Hello,
I love poems because among other things they respond to our (man's)inner need which is to live and understand experiences of others and know better of our own experiences. Poetry is central to man's existence. Something which a man is better off for having and spiritually impoverished without.
Poems exist in order to bring us a sense and perception of life as well as to sharpen our contacts with existence. A poet from his/her own store of felt, observed or imagined experiences creates new experiences for the reader which can be appreciated and give the reader a greater awareness and understanding of his world.
Lets share what we can discover from the following poem. More poems to follow.
Feel free to comment.
I Remember When
By Michael Hettich
My father climbed the western mountain
Every day he chopped more
of its peak off so we could have more
daylight to grow our food in, and when he’d
chopped deep enough that in midsummer we had
sun for an extra minute, which
is, of course an exaggeration, he
knew he had done something real, and called us
to watch the sun settle
in the chink and disappear.
Next day the sun had moved, but he kept digging
the same dent, wanting one day a year.
One day, he told us, the mountain would be
chopped in two and there would be
one complete day
hours longer than there’d ever been.
People in the town called him “father” too.
Some volunteered to help, but no,
It was his, his dent and his light; they were lucky
he was willing to share. At night there were new stars.
-When he hit a spring and the water gushed out
a waterfall, flooding the valley, the town,
to form a beautiful lake, deep,
cold, and full of fish found
nowhere else, the animals that lived
wild on his mountain rejoiced and grew
wilder, more passionate. They rejoiced!
We still do.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Monday, March 19, 2012
Literature/Fasihi katika mitaala ya Elimu Tanzania
Kwa kipindi kirefu sasa suala ya utamaduni wa kujisomea kuwa duni nchini Tanzania limekuwa gumzo na wanazuoni wamelaumu kadambalimbali wakiwemo wanafunzi, waalimu, wasimamizi wa elimu na kadhalika kwa kuwa sehemu ya sababu za tatizo hili.
Hata hivyo, pamoja na sababu nyingi ziwezazo kutolewa moja ambayo imekuwa ikijirudia na inayoonekana kuwa na nguvu ni kukosekana kwa kipaumbele katika mitaala ya elimu yetu katika fasihi. Sera ya elimu nchini inatambua kuwa kujisomea ni njia ya kuongeza maarifa na kukuza uwezo wa lugha (kuandika na kuongea). Hata hivyo, mitaala ya elimu ya msingi, sekondari na sekondari ya juu haitoi kipaumbele kinachostahili ili kushawishi wanafunzi kupenda fasihi.
Ukitizama mtaala wa shule za msingi hauoni ni kwa namna gani watoto wetu wanachochewa kuzifahamu hadithi, ngonjera na mashairi kwa kuwa wabunifu wa kukusanya, kuandika, kusoma/kughani na kuchambua kazi hizi.Ukitizama wenzetu wa Kenya, wanafunzi wa shule za awali wanashiriki kikamilifu katika kusoma kazi za fasihi na kwa kuanzia wanashinikizwa kutoa kipaumbele kwenye kazi ambazo wanaweza kuzipata kwenye mazingira yanayowazunguka.
Kusoma huanza pale mtoto anapoanza kujenga uwezo wa kuelewa mambo na kuyatafiti. Kama waswahili wasemavyo, samaki mkunje angali mbichi ndivyo na watoto wetu wanavyopaswa kukuzwa katika kupenda kusoma. Mtaala wa elimu ya msingi sharti uweke mkazo katika fasihi ili msingi wa kusoma na kuandika ujengwe mapema. Mataala wa elimu ya sekondari nao una mapungufu. Fasihi haina nafasi stahili. Wanafunzi wanatambulishwa katika ulimwengu wa kusoma wakiwa kidato cha pili. Kwa wengi wao kama siyo wote wanaona ni jambo geni kwa kuwa hawana msingi katika fasihi. Kusoma inakuwa ni somo kama fizikia na historia na hakuna msisitizo kuwa kujisomea ni kila wakati. Hali ya kumwandaa mwanafunzi kuamini kuwa kujisomea vitabu vya hadithi ni kwa minajili ya kujibu mtihani huendelea hadi kidato cha 3, 4, 5 na 6 ambapo wanafunzi huelekezwa kujibu maswali hivyo hukariri majibu ya maswali kulingana na hadithi wapaswazo kusoma hata bila ya kuzisoma.
