news
NEWSPAPER OF THE WCED
Inside this issue
JUNE 2010 | ISSUE 05
Own YOUR future Own YOUR success Study hard to pass matric The Western Cape Education Department has launched a comprehensive campaign to encourage learners to put maximum effort into their studies in the remaining months of their school career up to their final National Senior Certificate Examinations.
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NEWS
World class teaching through world class technology See page 2
INTERVIEW
Mike Chiles looks back and talks ‘e’ See page 9
A R T S A N D C U LT U R E
Eerste River School improved discipline and learner motivation through focus on the arts See page 13
he campaign, “Own YOUR future. Own YOUR success. Study hard to pass YOUR matric” is part of the WCED’s plan to improve the Grade 12 pass rate in the province. “We are determined to ensure that as many Grade 12 learners as possible pass their examinations in 2010,” said Western Cape Education Minister Donald Grant at the launch at Manyano High School in Khayelitsha. “Therefore, this administration is determined to offer any available form of assistance so that each learner will put in the maximum effort to study hard and pass their matric.” The WCED compiled a booklet called “Tips for Success” to provide advice on preparing for the exams, tips on how to study and how to write examinations successfully. The booklet also includes advice from those who excelled in last year’s final exams, along with the exam timetable and information on bursaries and loans for studying after school. Grant said he was particularly excited about the “Tips for Success” booklet. “This type of booklet is a first of its kind in the history of the South African education system.” Every Grade 12 learner in the province received a copy and the feedback from learners was overwhelmingly positive. Sisa Sodlaka, principal of Masiyile Senior Secondary School in Khayelitsha, said they already saw an improvement in the results of the March examinations. Less than
a third of the school’s matriculants (32%) passed their final exams in 2009. This year, candidates obtained a 51% pass rate in March. Sodlaka said the school is aiming for a pass rate of at least 60% or above. Sodlaka added that the department’s public awareness campaign, which included messages of motivation and practical study tips on billboards, in taxi’s and bus shelters, helped to get parents more involved. He said the Circuit Team Manager met with Grade 12 parents and encouraged them to assist learners with studying. “I am also meeting with the parents individually and our parents are working very hard to assist the learners and the school.” Grant said passing matric will allow Grade 12 learners to determine their own future and to reach their full potential, be it in the form of further studies after school or in entering the formal job market. “I cannot emphasis enough how we need to treat the class of 2010 as the most important people in the province and I encourage all of the citizens of the Western Cape collectively to ensure that they are kept motivated, prepared and supported until they write their examinations.” Grant said that in order to help more learners pass Grade 12 the WCED were, for the first time, putting significant resources into the provision of additional assistance to Grade 12 learners. Targets have been set for each school in the province and detailed plans were developed
for schools in need of support. Interventions include the strict monitoring of teacher and learner attendance, intensive management support from district offices, subject specific support for schools with historically low pass rates and the delivery of 15 000 additional textbooks in the WCED’s top-up programme for Grade 12 learners in critical subject areas.
“... THIS ADMINISTRATION IS DETERMINED TO OFFER ANY AVAILABLE FORM OF ASSISTANCE SO THAT EACH LEARNER WILL PUT IN THE MAXIMUM EFFORT TO STUDY HARD AND PASS THEIR MATRIC.” “In the second term we are intensifying our efforts with the launch of this campaign which includes: increasing the support given to all schools with passes below the provincial average by providing a tutoring programme for complex areas of the syllabus, a principal mentorship programme that will provide much needed support to our underperforming schools, the roll-out of past examination papers, additional textbooks and after school, weekend and holiday classes.” The Interactive Telematic Teaching programme, using satellite technology, the internet and cell phones would also see 120 schools benefit from expert tuition in subjects such as Mathematics, Physical Science, Life Sciences and Accounting.
