SQA & Mother's Day

SQA stands for Samoa Qualifications Authority; it is the government entity that oversees the certification of courses and implements and monitors the national competencies or standards.  Vaiola has applied to meet SQA requirements so that students can earn Level II certificates under the umbrella of Vaiola TVET Institute, facilitating employment opportunities for students beyond high school.  Elder & Sister Little have devoted their time and talents to register Pesega College in Apia, and Vaiola College is piggy backing on their application.  This has been an extensive undertaking for them.  Classes include Carpentry, Horticulture, Cookery, and Tourism & Hospitality and hopefully Automotive will be added later.  Our teachers worked on templates for designing and setting up courses, tasks, assessments, and time lines for each course to be taught.  Our teachers are very capable planners and the presenters assisted and offered constructive instruction.  There is much work to be done before the Institute becomes a reality.

SQA Training:  (L to R)  Faamau, Tufuga, Lafao, Niupulusu, Purcell

Thursday morning we took time out of the training to judge impromptu speeches again at the Primary School.  This week was Level 5 (4^th grade).  A favorite speech was “My Pet” as a young girl talked about her pet piglet.  She had no problem expounding on her piglet.

Immediately  following training on Tu-W-Th we held ITEP classes.  Wednesday evening concluded our administrative course, “Theories of Organizational Leadership”.  Our class members each presented a 15-minute project on Leadership and they were great! Snacks and treats in abundance to celebrate.

Thursday evening was a Young Men's activity of “items” or entertainment.  Interspersed were group dances for everyone, of course.  Members pitched in 1-2 tala (dollars) when an entertainment number was especially liked (which was all of them).  The object was to fund-raise for their upcoming campout.   They love music and dancing, even from a toddler age.

This little girl has just recently started walking.

As you can tell, she feels the music!

                                    

   

Bishop Obley---common for adults to dance with little ones in their arms, & not even their own children!

Imagine our surprise when the youth asked us to dance!

This is a culture where everyone dances with everyone and just has a good time.

Friday morning was our 6:30 a.m. Faculty meeting---can you tell that that early time always deserves to be noted in my mind?  A devotional to mothers opened the meeting and following that the male teachers sang “Mother Dear” while passing out gifts to the female teachers.  Yes, the principal did do some educational training.  If that wasn't enough, at noon they surprised us and loaded us into a school bus to take a “global tour” on the two-mile Tapuelele loop which gave the men time to set up a special luncheon in the cafeteria.  The ladies were like giddy school girls.  Upon our return to campus, the men placed leis around our necks and ushered us into a decorated cafeteria room.  There was another devotional to mothers and then amazing entertainment as the men performed skits about the many roles of mother:  mother of children; angry mothers, etc.  We had lots of laughs.  The buffet luncheon offered a variety of foods and desserts.  Everyone felt appreciated and loved.

OK, so this was the warmup!

Our "Global Tour" Bus

Two Teachers & Secretary who are future mothers...no, the little one is not hers,

Role Play with Salanoa & Faamau

Mothers/Teachers of Vaiola Students---Love these ladies!

Primary School Mother's Day Program

Mother's Day is a three-day weekend in Samoa; Monday following is a national holiday to afford time for family get togethers.  The bustling stores on Saturday were evidence of the upcoming holiday.

No movie night because the Resource Room had a leak that flooded the entire floor.  

Two of the international girls gave me hand-made Mother's Day cards with special written expressions of love.  So sweet of them.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL MOTHERS...and future mothers!