I appreciate the support of a Center for International Education travel grant that helped me return to East London, in the Eastern Cape of South Africa in February 2014. This was my fourth trip to South Africa since 2011. All four trips have been in conjunction with South Africa Partners, a Boston-based NGO celebrating its 15th year of supporting collaborative health and education initiatives in South Africa. http://www.sapartners.org

Merrill, Susan

English

University of New Hampshire

University of New Hampshire
University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository
Faculty Travel Reports Global Education Center
Spring 2014
Susan Merrill Clinical Assistant Professor,
Occupational Therapy travels to South Africa
Susan Merrill
University of New Hampshire - Main Campus
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/international_travel
This Report is brought to you for free and open access by the Global Education Center at University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. It has
been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Travel Reports by an authorized administrator of University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For more
information, please contact nicole.hentz@unh.edu.
Recommended Citation
Merrill, Susan, "Susan Merrill Clinical Assistant Professor, Occupational Therapy travels to South Africa" (2014). Faculty Travel
Reports. 86.
https://scholars.unh.edu/international_travel/86
Susan Merrill | Center for International Education and Global Engagement
http://unh.edu/cie/susan-merrill[6/14/2016 1:20:46 PM]
Home UNH Home Contact/Emergency
 
Center for International Education and Global Engagement
map of South Africa
Susan Merrill
Clinical Assistant Professor, Occupational Therapy - South Africa
I appreciate the support of a Center for International Education travel grant that helped me
return to East London, in the Eastern Cape of South Africa in February 2014. This was my fourth
trip to South Africa since 2011. All four trips have been in conjunction with South Africa Partners,
a Boston-based NGO celebrating its 15th year of supporting collaborative health and education
initiatives in South Africa. http://www.sapartners.org/
The Eastern Cape of South Africa is the secondpoorest province, per capita GDP. This is Mandela’s
homeland and pride about what has been accomplished in the 20 years since Apartheid ended
runs deep; as does frustration about how much more there is to accomplish. I feel privileged to
play a small part in helping educators from disadvantaged schools in East London develop
alternative understandings of teaching/learning and working with children who have learning
differences.
My experiences in South Africa thus far have helped me realize that establishing collaborative
relationships is a gradual process; that Americans who come thinking they have “answers” are
doomed to fail; and that listening almost always comes before talking. The purpose of my trip this time was to continue collaborations I have been
nurturing and to lay some ground work for new collaborations. I have found that my background as an occupational therapist is valued in East
London, especially in preschool and school settings.
Ongoing Collaboration
AW Barnes Primary School – I gave two new workshops for teachers that focused on using our understanding of the brain to guide pedagogy.
The first two days I was at the school I observed in classrooms and took some video footage of children, which I then used as discussion points
during the workshops. The teachers enjoyed this aspect and we had lively discussions. I also participated in Parents’ Night at the AW Barnes
Preschool, giving a short talk on the importance of sensory experiences for young children.
   
