I believe I speak for the majority of the group when I say that our visit to the Nomzamo Crèche was one of the most playful and energetic days we have had here in Cape Town. When we entered the crèche, we were greeted by about one hundred youngsters ages two through seven, every single one of them gleaming with excitement and squirming around in their chairs. The principal and main teacher, Monica, not only welcomed us into their school with open arms, but were also almost as excited as the children. Monica explained a little bit about the school as well as the role and impact it has on all of the children who attend. It was emphasized that the children learn three main subjects while attending the nursery school: 1. Life skills; 2. Math; 3. Literacy. They also strive to develop the children in four different ways: spiritually, emotionally, academically and physically. Monica’s love and passion for both the crèche and all of the children who attended was extremely obvious. Each and every one of us interacted and played with the children either inside in the play area or outside in the yard. Digital cameras were a “big hit” for all of the children who played inside with us. The children were amazed to see both themselves and others on the screens. For each picture that was taken, there was no choice but to turn the cameras around and show them the photo. If they were not looking at the pictures that were taken, they were running around with the cameras in their hands and taking pictures of just about everything possible. The happiness and smiles that the cameras brought to their faces were priceless and made it impossible to not allow them to use them. The main thrills outside with the rest of the children were “piggy-back” and shoulder rides, both of which caused quite a bit of soreness in the morning for the students who took part. Although many of us exhausted after about thirty minutes, it was an amazing experience and both the children and our class truly enjoyed each other’s company.
Here in South Africa, a crèche can be best described as what we know as a daycare center or nursery. It is a place where children attend to learn and play with others while being instructed by a teacher. Although it seems as though the concept of a crèche in South Africa and a daycare center in the United States would be very similar in terms of structure, goals and foundations, our visit to Nomzamo Crèche allowed us to understand that there are distinct differences between the two.
One of the most noticeable differences that our visit to the crèche allowed us to encounter was the teacher/child relationship that was presented. While at the crèche, Monica as well as the other teachers expressed great emotional and loving attachment to each and every child. When a child was upset or crying, Monica would pick up the child and rock, hug and kiss the child until they reached a state of comfort. She acted as more a mother figure than a teacher and treated each child as if he/she was her own. At a daycare center in the U.S., these are not quite the actions that the teachers take part in. Although the teachers care for the children and comfort them while they are upset, other tactics are used to do so such as simply kneeling down to talk to them or rubbing their shoulders. Cradling, hugging and kissing are actions that are more or less not acceptable for teachers to take part in; there is a very distinct difference between a motherly figure and a teacher.
Another distinct difference between the crèches of South Africa and day care centers in the United States is the reasons for the attendance of the children. Through Monica’s explanation, the children attend the crèche in order to keep them off the streets in the townships and away from danger as well as to provide them with at least two sufficient meals per day. Attending the crèche serves almost as a safe haven for the children during the day where they would otherwise roam the streets of the townships while their parents are either at work or looking for work. The children are also provided with two meals a day due to the fact that many times their parents cannot afford to buy enough food for their families. With “full bellies,” children are not only provided with nutrition, but it also helps them focus and learn throughout the day. Many times they meals provided by the crèche are the only guaranteed meals the children receive. In the daycare centers in the U.S., children attend for different reasons then those just described. Most of the time, children attend daycare simply because they cannot stay home alone while their parents are at work, not because of the dangers of roaming the streets of dangerous areas while at a very young age. Also, it is very rare for a daycare center to provide meals for the children who attend there. It is expected that the parents of each child sends them with all of their proper meals for the day; it is almost seen as unthinkable that a parent of a child in daycare in the U.S. would not be able to send something as small as a few crackers as a snack for their child.
The final prominent difference between the crèches and daycare centers involves the content and subjects of the curriculum. At Nomzamo Crèche, the very first subject that was explained to be taught there was “life skills.” Although mathematics and literacy are also on the list if subjects, life skills is one that seems to be of most importance in the crèches due to the underdeveloped ways of life. Many times parents of the children do not have the education to set an example for their children and teach them general life skills to prepare them for the world as they continue to grow, therefore, at the crèche life skills is presented as an entire subject on its own. Monica also stressed the importance of developing the children emotionally and spiritually in addition to simply academically. In the U.S. however, it is mainly academic subjects and development that rule the curriculum. Although the children learn life skills through attending the daycares in general, it is extremely rare to dedicate an entire subject to it. Because of the lifestyle and lack of education of many of the parents and people of the townships in South Africa, it is necessary for the children to be taught and prepared for life as a whole (life skills, emotionally, spiritually and academically) while at the crèche because they would otherwise not know much at all, while daycares in the U.S. mainly focus on preparing the children for life academically because life skills are mainly learned through their life with their parents.
It was through our visit to the Nomzamo Crèche that we were able to truly understand and observe the differences between the crèches of South Africa and the daycare centers of the U.S. Although they are different, each serves its own purpose and appropriate structure for the children and lifestyles that pertain to each region. The dedication and passion of the teachers at the crèches is an irreplaceable contribution and necessity in order to help the children who attend and need the most help. Without people like Monica and the other teachers, the children would not be anywhere near where they are today. It was a heartwarming and irreplaceable experience that truly makes us appreciate the life that we live and want to continue to help and spend time the children who are not as fortunate. Although I wish there was more we could do to help provide more for the crèches and children who attend, every little bit makes a difference in their lives and it is through our visit and our help that brought nothing but smiles to the children of South Africa.