Project Life
Teaching English and Childcare in South Africa

Your days normally start around 7am with a breakfast, before volunteers walk to work at around 7.45am, so that you are ready to start work by 8.30am.

At the crèche, most of your morning will be spent teaching and organising educational games/activities for the children. The standard of English amongst the children is generally poor and it is a challenge to teach at this level. Your biggest role is providing face-to-face contact with children that need positive role models in a childcare capacity (feeding, teaching, interacting with them daily), while simultaneously giving them some contact with the outside world.

Usually school starts with an assembly, which includes singing songs and the national anthem, making it a great way to start the day. You then meet with your fellow teachers in the morning and discuss the day’s activities. Most of your mornings will be spent teaching and perhaps marking. The standard of English amongst the students is generally poor but at a level which enables you to teach. One of your primary aims should be to improve the level of English in your classes. You might also want to learn the local language, Xhosa, from the kids in your class.

After school/crèche finishes in the early afternoon you are free to go home or you may want to help with sports and extra-curricula activities. You may also get involved assisting at a small orphanage in the afternoons. There are also income generating projects, food kitchens, fundraising events, recycling projects and a variety of other potential things to get involved in.