Lavengatonga Preschool

Bishop Laseka first invited us in November 2018 to visit the preschool in Lavengatona to see if we could help with their needs. We were amazed at the condition of the preschool – no tables, no chairs, no books, a few toys. How do you run a preschool with nothing to help with the teaching? We took some books a few days later but we had to wait for a shipment with small school furnishings. 

A container of mostly little tables and chairs arrived in March from Australia – happy day! One of the first places we delivered tables and chairs was Lavengatonga Preschool. We took more books, a big box of crayons, marking pens, paper, 6 tables, 24 little chairs, balls, blocks and toy animals. These things made a tremendous difference for the children and teacher. 

 

Mosese, the teacher, invited us for a morning class. The children had books to learn from. He showed them a book with animals and they repeated the names of the animals and the sounds they make. He had a book of numbers, and the children counted in Tongan and English. The children sat at their new tables and chairs to do lessons and to color. They sang songs. They had free time when we saw many building blocks and playing with the animals. We really enjoyed our stay with Lavengatonga preschool and interacting with the children. 

 

 

Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children Play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.          

                                     Mr Rogers