school – Educators of Excellence Institutes

“Back to School”

July 27, 2026 - 13 Comments

We began our day at Wetlands Country House & Shed in Wakkerstroom. We enjoyed a delicious made-to-order breakfast of eggs with our choice of sides.

We then traveled to UThandolwethu Day Care Centre which is the school that our two South African teachers, Eunice (4-5 year olds) and Mpumi (3-4 year olds) work at. We worked in groups to create and paint murals on different walls of the school, both inside and outside. Each group worked diligently to make the school walls vibrant and colorful for the school and community. It was a few hours of hard, yet rewarding, teamwork.

Pansy and Mpumi with the lion class (ages 3-4)

After painting, the school treated our group to a lunch on the school grounds. It was an unexpected and tasty treat! The staff and students danced for us and their joy was contagious. We had some time to interact with the students which was truly magical.

Before and after of one wall of the center.

Before leaving, we gifted the students cut up oranges as a special treat as well as 6 soccer balls, 5 playground balls, and a few of our group brought candy to pass out as well. The students loved seeing some of our Snapchat and TikTok filters, especially the shark and Shrek! Even though we didn’t speak the same language, we were able to build connections through motions, dance, and technology.

New mural on the welcome wall of UThandolwethu Day Care Center

The end of the day ended with a hunt for meerkats and South Africa’s national bird- the blue crane. While it was too chilly for the meerkats to pop out, we did see four blue cranes. Their silvery blue color shimmered in the setting sun. We were also able to spot Sacred ibis, African swamp hen, yellow-billed duck, and otters on the way out. The wetlands did not disappoint!

Education and Love are universal languages.

Today reminded us exactly why we became teachers—not just to teach lessons, but to make every child feel seen, valued, and special. Even though we don’t speak their language, kindness, laughter, and compassion became our shared language. For a few hours, we didn’t feel as though we were visitors; we felt truly like we were part of their community and culture. That is a lesson we will carry with us long after this journey ends.

South Africa

“A Long Walk to Freedom”

July 30, 2025 - Comments Off on A Long Walk to Freedom

“What counts is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.”- Nelson Mandela

Sunrise at Thendele Camp in Royal Natal National Park.

We loaded the vans at 5 am. The stars were still shining bright in the sky and the sun hadn’t yet risen. We stepped back into history and up a steep 1km hike to visit the 800 year old San Rock Art Paintings in the Royal Natal National Park (UNESCO World Heritage Site). The San people were nomadic hunters and gatherers, known for making poisonous arrows. They used bone, blood, and urine to make their paint colors. Their depictions were of animals in the region especially the eland, which had spiritual significance.

Listening to local guide Elijah share the history of the San people and their rock art paintings, which persist on sandstone cliffs after hundreds of years.

“There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.” – Nelson Mandela

We have had the privilege of traveling with a South African teacher, Zinhle Shabalala, and former teacher and local leader, Noma Shabalala. Their presence has given us an authentic experience, and inspired us to get out of our own comfort zones.

Noma and Zinhle at the Mandela Capture Site.

We spent the rest of the morning at Sakhile Centre, the local preschool where Zinhle teaches. The children and teachers welcomed us with songs in isiZulu and English and then included us in a traditional Gida dance. We purchased materials and collaborated on gardening and painting, including crafting murals for Zinhle’s classroom. Then we played and played and played with the children who freely shared joy with us through their giggles.

Zinhle with her students and fellow educators (left) and supervising mural progress (right).

The afternoon was a surreal transition to go from imagining the future to visiting the past as we visited the Mandela Capture Site Museum and learned about apartheid. There is nothing as powerful as experiential learning. Before we came on this life altering journey, part of our homework was reading or listening to Nelson Mandela‘s “Long Walk to Freedom.” It is one thing to read about history, it’s quite another to stand where Mandela stood on the site of his capture, which began his 27 years in prison. Through it all, he never lost his vision of unifying South Africa where all people are seen, heard and equally respected.

“There is more work to be done. It is time for new hands to lift the burden. It is in your hands now.” – Nelson Mandela

The culminating sculpture at the Mandela Capture Site.

All photos of children were taken and shared with permission.