SPORT
Hammer-throw star scores a hat trick See page 16
Regulars:
NEWS
FEATURES
INSIGHT AND OPINION
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
REVIEWS
ARTS AND CULTURE
BILL AIMED AT GREATER LEVELS OF ACCOUNTABILITY FOR EDUCATORS AND OFFICIALS The Western Cape Provincial School Education Amendment Bill could be passed by the provincial legislature by the end of the year, after a consultation process was successfully concluded. The amendment bill is ultimately aimed at ensuring that the highest quality of schooling possible is available to learners in schools staffed by committed, competent teachers, said Provincial Education Minister Donald Grant. A team of representatives of the Western Cape Education Department met with school governing body organisations, the educator unions, school principals, as well as representatives from higher education organisations at the end of April for consultation on the draft bill. Grant said these formal meetings were productive, informative and positive. All comments will now be taken into consideration and any necessary amendments to the draft bill will be made. Thereafter, the bill will enter a formal process of finalisation involving both the Western Cape Cabinet and the legislature.
THE BILL SETS OUT TO ACHIEVE THE FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES: Allow a greater focus on the provision of a quality basic education to the learners of the Western Cape; Bring the Western Cape Provincial School Education Act, 1997, in line with the current education landscape; Expand the power of the Provincial Minister responsible for education to determine provincial education policy and the power to the Head of the Western Cape Education Department to make certain rules; Make provision for the inspection of schools to monitor performance and compliance; Regulate anew the establishment and the functions of an education council for the province; Make greater provision for schools for learners with special education needs; Authorize the Provincial Minister to prescribe certain norms and standards regarding basic infrastructure and capacity in public schools; Place further prohibitions on dangerous objects, illegal drugs and liquor on school premises; Provide greater powers to conduct search and seizure operations at schools; Reduce the time period for lodging of certain grievances; Prohibit political activities at schools during school times. Grant said he is confident that all necessary processes will be concluded early in the second half of this year.
NOTICE BOARD
SPORT
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JUNE 2010
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Premier’s bursary fund for disadvantaged learners Record entries for computer olympiad he Standard Bank/CSSA Computer Olympiad received more entries than ever before in its 17th year history. Peter Waker, Computer Olympiad Manager said more than 34 000 entries were received for the First Round, which is offered free to all high schools. Many schools register for the Computer Olympiad in order to use the First Round as a free aptitude test. This round does not require the use of computers, but will indicate which students have an aptitude for computer programming, and which should look for employment opportunities elsewhere. For grades 8 and 9 the main aim is to alert the learners to make the correct subject choices for a possible career in IT. For grades 10, 11 and12 the aim is to encourage those with aptitude to plan for a tertiary course in IT. The Second Round requires participants to have the use of a computer and be familiar with a
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Petra Swart from Bredasdorp Primary School
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Rebecca-Ann Klaasen from Sea Point Primary School
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Nicole September from Ruyterwach Preparatory School
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Samantha van Wyk from Laerskool Klawer
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The families of four girl learners who are currently in Grade 3 will not have the burden of paying school fees and other related expenses for the next four years after they received bursaries from Premier Helen Zille.
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he recipients are Samantha van Wyk from Laerskool Klawer, Petra Swart from Bredasdorp Primary, Nicole September from Ruyterwach Preparatory and Rebecca-Ann Klaasen from Sea Point Primary School. The bursaries, to the value of R20 000 per learner per year, make provision for annual school fees, school uniforms, sports attire, extra-curricula activities, transport
costs to and from school and to attend events such as competitions or shows as arranged and managed by the school, as well as any other expenditure required by the school. The recipients had to, amongst others, show an aptitude for, and a willingness to participate in a range of sporting and cultural activities, co-operate effectively and show respect for others’
cultural values and opinions and be well-behaved and disciplined towards their work. The decision to create a bursary scheme for disadvantaged female learners follows a national request that during Women’s Month, provinces hold a number of interventions to highlight the need to create an enabling environment for the advancement of women in the public service.
