Day 3 - Service learning begins at Watrotka Primary School

Today was the first day of our service learning at Watrotka Primary School. After a 30 minute bus ride from our hotel, we were greeted with beautiful blue skies.

Our first steps into the primary school were greeted with the curious stares and smiling faces of thr Watrotka students. We then split into our teaching groups and work groups, starting our day with one half of us teaching and the other building a kitchen for the school.

Each group taught different grades, ranging from Kindergarten to grade 6, in subjects such as English, Mathematics, Science and Arts & Crafts. For many of us, it was our first time teaching a large group and it was by no means an easy task. We had to learn and adapt according to our student's abilities.

Despite the difficulty and initial awkwardness, we soon warmed up to our students. Their infectious laughter and love for fun rubbed off on us. 

While one half of us worked, the rest of us put in work constructing a proper kitchen for the school. The original kitchen was nothing more than a grass hut which was not suitable for cooking. We tore away most of the structure and started rebuilding the kitchen beam by beam and stone by stone.

It was hard work that we were not used to but we pressed on. It was definitely a new experience for us and we gained newfound respect for construction workers and carpenters back home.

Soon, day one wound down to an end. We were all exhausted but a good dinner served as a yummy reward for our hardwork. We have a lot to prepare for tomorrow but all this is worth it and we can't wait for the next day to come.

Reflections from Day 3:

"Today was our first time meeting our students and we were able to gauge their language ability. Teaching them was tough due to the language barrier which often causes confusion for both us and our students. However, we showed patience and strove onwards during our teaching in hopes of enacting positive change for our students." - Shaun Leow (3B)

"Being a teacher for the first time, we experienced the difficulty our teachers face when teaching us. We had a lot of trouble communicating with the students due to the language barrier but I felt happy seeing the children being attentive and wanting to learn. I also felt slightly jealous of the simple lifestyle that the children live, which is free of the stress and pace of modern city lifestyle back in Singapore. Today was very tiring but I felt a sense of achievement for what we did today." - Christine Yeo (3A)