It has been really
incredible to work at City Mission Educational Services (CMES) these past three
months. From shadowing to teaching history it has been quite a crazy time. I
definitely learned a lot about how schools run (especially in South Africa) and
I have decided that I would like to work in school administration somewhere
down the road. I have loved seeing the learners respond positively to lessons and grow to appreciate the lasting impact of history which I am still discovering myself. While working at the school I have had a chance to assess the
critical challenges facing the organization and speak with staff members to
learn about ways to tackle these pressing issues. I think it is important to address these issues because these struggles are those which many schools face. Understanding the setbacks that schools are dealing with helps to create the full picture of my experience in South Africa. Although there are many
issues that an organization could face, some challenges are more manageable
than others. CMES faces two main challenges as an organization: Staff and
finances.
 |
| City Mission Educational Services- Grade 8 |
CMES caters to learners who are educationally at risk.
The learners often come from poverty or have faced troubling circumstances such
as drugs or gangs. It takes a certain type of teacher to impact these students
in a positive way. CMES struggles to hire staff that is not just academically
qualified but also the “right type of teacher”. These teachers need to
understand the type of learner they are working with and have the right mindset
to teach them effectively. It is challenging to hire this type of staff when
finances are low. Teachers who work for CMES are hired as independent
contractors and therefore their salary is lower than that of others in their
same field. The challenge is to find someone who is passionate about teaching,
adheres to the values of the school and is also willing to work for less money.
Another big challenge is that the teachers struggle with implementing the
policy of the school. They often react with their emotion and make quick
decisions and do not refer to the guidelines or behavior policies that the
school has in place. This is understandable because we are only human. However, this creates a disconnect with the expectations and the
reality which trickles down to the classroom level very quickly. This inconsistency makes having a cohesive, united, qualified staff rather difficult.
One way to address this challenge is to instill a strict
selection process for faculty. Teachers at CMES must align with the belief
system of the school, Christianity, and also show a keen interest in missionary
work. Teachers must also have involvement with their local church and
experience with working with learners of this specific demographic. This
selection process would be integral to achieving the team which is necessary
for the best academic experience for the learners which also coincides with the
values of the school. I think that it would also be beneficial for the school’s
mission statement to be revised and publicized. This way everyone who is a part
of the school can understand the mission and work to implement it. One thing I
have noticed is that the staff is often misguided due to the chaos of the
school environment but also the lack of focus and constantly changing
direction. If each person was working toward the same mission the staff would
perform better as a whole. Additionally,
if the mission and procedures were widely available then the teachers would
have less leeway to make decisions regarding behavior without consulting the
policies in place. The best solution to this challenge would be to emphasize
the expectations during the selection process and hold the staff accountable
after they are hired.
 |
| City Mission Educational Services- Grade 6 |
Another significant challenge the CMES faces is finances. Recently, CMES has encountered a number of
incidences where finances are not in line. The school has needed money from
donors for urgent causes which hints toward a level of financial instability.
Also, many of the learners are not able to pay their school fees in full or on
time. This leaves the school struggling because if there is no money coming in
at the beginning of the term then the staff cannot be paid and the building
cannot be maintained without the additional help of donors. These donors provide
help in the form of loans which are expected to be repaid. Unfortunately, if
there is no money coming into the school then the loans cannot be repaid
without asking for money from other people. This is a big challenge because an
organization cannot function without a strong financial system which is the
foundation of their work.
CMES is working to improve their financial situation by creating
a three month advance financial system. This will help ensure sure that
commitments are made at a specific date both by the donors and the school and
also that there is specific money allotted for incidences or unexpected fees.
In order to make this plan effective, there must be frequent and effective
communication between the donors and the school. Also, learners who enroll in
the school must have stable financial support either by their parents or a
sponsor. Since private education is not free, the school cannot afford to
subsidize the tuition of each learner. Although the goal is to serve at risk
learners, that cannot come at the expense of failing the school or drowning it
in debt. After these systems are in place, an investment account will be set up
and funds will be deposited each month as part of a security plan. I think that
the lines have been blurred between spending and serving the community. In
order to maintain financial stability CMES needs to rethink their plan for
money management and include a system of checks and balances to promote
responsible accounting.
 |
| City Mission Educational Services- Grade 8 |
As a school, CMES is striving to be an institution which
is effective and operates at the highest level it can. Considering the
challenges that the school is facing with staff and finances there is
definitely room for improvement. Clarifying the mission and having a united
front will be a good first step toward improvement. With time, CMES can perform
at the same level that other independent schools do in terms of academics and
extra-curricular activities such as sports and arts programs. It is important
to hire motivated staff to implement new projects and activities to expand the
opportunities that the school offers. That is also contingent on finances; so
the two are intricately connected. What is important to remember is that school
is not over at 2:30 PM each day but the experience and knowledge gained from
school should be present even after the learner has gone home. That is
directly tied to influential staff and available funds.
CMES has been so fun and also exhausting! Working with the students is never
the same and their personalities shine through their challenges each day. Their
resilience is really impressive and I hope that in the future they can share
that same passion and energy and apply it to their learning. I hope that by
working at CMES I have left a positive impact. I know that I brought my energy,
motivation and commitment to the classroom and worked hard to make the
classroom a positive place that was constructive for learning. I will
definitely remember this feeling when I am home because it has reiterated for
me the power of knowledge and the immense opportunities that are made available
through education.
No comments:
Post a Comment