Youth Leadership Development The Western Cape Education Foundation (WCEF) held a successful Youth Leadership Development Training camp for Grade 10 learners at the Cape Academy for Maths, Science and Technology during the March school break. elegates at the four day camp were recruited from 85 Schools across the province with a 2009 Grade 12 pass rate of 60% or less. Two members of the Representative Council of Learners (RCL) and a Teacher Liaison Officer (TLO) from each school attended. “We were inspired by the calibre and potential of learners in these schools, struck by the hunger for youth leadership programmes and realised the need for advocacy on the importance and benefits of RCLs,” said Wayne Blauw, WCEF Manager. “For many of the learners it was a life-changing experience and learners have been speaking non-stop of how the camp affected them.” A breakaway session, facilitated by Glen van Harte from the Metro South Education District, was arranged for TLOs to identify and share challenges they faced.
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Blauw said this session revealed that there was an urgent need to continue the discussion on youth leadership development in the districts and for all to question whether the support mechanisms for developing youth leaders in schools was really working. Or are we overlooking a group of people who could contribute to turning their schools around?” Guest speakers at the camp included Pastor Thando Melani who gave a motivational speech on understanding and achieving your purpose in life; and Hectic 9 TV Series personality, Lori-Anne, who facilitated an information session on the usage of websites and cell phones as a communication tool for learners. The delegates were introduced to the concept of creating campaigns and they worked on campaigns with themes around learner motivation, challenges like teen
pregnancy, HIV/Aids, gangsterism, substance abuse, safety at school and community projects. Blauw said on a lighter note, delegates commented on how much fun they had, how much they enjoyed the food and the friendships they made across cultural backgrounds. “The camp concluded on an inspirational note and the desire was expressed by teachers and learners alike to maintain the momentum generated at the training camp. From our side we have made a commitment to report back to TLOs within 3 months on progress made. In addition, learners are requested to plan and implement a positive campaign in their schools. This is in line with the overall objective of the training, to empower learners to take responsibility for their own development, strengthen their RCLs and to lead campaigns in their schools.”
computer language - any computer language. The Second Round also takes place at participants’ own schools or nearby computer centres, but for the Third Round participants are brought together in Cape Town. Four winners of the Third Round will be selected to represent South Africa at the International Olympiad in Informatics in Thailand in 2011. In addition to the usual R37 000 prize money, IT billionaire Mark Shuttleworth made an additional R100 000 prize money available for learners using the computer language Python Round in the Third Round. Python is an Open Source Language which may be used without payment. Shuttleworth wrote the software that made him a billionaire using such software. The Computer Olympiad is a project of the Computer Society of South Africa, sponsored by Standard Bank and supported by the University of Cape Town and Mark Shuttleworth.
Johan Jacobs uses an interactive white board to teach Life Science
World class teaching through world class technology The acquisition of technology worth more than R180 000 will help Dirkie Uys High School in Malmesbury realise its objective to offer world class education to its learners. Principal Daneill Ross said Dirkie Uys’ motto is “school without boundaries” and they aim to ensure excellence for each learner. Ross said the latest acquisition is yet another step in the Khanya Technology in Education Project’s involvement in the school the past 8 years, with a value of more than R300 000. Dirkie Uys now has three classrooms with interactive white-boards, dataprojectors and teacher-laptops, placing the academic focus on Mathematics, Life Sciences, Mathematical Literacy and Accounting. Other learning areas are being supplemented with mimio-apparatus en Mindset products functioning in a “wireless’ environment. The school also has a fully equipped computer centre and every year they produce top achievers for the learning area Computer (RTT) in the West-
coast education district. The school also recently took a language laboratory with 25 high tech computers in use with the aim of improving the literacy and numeracy levels of especially Grade 8 and Grade 9 learners. The top South African literacy programme “Stimulus Maxima”, to the value of R35 000, is used daily to improve learners’ literacy skills. Ross said this bridging course is of cardinal importance to firstly eliminate academic inequalities en secondly to prepare learners for the Further Education and Training (FET) Phase in Grade 10 – 12. “This language laboratory is a first for the West-Coast and one of only a few in the province.”