4th grade class at AW Barnes
Preschool
slide of Prof. Merrill's workshop student assembly at AW Barnes
Preschool
Masibumbane Early Childhood Education Project – Last summer I provided the occupational therapy perspective in a needs-assessment of 7
different day care centers. These centers are going to be part of a network to improve the quality of each center so that they all meet the
South African national standards for preschools. This trip I went with a group of people from South Africa Partners to further observe the
centers. This will be an ongoing role when I return in summer 2014. http://www.masibumbanedevelopment.org.za/
New Collaborations
The Hope Preparatory School – I met teachers from this school last summer and was invited to the school while I was there this trip. The
school is for children who are HIV positive or who have been affected by AIDS (parents and other family members, for example). They have
never had an occupational therapist visit their school so I observed classrooms and we talked about what I might offer them on my next trip
and how I might connect them with therapists in East London who might be able to volunteer some time with the idea that, in the longer run,
there might be an occupational therapist who would consult with them on a part-time basis. http://www.thembafoundation.org/about.cfm
Informal Networking – I met with an occupational therapist and a community activist and talked about potential collaborations in schools,
rehabilitation centers, and informal settlements.
University of Fort Hare – UFH is, historically, one of the most important universities in Sub-Saharan Africa. It was from UFH
that an educated, black elite was established, with attendees/graduates including C. Hani, N. Mandela, ZK Matthews, G.
Mbeki, R. Mugabe, R. Sobikwe, O. Tambo, D. Tutu just to name a few of the important political and social leaders who
attended this esteemed university. Like many institutions in South Africa, UFH has fallen on hard times and is working to
reinvent itself. I attended an informal meeting between UFH Education faculty and South Africa Partners/Masibumbane
people. I was able to make solid connections with the Head of the Education Faculty, Dr. Moyo, which will, I hope, lead to
further collaborations in research and teaching. http://www.ufh.ac.za/faculties/edu/
About OISS Int'l Affairs Dual Major / Minor Study Abroad The World at UNH UNH Int'l Travel Policies & Resources Faculty Alumni
Susan Merrill | Center for International Education and Global Engagement
http://unh.edu/cie/susan-merrill[6/14/2016 1:20:46 PM]
Copyright © 2016, Center for International Education and Global Engagement  •  University of New Hampshire
Hood House  •  89 Main Street  •  Durham, NH 03824  •  Ph 603-862-2398  •  Fax 603-862-0169
Thompson Hall  •  105 Main Street  •  Durham, NH 03824  •  Ph 603-862-1288  •  Fax 603-862-0844
For questions about this website
          
For UNH main directory dial 603-862-1234
ADA Acknowledgement | Contact the UNH Webmaster
This was a lot to accomplish in 7 days and I came back with lots to think about and build on for future trips to South Africa. I did get one walk on
Nahoon Beach where I put my feet in the Indian Ocean and found a couple of pieces of sea glass for my ongoing collection. South Africa is an
amazing country and I look forward to going back this summer. My hope is that next year I will be able to take graduate-level occupational therapy
students with me to participate in some of these ongoing and new collaborations and research projects that I hope to start in summer 2014.


Susan Merrill Clinical Assistant Professor, Occupational Therapy travels to South Africa

