This morning took us on a cold walk to a bus stop only 10 minutes from our hotel. Our adventure on the bus lead us to Joesph Chamberlain College (JCC). JCC is a sixth form college that provides 16-18 year old students an opportunity to learn English and curriculum that will help them take the A levels and BTE’s. We had the opportunity to sit a few lectures to understand what they are learning. The safeguarding at this college was very strict and put the safety of the students above everything else. The Headmaster Tom made it a point to tell us that there is only one way in and one way out with security. Which is true because we were stopped at the gates upon arrival and escorted to the office. They had us individually check in and take a badge that had our name and picture. Each student also has a badge that says student on the lanyard and their ID in a plastic cover. They must wear it all times. A lot of students come from a socioeconomic class that lives in areas that are not safe. They make sure that environment they are leaving stays outside the school. Visitors are not allowed unless they have an arrangement with the Headmaster or a higher faculty member.
The first class I sat in was for students that were learning their role as teacher assistants (TA). It was very interesting because we have TA’s for our classes, but they are taught as a small group from the professor they will be helping. This group talked about supervising outdoor activities and celebrations like Eid, Diwali, and Easter. They wrote notes in a packet that was specifically made for this lesson plan. It looked like packets that we would have used in Elementary school. They had prompts with open text boxes that are meant for writing. We were briefly in there because other students needed to join the lecture.
Then we took a brief walk to their newest building around the corner. This class consisted of working adults that needed to learn Maths (math). The first problem they worked on was understanding subtraction and what symbol they needed to use for money. As they worked on the problem, I was doing it in my head with them. Their teacher is so encouraging and so are the other students. They laugh off their mistakes because they understand that everyone in the class is on the same level. There is no malicious intention behind the laughter. Next was learning about how to tell time and understanding bar graphs. I was intrigued to learn with them because I struggle to read math problems sometimes. The verbiage can be confusing and that is why I too was taking a minute to understand some of the questions they were going over. Two of the students were even helping each other to understand. The camaraderie they show is quite endearing and felt like a safe space to learn. If I were to put myself in their shoes, I would attend this college because of this.
Our next adventure brought us to BCU South campus, where we learned about Learning Disability nurses. I thought this lecture was very interesting because it definitely touched on a disability that I believe is overlooked. Children fall through the cracks in both our systems because parents fear that a diagnosis puts a certain label on their child. I understand that this label may feel embarrassing or humiliating for the family, but the child needs help and that’s what is important. I really enjoyed the discussion and the questions that were asked. I do appreciate that a lot of the lessons we had included and true or false information session. It challenged is based on what we know and what we think we know.
The last group activity was to venture out to the botanical garden across the way. It was quite warm in there which helped with rainy, cold weather; however, I felt like I was back in Florida when my glasses fogged up. The foliage and plants were beautiful. We walked around taking pictures and pictures with each other. Della and I decided to go outside because it was just a little too warm for us. Which was a good idea because I found a garden full of beautiful tulips starting to bloom. They were pink and bright with purple flowers around. Across from that area was a pavilion that looked like it was from the Chinese dynasty. The colors were black, red, and gold. It looked regal, but I wish it didn’t rain so that I could have taken a picture in there.