wcednews JUNE 2010
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Soccer countdown
On the ball towards 2010 group of learners’ excitement over the 2010 Soccer World Cup provided light relief for commuters at Cape Town Station. Learners from Rosendal Primary School in Delft who were on an Edutrain outing, celebrated 50 days to kick-off at the station as part of a Metrorail initiative. The next
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day Metrorail hosted learners from Grassy Park EC Primary School. The next day Metrorail hosted learners from Grassy Park EC Primary School. Some commuters stopped to watch the seven-a-side soccer match while one of the construction workers, busy with the final phase of the extensive R418
Grassy Park EC Primary School’s soccer stars
million revamp at Cape Town Station, captured the excitement with his cell phone camera. Daphne Kayster, Marketing and Promotions Manager, said because the two schools’ booking on the Edutrain coincided with the week of the 50 days count down to the soccer extravaganza, it was only fitting to involve
the learners. Learners were asked to submit drawings with the theme “Cape Town Scoring Goals”. The drawings were displayed at Cape Town Station. Prizes were awarded to the three best drawings. The programme also included a photo opportunity with the 2010 World Cup Mascot, Zakumi.
The 2010 World Cup mascot Zakumi was a big hit with the learners
Beesloop raises record amount for Hartenbos Primary artenbos Primary School’s annual fundraiser, starring a cow named Blommetjie, was a huge success and generated a record amount that will be ploughed back into teaching at the school. The festivities kicked off on Friday 19 March with a Mr. and Miss Hartenbos Primary. Contestants, inspired by the Rio de Janeiro theme, paraded in beautiful colours and feather masks to the cheers of an enthusiastic crowd. The two day programme was packed with entertainment for
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young and old and included, amongst others, a karaoke competition, a SAPS show, potjiekos competition, an opportunity for Grade R learners to show off their baking skills, suikerkaskenades and food stalls. The highlight of the weekend was the Beesloop where Blommetjie’s droppings determined the winner of the R20 000 grand prize. Parachute jumpers “dropped” in on the blocks of the second and third prize winners The day ended with lucky prize draws.
Soccer World Cup information at your fingertips Information about the 2010 Soccer World Cup is now available in Braille thanks to an initiative by Pioneer Printers, the literature production unit of the Pioneer School for the visually impaired in Worcester. Schalk Hugo, Manager of Pioneer Printers, said they compiled a one volume Braille brochure on the Soccer World Cup tournament. The brochure, which was hailed as a world first, include tactile maps of SA, for example, where each of the stadiums are located. Hugo approached the Lottery with his idea and within a month R80 000 was made available to print and distribute 4 000 Braille brochures to the visually impaired in Southern Africa. He compiled the information from various sources, including the internet. The information was transcribed in Braille and printed by Pioneer Printers. The brochure will be distributed to the Braille magazine subscribers of the National Council for the Blind, Blind SA, the Institute for the Blind and almost 30 schools for the blind in SA. Apart from making the World Cup accessible to visually impaired people, the brochure also created job opportunities for four casual workers who were working around the clock with the printing team to get the brochures ready and distributed.