Ndiyo maana wanafunzi wengi wa kitanzania wanaosoma Literature hupenda kusikia kuhusu themes katika kazi ya fasihi kwa kuwa huo ndio msingi wao wa kusoma kazi za fasihi. Mitaala inatoa mwanya kwa wanafunzi kusaka vitini vinavyoandaliwa na watu hivyo kuishia kusoma uchambuzi wao ambao mara nyingi huwa potofu kwa kuwa haulengi hasa kumsaidia mwanafunzi kufahamu fasihi bali kujibu maswali ya NECTA.
Hata ukitizama muhtasari wa masomo ya sekondari na sekondari ya juu utaona kuwa Fasihi imeingizwa kama sehemu tu ya masomo hasa fasihi ya Kiingereza na hufundishwa kama kipengele cha kukamilisha muhtasari. Hata mfumo wa maswali ya NECTA nao unasadifu mfumo huu nilioutaja kwa kuweka maswali ya fasihi katika kipengele kimoja ambapo mwanafunzi hujibu maswali yasiyozidi mawili. Kutokana na hali hii hata ufundishaji wa fasihi hufanywa kama jamno la ziada tu huku msisitizo ukiwa kwenye themes. Wanafunzi wakishakariri wanachokiita themes kwenye kazi watakiwazo kusoma huridhika kuwa wameshafaulu.
Jitihada za makusudi zinahitajika kuondoa hali hii na kuwajengea wanafunzi uwezo wa kusoma na kuandika ili wajijengee uwezo nbinafsi wa kujieleza. Bila kubadili namna mitaala inavyotafsiri fasihi hatuwezi kupiga hatua.
Hata hivyo, pamoja na sababu nyingi ziwezazo kutolewa moja ambayo imekuwa ikijirudia na inayoonekana kuwa na nguvu ni kukosekana kwa kipaumbele katika mitaala ya elimu yetu katika fasihi. Sera ya elimu nchini inatambua kuwa kujisomea ni njia ya kuongeza maarifa na kukuza uwezo wa lugha (kuandika na kuongea). Hata hivyo, mitaala ya elimu ya msingi, sekondari na sekondari ya juu haitoi kipaumbele kinachostahili ili kushawishi wanafunzi kupenda fasihi.
Ukitizama mtaala wa shule za msingi hauoni ni kwa namna gani watoto wetu wanachochewa kuzifahamu hadithi, ngonjera na mashairi kwa kuwa wabunifu wa kukusanya, kuandika, kusoma/kughani na kuchambua kazi hizi.Ukitizama wenzetu wa Kenya, wanafunzi wa shule za awali wanashiriki kikamilifu katika kusoma kazi za fasihi na kwa kuanzia wanashinikizwa kutoa kipaumbele kwenye kazi ambazo wanaweza kuzipata kwenye mazingira yanayowazunguka.
Kusoma huanza pale mtoto anapoanza kujenga uwezo wa kuelewa mambo na kuyatafiti. Kama waswahili wasemavyo, samaki mkunje angali mbichi ndivyo na watoto wetu wanavyopaswa kukuzwa katika kupenda kusoma. Mtaala wa elimu ya msingi sharti uweke mkazo katika fasihi ili msingi wa kusoma na kuandika ujengwe mapema. Mataala wa elimu ya sekondari nao una mapungufu. Fasihi haina nafasi stahili. Wanafunzi wanatambulishwa katika ulimwengu wa kusoma wakiwa kidato cha pili. Kwa wengi wao kama siyo wote wanaona ni jambo geni kwa kuwa hawana msingi katika fasihi. Kusoma inakuwa ni somo kama fizikia na historia na hakuna msisitizo kuwa kujisomea ni kila wakati. Hali ya kumwandaa mwanafunzi kuamini kuwa kujisomea vitabu vya hadithi ni kwa minajili ya kujibu mtihani huendelea hadi kidato cha 3, 4, 5 na 6 ambapo wanafunzi huelekezwa kujibu maswali hivyo hukariri majibu ya maswali kulingana na hadithi wapaswazo kusoma hata bila ya kuzisoma.
Ndiyo maana wanafunzi wengi wa kitanzania wanaosoma Literature hupenda kusikia kuhusu themes katika kazi ya fasihi kwa kuwa huo ndio msingi wao wa kusoma kazi za fasihi. Mitaala inatoa mwanya kwa wanafunzi kusaka vitini vinavyoandaliwa na watu hivyo kuishia kusoma uchambuzi wao ambao mara nyingi huwa potofu kwa kuwa haulengi hasa kumsaidia mwanafunzi kufahamu fasihi bali kujibu maswali ya NECTA.
