Technology is rarely used in community schools. So when the parents at Joy Grace School saw the teachers on tablets and smartphones during class, they thought they were neglecting their children and just playing on social media. They began to complain to the school’s director who had to call a school-wide meeting and explain to the parents what was happening. The teachers were using educational apps to help their children learn!
For one parent, that wasn’t the end of the story. She wanted to know more about these apps and how she could use them herself. Theresa Banda has two young daughters, one of whom is a preschool student at Joy Grace School. Theresa has faced many challenges in life because of her lack of education, and she’s passionate about her daughters not having to walk through the same things she has. So she’s committed to every aspect of their learning.
After the meeting, Theresa went to the teachers and asked how to download the apps so she could be helping her children at home. She downloaded the phonics app to her phone, but had trouble understanding how it worked. So she came back and Teacher Tryness began to mentor her. Theresa would observe lessons at the school and then go back home to teach not only her children, but also her young brother and nephew.
She says other parents often ask how her 4 year old daughter is speaking English so well, and she proudly tells them about Joy Grace School and how much they have helped her and her daughter. Theresa has already referred 7 other parents to the school who’ve enrolled their children in hopes that they can become better readers too. She plans to observe more lessons so she can continue teaching her kids in other areas like math too.
This is a beautiful picture of the ripple effect of education. Teacher Tryness was trained to help children learn to read. Not only is she teaching her students, but she has also shared her knowledge with Theresa, a mom of two beautiful daughters who is now sharing that knowledge with her children, and her extended family. And she’s inviting others to join the school so that they can be impacted too. With a mother like Theresa and a school like Joy Grace, these two girls have a beautiful and powerful future ahead of them!
The ripple effect of their education will stretch far beyond where our eyes can see.