news wcednews is the official newspaper of the Western Cape Education Department. wcednews@pgwc.gov.za Tel: 021 467 2707 DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATION
Paddy Attwell EDITOR
Millicent Merton CONTRIBUTORS
Anton Mans, Bronagh Casey Hennie Mentz, Henriette Snyman Ismail Teladia, Ian Claasens Jacques Wolfaard, Jenny van Papendorp, Magdalena Benn, Mariëtte van Wyk, Susan Hanekom, Shoba Bojrah, Tom Parks and Antoinette van der Merwe, Walter J Mercuur DESIGN
Infestation, Tel: 021 424 6701, Sam Bainbridge, Brenda Knoop and Jacky Smith
A display of team work in the Suikerkaskenades
Top: Contestants in the Miss Hartenbos Primary competition Bottom: Blommetjie, the star of the annual Beesloop
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wcednews JUNE 2010
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Book Smart
TIPS
for success
The following is an extract from the booklet Tips for Success provided to all matriculants to help them prepare for the National Senior Certificate Examinations. Learners in all grades can benefit from these tips. Associate: new information with what you already know. Visualise: Try to create “stories” or “movies” in your mind. Recite: Use your own words. Explain the information to a friend/family member. Go back and check for accuracy and additional details
TIME MANAGEMENT
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Plan to study daily, starting today: Draw up a special study schedule. 50-minute study blocks and 10-minute breaks work well. Select fixed study-times for every day (including a time slot over weekends). Use the long June-July school holidays wisely. Study for at least 3 hours a day in the holidays. Study skills and strategies become study habits only if they are practised regularly. Break up topics into manageable sections. Estimate the time needed, and then double it!
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HOW TO STUDY Decide when you work best, e.g. early morning, afternoons, evenings. Where do you like to work? Home? Library? School? Community centre? Where can you work undisturbed? Set up a place for your studying – table, chair , uncluttered work space, good lighting. Do you work well with others? Do you have a friend who could be your study buddy? How do you best remember information? Seeing? Hearing? Through action? People have different preferred learning styles, but use them
ABOUT MEMORISING Memorising skills can be learned. There are many different skills you can learn to help you remember information. Here are some examples: Mind maps Cartoons, pictures, labelling Rhymes and jingles – use words that rhyme to help you remember important facts Word association, key words, flash cards Creating acronyms: e.g. RICE stands for rest, ice, compression and elevation (What to do when somebody is injured) Grouping or categorising – organize the information into logical clusters
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CREATIVE STUDYING Make your studying active by using study methods, writing, drawing, summarizing, chanting or teaching your study buddy. Concentrate fully and try not to allow your mind to wander. This improves with practice. Avoid last-minute cramming. Mentally prepare to study (RAVES) Use Relaxation techniques to calm your mind. Arrange goals and priorities for each study block. Visualise yourself capable of full concentration. Emotional words for success: effort, enthusiasm, energy, eagerness Use positive Self-talk to set a positive attitude.
MEMORY PRINCIPLES
Be selective: When you study. Select significant information. You cannot learn every detail. Make your own notes, focusing on what is most important.
MEMORY – USE IT OR LOSE IT! Memory strategies require practice and discipline. TIP 1 Pay attention and listen carefully in class. Make sure you understand the content and concepts. If not, ask the teacher questions. TIP 2 Make effective notes. In order for information to be stored in long-term memory, it first needs to pass through your short-term or working memory. This stage of memory is limited in the amount of information it can retain. Information you receive in class must be written down or you will forget it. When revising from your textbooks, seek out the important information and write it down. Organise it logically. Reduce it to key terms or a form that is easy to remember. TIP 3 Make effective notes. Remember these three Rs: Repeat, Repeat, Repeat TIP 4 Use mnemonics. Mnemonics are devices, using arbitrary, easy-toremember associations, to help you remember information.
Examples: sohcahtoa (used in trigonometry to memorize important information about the sine, cosine, and tangent) roygbiv (the colours of the rainbow in their correct order – red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet) TIP 5 Generate examples. A very effective way of checking your own understanding is to generate examples of related concepts, situations, relationships, events or case studies. If you cannot do this, it is likely that you do not fully understand this aspect of the syllabus. Ask your teacher for help. TIP 6 Use visual imagery. Visualization of a concept, situation, relationship or sequence of events can be a very powerful way to learn Create stories or movies in your mind, or make your own drawings, stick figures or cartoons. TIP 7 Make associations. Make connections between the new information and something familiar to you. TIP 8 Use rehearsal strategies Practise retrieving information by reciting key ideas, predicting questions, practising problem-solving and testing yourself by using previous exam papers.
