am taking away from the day is a desire to visit and observe inner-city high schools in America!