Sam's first day of Kindy - i-Kiribati style.....

We decided Sam needed some interaction with kids his own age so after a few recommendations we enrolled him at Betio Seventh Day Adventist Kindergarten!! Our next door neighbour sews the uniforms and she made Sam's. It is so cute!! Mind you Sam is probably the biggest kid in his class so of the i-kiribati kids are positively tiny!! Yesterday we went to enroll Sam and today kindy started.

Sam was quite shy today with so many carers and kids about. He sat on my lap most of the time until Miss Lisa his teacher showed flash cards to the kids and he was interested enough to get up and have a closer look. Miss Lisa sings rhymes and songs first in English then in I-Kiribati. They sing for a bit, then Miss Lisa shows some cards which are black and white photocopies on a bit of cardboard. The kids did a bit of writing or copying shapes on the very dodgy blackboard.

This is Sam's classroom, an annex to the chapel on the verandah. It is very basic but the kids don't seem to mind, however I am seeing a huge scope for resourses and toys and things to engage the kids with. Tomorrow Meei is taking a storybook and a set of coloured flash card pictures for Miss Lisa to use.

Miss Lisa doing round and round the mulbury bush shapes on the blackboard which is ready to fall apart!! But she had gotten Sam's attention. I think he'll become less shy with the other kids as the weeks progreaa, being the naturally bold and sociable child he normally is!!

One of the traditional outriggers was sailing past and with my new camera I was finally able to get a good picture. They are tiny to sit in but skim along the water quite quickly.....

Tiabo Moa (see you soon))!!

Jodes  :0)