APPLYING MEMORY Once you have memorized information, rather than just restating that information, you need to be able to use it. You should do the following: Analyse the information. Identify exactly what the examination question is asking for. Make sure that the information is required by the question. In some cases, apply the information in a context. In some cases, develop a wellreasoned argument. Present information logically and coherently.
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EFFECTIVE EXAMINATION WRITING TECHNIQUES TIP 1 Arrive early and ready to begin. TIP 2 Read and understand the instructions. Check that you have received the
correct question paper. ALWAYS carefully read the INSTRUCTIONS at the beginning of the question paper. Many students do not take the time to do this and discover later that they answered the wrong questions. Are you required to answer a certain number of questions or do you have to answer all of them? Ask for clarification if you are unsure. TIP 3 Preview the question paper and allocate your writing time appropriately. Read through the whole examination paper before you begin writing. Note the number of questions and what they are worth. Reading over the questions before you start writing will assist in activating your memory. Decide which questions will be easier to do and which ones will take more time. Identify where you have choices among questions and within questions and decide which questions to choose. Allocate time for the answering of each question. Also allow for time to go over your answers and to make corrections. If you think of something as you preview, write it down immediately. TIP 4 Tackle each question systematically. Read each question carefully, underlining key words, especially the verbs that tell you what to do. Is it a one-part or a two-part question? What are you being asked to do? Identify what you have and what you need. Plan the way you will answer the question and make a few notes on the steps you will take. This will provide you and the person marking the exam with an idea of how you attempted the question. This will also assist you with finding and correcting your mistakes. Some questions may ask you to apply your knowledge. Write your answer in the format requested, e.g. an essay, a programme, a review, an interview, a letter, a calculation. TIP 5 Write down something for every question If all you can do is provide a definition, then do so. If you are running out of time, answer in point form, instead of complete sentences. Write down anything you know that is related to the question.
TIP 6 Set out your answers clearly. Write legibly so the marker can read it easily. Leave spaces between questions and always start a new section on a new page. Make sure you number your answers correctly according to the numbering on the question paper. TIP 7 If you feel you are unable to answer a question, don’t panic and allow anxiety to affect how you are going to fare in the exam. Ask yourself “What do I need to know to answer this question?”, and start writing down your thoughts. Avoid negative self-talk – focus on the task instead of yourself. TIP 8 Review and make corrections. Take time to go over your answers. Do not change anything unless you are quite sure it is wrong. Check mathematical answers by performing reverse calculations. Look at the processes you used. Make sure you have given everything that was asked for. TIP 9 Stay until the end. Don’t leave until the exam invigilators throw you out! Sometimes, it takes a little more time for the information in your memory to “surface”. So use all the time you are given. SCHOOL BASED ASSESSMENT AND PATS. The school based assessment tasks and PATs prepare you for your final examinations. Make sure that you have handed in all your tasks. This will already give you a good chance of passing and doing well. Remember if you do not hand in all of the PAT or SBA tasks you will receive a ‘999’ which means incomplete. You will not matriculate with your friends and your name will not appear in the newspaper. Enjoy the challenge of having your knowledge tested and do not panic.