UNH Scholars' Repository

University of New HampshireUniversity of New Hampshire Scholars' RepositoryFaculty Travel Reports Global Education CenterSpring 2014Susan Merrill Clinical Assistant Professor,Occupational Therapy travels to South AfricaSusan MerrillUniversity of New Hampshire - Main CampusFollow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/international_travelThis Report is brought to you for free and open access by the Global Education Center at University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. It hasbeen accepted for inclusion in Faculty Travel Reports by an authorized administrator of University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For moreinformation, please contact nicole.hentz@unh.edu.Recommended CitationMerrill, Susan, "Susan Merrill Clinical Assistant Professor, Occupational Therapy travels to South Africa" (2014). Faculty TravelReports. 86.https://scholars.unh.edu/international_travel/86Susan Merrill | Center for International Education and Global Engagementhttp://unh.edu/cie/susan-merrill[6/14/2016 1:20:46 PM]Home UNH Home Contact/Emergency Center for International Education and Global Engagementmap of South AfricaSusan MerrillClinical Assistant Professor, Occupational Therapy - South AfricaI appreciate the support of a Center for International Education travel grant that helped mereturn to East London, in the Eastern Cape of South Africa in February 2014. This was my fourthtrip to South Africa since 2011. All four trips have been in conjunction with South Africa Partners,a Boston-based NGO celebrating its 15th year of supporting collaborative health and educationinitiatives in South Africa. http://www.sapartners.org/The Eastern Cape of South Africa is the secondpoorest province, per capita GDP. This is Mandela’shomeland and pride about what has been accomplished in the 20 years since Apartheid endedruns deep; as does frustration about how much more there is to accomplish. I feel privileged toplay a small part in helping educators from disadvantaged schools in East London developalternative understandings of teaching/learning and working with children who have learningdifferences.My experiences in South Africa thus far have helped me realize that establishing collaborativerelationships is a gradual process; that Americans who come thinking they have “answers” aredoomed to fail; and that listening almost always comes before talking. The purpose of my trip this time was to continue collaborations I have beennurturing and to lay some ground work for new collaborations. I have found that my background as an occupational therapist is valued in EastLondon, especially in preschool and school settings.Ongoing CollaborationAW Barnes Primary School – I gave two new workshops for teachers that focused on using our understanding of the brain to guide pedagogy.The first two days I was at the school I observed in classrooms and took some video footage of children, which I then used as discussion pointsduring the workshops. The teachers enjoyed this aspect and we had lively discussions. I also participated in Parents’ Night at the AW BarnesPreschool, giving a short talk on the importance of sensory experiences for young children.   4th grade class at AW BarnesPreschoolslide of Prof. Merrill's workshop student assembly at AW BarnesPreschoolMasibumbane Early Childhood Education Project – Last summer I provided the occupational therapy perspective in a needs-assessment of 7different day care centers. These centers are going to be part of a network to improve the quality of each center so that they all meet theSouth African national standards for preschools. This trip I went with a group of people from South Africa Partners to further observe thecenters. This will be an ongoing role when I return in summer 2014. http://www.masibumbanedevelopment.org.za/New CollaborationsThe Hope Preparatory School – I met teachers from this school last summer and was invited to the school while I was there this trip. Theschool is for children who are HIV positive or who have been affected by AIDS (parents and other family members, for example). They havenever had an occupational therapist visit their school so I observed classrooms and we talked about what I might offer them on my next tripand how I might connect them with therapists in East London who might be able to volunteer some time with the idea that, in the longer run,there might be an occupational therapist who would consult with them on a part-time basis. http://www.thembafoundation.org/about.cfmInformal Networking – I met with an occupational therapist and a community activist and talked about potential collaborations in schools,rehabilitation centers, and informal settlements.University of Fort Hare – UFH is, historically, one of the most important universities in Sub-Saharan Africa. It was from UFHthat an educated, black elite was established, with attendees/graduates including C. Hani, N. Mandela, ZK Matthews, G.Mbeki, R. Mugabe, R. Sobikwe, O. Tambo, D. Tutu just to name a few of the important political and social leaders whoattended this esteemed university. Like many institutions in South Africa, UFH has fallen on hard times and is working toreinvent itself. I attended an informal meeting between UFH Education faculty and South Africa Partners/Masibumbanepeople. I was able to make solid connections with the Head of the Education Faculty, Dr. Moyo, which will, I hope, lead tofurther collaborations in research and teaching. http://www.ufh.ac.za/faculties/edu/About OISS Int'l Affairs Dual Major / Minor Study Abroad The World at UNH UNH Int'l Travel Policies & Resources Faculty AlumniSusan Merrill | Center for International Education and Global Engagementhttp://unh.edu/cie/susan-merrill[6/14/2016 1:20:46 PM]Copyright © 2016, Center for International Education and Global Engagement  •  University of New HampshireHood House  •  89 Main Street  •  Durham, NH 03824  •  Ph 603-862-2398  •  Fax 603-862-0169Thompson Hall  •  105 Main Street  •  Durham, NH 03824  •  Ph 603-862-1288  •  Fax 603-862-0844For questions about this website          For UNH main directory dial 603-862-1234ADA Acknowledgement | Contact the UNH WebmasterThis was a lot to accomplish in 7 days and I came back with lots to think about and build on for future trips to South Africa. I did get one walk onNahoon Beach where I put my feet in the Indian Ocean and found a couple of pieces of sea glass for my ongoing collection. South Africa is anamazing country and I look forward to going back this summer. My hope is that next year I will be able to take graduate-level occupational therapystudents with me to participate in some of these ongoing and new collaborations and research projects that I hope to start in summer 2014.

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Susan Merrill Clinical Assistant Professor, Occupational Therapy travels to South Africa

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