What's your school like?

In the afternoon as part of our course we do practical work (Wednesdays and Mondays). For the 1st three weeks I am at the Lighthouse (community centre) with three others.
On Wednesday's a group of children from the worst school in the surrounding favela (in a really violent area) come for an extended school's programme - this is generally the only time the children do go to school is when they come and visit us.
Schools in Brazil are not great, teachers are poorly paid so their effort into their teaching reflects that. They use no real variety in teaching to cater for the children's needs, and the lessons are often very boring and there is no encouragement for the children to learn.

We run three different activities for them:

1. Some sort of sports...

                                      [some boys playing hockey or as they call it - floor ball]

2. We have time in a classroom, where they try and teach about their value and reaching more in life. (They are not able to directly talk about God or evangelise due to government rules)...

3. They have swimming lessons too...

It is an amazing programme that is run - but we will only see the same children about once a month for only 2 hours, so we try and impact them as much as possible, through the way we treat them and showed how much they are valued, and that learning and doing new things are good things!
Next week with a partner I will be running the classroom programme and the following week the sports section - so watch out for how it all goes, Im really excited!!