The next morning, we eagerly made our way to The Amazima School, where we would be working with the faculty and students for the week. Situated on a hillside overlooking the farmland of the rural countryside, surrounded by a tall fence with armed guards, we finally see the school. Kathy is overwhelmed with emotion as her dream turns into a reality. It wasn’t until we visited a different local school that we truly understood what was revolutionary about the Amazima School. Towards the end of our first week in Jinja we had the privilege of visiting a typical Ugandan school. As we passed through the dusty gates we could not only see the difference but feel it. Where the Amazima School felt warm and comforting with smiling teachers, generous with their hugs and words of encouragement, the tone in this school was rigid and disciplined. The children in their faded, mismatched, tattered clothing stood still in stick-straight lines responding with practiced lines in perfect unison. We were invited by the principal to sit in on three different classes. Astonished, we watched only one teaching technique used: rote memorization through repeating after the teacher. The school used humiliation, shaming, and at times (not when we were there, thank goodness) caning to ensure discipline. We witnessed a teacher, dressed in a suit and tie, require his class of about 55 mostly male students memorize the definition he wrote on the board: “Moment = Distance X Speed.” The well-meaning teacher, with limited resources, instructing in his second language, and earning little pay, had no idea that he was teaching his students the incorrect vocabulary word. Throughout the short week of our visit we had the pleasure of getting to know the caring Amazima staff who experienced the familiar challenges and joys of finding the right lessons and getting to know their students. The Amazima School’s mission is to teach students using strategies we know to be effective - discovery learning, discussion, cooperative learning, asking questions, “It may take place in a foreign land or it may take place in your backyard, but I believe that we were each created to change the world for someone.” Love One Another Kisses From Katie by Katie Davis Majors 32 | Winter 2017