Hata ukitizama muhtasari wa masomo ya sekondari na sekondari ya juu utaona kuwa Fasihi imeingizwa kama sehemu tu ya masomo hasa fasihi ya Kiingereza na hufundishwa kama kipengele cha kukamilisha muhtasari. Hata mfumo wa maswali ya NECTA nao unasadifu mfumo huu nilioutaja kwa kuweka maswali ya fasihi katika kipengele kimoja ambapo mwanafunzi hujibu maswali yasiyozidi mawili. Kutokana na hali hii hata ufundishaji wa fasihi hufanywa kama jamno la ziada tu huku msisitizo ukiwa kwenye themes. Wanafunzi wakishakariri wanachokiita themes kwenye kazi watakiwazo kusoma huridhika kuwa wameshafaulu.
Jitihada za makusudi zinahitajika kuondoa hali hii na kuwajengea wanafunzi uwezo wa kusoma na kuandika ili wajijengee uwezo nbinafsi wa kujieleza. Bila kubadili namna mitaala inavyotafsiri fasihi hatuwezi kupiga hatua.
Welcome Note
Hi everyone,
When I was in standard four, I remember my mother giving me a swahili novel, Kufa na Kupona. I read the novel eagerly wanting to discover what was it my mother wanted me to discover. Having finished reading it I straight went to my mother and asked her if she had another novel. She asked me what was it that I had found in the other novel that inspired me to read onother one. "The story mama, I loved the story..." That wa my response.
I was able to discover what was in those pages, the story and ever since I love reading stories not for anything else but stories themselves. When I was in standard seven i had read a total of ten novels: I remember the titles such as KUFA NA KUPONA, NJAMA,IS IT POSSIBLE,THINGS FALL APART, THE RIVER BETWEEN, THE WANDERERS.
I am a witness of what reading has done to me. I am who i am because of among other things, reading. Reading has shaped me greatly and i have and still witness many being shaped positively by reading. Our ability to reason, focus, concentrate, argue,debate strongly results from reading culture. There can be different explanations with regard to why many University graduates either do not fit in today's employment market or fail to/ are scared of competing in the market, however, one strong explanation remains clear: Inability to sell oneself. Its not a joke but many University graduates can not in a sentence state their stengths leave alone introducing themselves. Reading shapes among other things our language(s)abilities.
Love Literature is a forum designed with the intention of sharing articles on reading and writing. It also intends to open more doors to those who love reading to learn of new books and grab them, to share stories about reading and insipire each other. The ultimate goal of this page is to become a forum that connect students of Tanzania under one spirit: READING FOR LIVING. This is just the the begining.
Karibu and be part of this
Admin
When I was in standard four, I remember my mother giving me a swahili novel, Kufa na Kupona. I read the novel eagerly wanting to discover what was it my mother wanted me to discover. Having finished reading it I straight went to my mother and asked her if she had another novel. She asked me what was it that I had found in the other novel that inspired me to read onother one. "The story mama, I loved the story..." That wa my response.
I was able to discover what was in those pages, the story and ever since I love reading stories not for anything else but stories themselves. When I was in standard seven i had read a total of ten novels: I remember the titles such as KUFA NA KUPONA, NJAMA,IS IT POSSIBLE,THINGS FALL APART, THE RIVER BETWEEN, THE WANDERERS.
I am a witness of what reading has done to me. I am who i am because of among other things, reading. Reading has shaped me greatly and i have and still witness many being shaped positively by reading. Our ability to reason, focus, concentrate, argue,debate strongly results from reading culture. There can be different explanations with regard to why many University graduates either do not fit in today's employment market or fail to/ are scared of competing in the market, however, one strong explanation remains clear: Inability to sell oneself. Its not a joke but many University graduates can not in a sentence state their stengths leave alone introducing themselves. Reading shapes among other things our language(s)abilities.
Love Literature is a forum designed with the intention of sharing articles on reading and writing. It also intends to open more doors to those who love reading to learn of new books and grab them, to share stories about reading and insipire each other. The ultimate goal of this page is to become a forum that connect students of Tanzania under one spirit: READING FOR LIVING. This is just the the begining.
Karibu and be part of this
Admin
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)