The ManicaPost
Rumbidzaishe Muchena
Lupane State University Intern
. . . perspective of an intern
IN the course of my internship here at Education Panorama, my aim is to experience how language affects the community through writing and speech. The director in the office in which I am an intern, Mr Morris Mtisi, is an obsessed language person, (I hope he does not mind describing him that way) a jovial and passionate expert in the English language, widely read in the Art and Science of verbal communication.
I cannot be in a more appropriate office, and it is a pleasure to do internship under the directorship of such a protégé. This office is run by a busy man who edits lots of individual academic and creative written works like novels, dissertations. He trains teachers and students to produce brilliant individual school magazines. He runs corrective tuition programmes in English Language and Literature.
He is a hands-on English expert who runs school based consultancy in these two subjects. I have witnessed his coaching skills and have learnt how infectious his teaching gift is and learnt a lot myself.
He is an educational materials writer with the biggest and most popular newspaper in Manicaland Province – The Manica Post. His articles on English Language learning are both inspiring and pedagogically excellent. He writes to teach and correct everybody willing and not too proud to learn.
This office, thanks to my ‘boss’ and director, oozes awesome evidence of skill and innovativeness to make an impact in the community especially schools, to develop through language. He runs an educational talk show on Mutare’s community radio, Diamond FM.
The programmes command serious educational excellence and value in the context of both engagement and learning. In these programmes he brings to discussion and debate experts in various aspects of education, for example, issues to do with education policy, new school curriculum and syllabi, quality measurement models of education, teaching as a skill, an art of knowledge impartation, topics too many to exhaust here.
I am waiting to join him on radio, to observe how he uses language to touch the people he is hosting and those listening, how he uses language to educate, enrich and change mindsets. I have listened to his radio programmes and I think they are a positive model and influence of learning through language.
He in my view speaks, as much as he writes, to demonstrate the impact of language as a source of motivation, learning and personal social transformation. I can’t wait to be invited to join ‘my boss’ on radio.
I gossip a lot, in the positive sense of the word, with my new friends in Mutare. They all share my sentiments about ‘my boss’ and his job and office. My own English language is immensely developing in both writing and verbal spheres.
My course Applied Language Studies is based on how language is applied in everything we do. Education Panorama illustrates this and more, and is developing new interests in my studies. I am already shaping an area or areas of further studies into a Masters Degree in Applied Language Studies.
My internship is helping every day to carve new niches of career for the future.
The office has recently launched a Culture-of-Reading project. The office has acquired more than five hundred (500) books most of them English novels. Thanks to Rock International Church led by Bishop Mugadza based in New Zealand and The Zimbabwe Library Trust headed by Driden Kunaka in New Zealand. They donated more than 10 000 books to Zimbabwe through Ministry Of Primary and Secondary Education. Through this initiative Education Panorama benefited and has started a pilot-project community library for all ages.
The idea is to prove that guided reading improves the learning of English Language for personal use or examinations. For this project, the office is sourcing more useful and appropriate books.
We allow individuals to come to read and expert guidance to fit purpose is given. I am in charge of this project and ‘my boss’ has already trained me to assist readers of all ages. Interested students and young adults can contact me on cell phone and WhatsApp number 0777 311 880 for details on this new development and project at our offices.
In order to develop my own English language I have already read a lot of these books, myself, and I advise students and anybody else struggling with their English in the community to come and start reading under expert guidance. Reading novels extremely helps to boost writing skills, improves communication skills and sharpens verbal intelligence.
I am learning public relations and it goes beyond what I am taught at university. I have the privilege to call school heads and set appointments. This has improved my communication skills and PR.
I am gaining a lot of experience here at Education Panorama and also already dreaming about how to make creative use of my degree after I graduate.
My director created his own job and my exposure here will assist and guide me on how to create mine. It is a privilege and honour to be here and I am one of the lucky students who was able to get attachment which complements their degree. After I graduate I am confident that I will be able to secure employment.
It is critically important for us university students to get relevant attachment places as it will direct us into the right path after we graduate.
To my fellow colleagues I say, try to concentrate on acquiring experience which will help you in the future rather than being predominantly concerned about allowance, money on attachment.
