Hitting the ground running – our second week in Cairo!
Students have started to bond really well
Here’s the second blog post by Donna about what’s been happening in our edcuational space in Cairo.
We’re well into the swing of things, and the days are flying by—always a sign that we’re having a lot of fun! This blog is coming out a bit later than planned, thanks to a winter bug that’s been zapping my energy. Perhaps my body still thinks it’s back in England! The weather here in Cairo is shifting; I’ve officially started wearing a cardigan and can now join in saying, “It’s cold.” With this change, though, comes fresher, revitalised air, as the sand seems to be staying on the ground—a very British-style weather update, I know!
Some of the supplementary material being used
In our second week, I can sense the confidence of both students and teachers growing. I include teachers here because this is the first time we’ve worked together, blending the Palestinian curriculum with creative activities. This week, I’ve peppered the lessons with games and activities—TEFL classics like Two Truths and a Lie, charades, Pictionary, quizzes, role plays, and paired speaking exercises. The verdict? They love them! These activities are fun, interactive, and energising for everyone.
Drama is becoming more and more prevalent in the classes
This is also my first time teaching classes using a Hands Up approach, incorporating theatre, poetry, and highly creative activities. I’m learning as I go, diving into the HUP archives and weaving in as many ideas as I can while balancing time for the curriculum. I’m happy to admit this because I believe the best classes are often spontaneous and student-led. I don’t come in with rigid expectations; instead, we’re all exploring together. My main goal is for students to speak as much English as possible—in a fun, engaging, and creative way. Of course, I’m super lucky and grateful to have Raja’a so close by who’s always happy to lend a hand, give advice or have a natter about the world.
Lots of ways of saying ‘No’ :-)
This week, I shared some poetry from Moon, Tell Me Truth to gauge the students’ interest. Reactions were mixed, but I’m planning to spark more enthusiasm for the poetry competition through art and music, which seem to resonate with this group. One thing is clear: they love drama. They’re happiest when they’re up on their feet, acting things out. So, it felt like the perfect moment to dive into the Doing Remote Theatre handbook and select a play for them to create and perform. I’m thrilled about this because the HUP plays are what first drew me to the program, and now I get to help bring one to life! We’ve chosen The Screen—if anyone out there has worked on this play before, I’d love to hear about your experience.
We’re also welcoming two new teachers soon—another English teacher and one for Arabic! This expansion will bring us to 24 classes per week, allowing us to support even more children. We’ve converted one of the bedrooms into a second classroom, so we’re ready to go.
Still plenty of time to focus on reading and writing and the content of English for Palestine.
The crowdfunding campaign is thriving, with over £2,600 raised so far! A massive thank-you to our supporters—you’re truly making this happen. Helen Rountree is organising an auction to boost the campaign further. If you can donate something, please check out her posts, the auction will go live this week. Thank you, Helen, for your hard work on this!
We’re also hosting a special magic show in Cairo on December 6th with humanitarian magician Jamie Jibberish. If you know any students in Cairo who might enjoy this, they can sign up for a free ticket here. The event will take place in a Palestinian restaurant in Nasr City, which is owned by our teacher’s husband. Some of the students will recite poetry & perform a show, so please let us know if you’d like to be involved!
I’m already into week 3 now so stay tuned for what’s been happening this week! A special shout out to Raja’a and Nick for their unwavering support, and all the excellent HUP volunteers who I’m connecting with – you’re all brilliant.