REFERENCES Learning resources (Academic Support Centre, University of Alberta) Smart study: a guide to skill yourself to be a better student (Edumedia, 2005) Fleet, J, Goodchild, F, & Zajchowski, R, Learning for success (Harcourt Brace & Company, 1999
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Education level
Holiday reading EDULIS, the library and curriculums report service of WCED, has prepared reading lists to advise parents on what their children could read during holidays and leisure time. The lists cover the three official languages of the Western Cape and every learning phase. The following are extracts from the list. The full lists appear on the WCED’s website (http://wced.wcape.gov.za - see “information for parents”). ENGLISH READING GUIDE LOCAL PUBLICATIONS: Foundation Phase (Grades R, 1 – 3): Picture books
•Wendy Maartens: A star with stripes •Niki Daly: Happy Birthday, Jamela! •Lesley Beake / Karin Littlewood (ill.): Home now •Niki Daly: Jamela’s dress •Wendy Maartens: Lena’s bottle tree •Chris van Wyk: Ouma Ruby’s secret •Mari Grobler: Siyolo’s jersey •Sindiwe Magona: The best meal ever •Elinor Batezat Sisulu: The day Gogo went to vote •Pat Thomson / Niki Daly (ill.): The squeaky, creaky bed FOUNDATION/INTERMEDIATE PHASE: Fiction Grades 2/3-4
•Wendy Hartmann: Theo and the cat burglar •Wendy Hartmann: Theo and the circus act •Wendy Hartmann: Theo and the library cat Grades 4-5
•Helen Brain: Dear Miss Winfrey •Adie Wagener: Sandile and the silver city
Grades 5-6
•M I Davids: Sedick’s Kalk Bay stories •Marguerite Poland: Shadow of the wild hare •Georgiana King: Zolani goes to Yeoville Senior Phase (Grades 7 – 9)
•Dianne Case: 92 Queen’s Road •Jenny Robson: Because pula means rain •Lutz van Dijk: Crossing the line •Sir Percy Fitzpatrick: Jock of the Bushveld •Dianne Case & Yvonne Hart: Katie of Sky Road •Belinda Hollyer: Long walk to Lavender Street •Gillian d’Achada: Sharkey’s son •Russell H. Kaschula: The Tsitsa River and beyond •Rekgetsi Chimeloane: Whose laetie are you? •Kasigo Lesego Molope: The mending season FET Phase (Grades 10 – 12)
•Pamela Jooste: Dance with a poor man’s daughter •J.M. Coetzee: Disgrace •Michael Williams: Hijack City •Troy Blacklaws: Karoo boy •Gcina Mhlophe: Love child •Sol Plaatje: Mhudi
•Sindiwe Magona: Mother to mother •Marguerite Poland: Shades •Patricia Pinnock: Skyline •Thembelani Ngenelwa: The day I died •Alexander McCall Smith: The Number 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency AFRIKAANSE BOEKELYS GRONDSLAGFASE (Grade R, 1 – 3):
•J Donaldson: Die Goorgomgaai •T Knapman: Stefan en die Prenteboekseerowers •C Fuge: Ek ken ‘n renoster •G Andreae: Kameelperde kan nie dans nie •W Maartens: ‘n Ster met strepe •F Greyling: Formule drie, twee, een •G Davies: Bybelstories opwipboek •G Guile: Die oerwoud – opwipboek •R Scheepers: Arboreta , die heks met groen hare •P Bouma: Die muisboot •J Daly: Lila en die geheim van reën INTERMEDIÊRE FASE (Grade 4 – 6):
•J Ooshuysen: Daar is vlooie in my bed
•E Botes: Speurder Annika •L Smit: Die seun met die blou hare •J Oosthuysen: Bessie Hemelbesem en skat van Smokkelaarsbaai •F Bloemhof: Agent Snoet en die kattekwaad •F Viljoen: Petra Pienk se piesangbrood •M Brandt: Avonture van Magrietjie Swaaiboude •F Viljoen: Geraamte in die klas •J Jacobs: Voelers •S Buys: Tim–Tam se Afrika-avontuur •N Engelbrecht: Alicia en die Zitzappers ISIXHOSA READING LIST FOUNDATION PHASE (Grades R, 1 - 3):
•Trish Cooke: Kakhulu •T Qabazi Chaane: Zamkele •Carl de Souza: UCitronelle •T Midiohovan, HD Sonon: U-Afi negubu lomlingo •J Dreyer: Uyavuma na Nkonjane? •E Browne: Isothuso sikaHanda FOUNDATION/INTERMEDIATE PHASES Grades 1 - 4
•Mari Grobler: Uhambo lukaMusa •Dux van der Walt: Ilokhwe ebomvu
Grades 1 - 5
•G Leggat: Khawundiculele Grades 2 - 4
•G Mhlophe: Molo Zoleka •P Saville, TP Mlakalaka: UKwanele ubuyela ekhaya •E B Sisulu: Mhla uGogo waya kuvotna Grades 3 - 4
•F Ngobese, N Mtshali: Ndiyamthanda umama wam •F Ngobese, N Mtshali: Ndiyamthanda utata wam Grades 2 - 7
•B L Gbado: Inzwakazi uDebo INTERMEDIATE PHASE (Grades 4 - 6)
•N Tsoeu, Z Mbude: Ungawudeli umqulu iiyadi ungekazibali •Jacobs et al: Amaqhawe aseHout Bay •P Maseko: Ikhubalo likaMadiba •Biblionef (publisher): Oompondwana bodwa •N Daly: Uphi UJamela •S Magona: Esona-sona sidlo
School holidays
World Cup study and holiday plans BRONAGH CASEY
he Western Cape Education Department will be implementing a number of initiatives that are aimed to help keep learners safe and preoccupied during the long winter holiday break. “Keeping our learners safe during the 2010 World Cup and the mid-year holidays is a major concern for this administration,” said Minister for Education in the Western Cape Donald Grant. “Not only do we want to make sure that they are free from harms way, we also plan to make the most of the World Cup, by using the energy around the event to support teaching and
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learning in our schools.” A number of schools will be open for holiday activities and programmes. Safe Schools developed programmes which will be run at the schools. The programmes will offer cultural activities and sport, along with developmental courses such as conflict resolution and drug awareness. The holiday period will also be used as an opportunity to help Grade 12 learners prepare for their final examination. Curriculum advisors for Grades 10 to 12 have prepared guidelines on how to use the five-week holiday for revision for each of the 29 subjects in the national curriculum.
Grant said that another key education priority is to improve academic performance in literacy. “This holiday period will give our learners the opportunity to catch up on their reading. Research has shown that younger learners can lose some of their reading skills if they don’t practice reading during long holidays.” The WCED’s library support service prepared extensive reading lists for learners of all ages to encourage holiday and leisure time reading. The reading lists cover the three official languages of the Western Cape and are available on the WCED web site (http://wced.wcape.gov.za - see
“information for parents”). The books are generally available in school and public libraries. Grant said the department was also exploring other means to protect and stimulate children during this time, and was in constant consultation with the provincial departments and other roleplayers to develop
“THIS HOLIDAY PERIOD WILL GIVE OUR LEARNERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO CATCH UP ON THEIR READING.”
further programmes. He added that the department welcomed the fact that a number of schools in the province have voluntarily decided to return to school a week early. “Although the number of teaching days is exactly the same as last year, we encourage other schools to follow suit. “2010 will always be remembered because of the World Cup, but let’s also make it a year to remember in education! We must not forget that while the World Cup lasts for only five weeks, the futures of our learners will be determined by the education that they receive now, and beyond, the World Cup 2010.”
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JUNE 2010
feature
Paleotourism
Exploring science
An experience that Life Sciences learners will treasure forever An exhibition featuring the fossilised remains of a young boy dating back almost two million years, gripped the imagination of learners visiting the Iziko South African museum recently.
The best known of these are the Sterkfontein, Swartkrans and Kromdraai sites that make up the Cradle of Humankind, one of the world’s richest concentrations of hominid fossils. Others include the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park, host to the largest and most concentrated series of rock art paintings in Africa, and the Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape, site of an ancient and sophisticated African kingdom that long predated European colonisation. All three of the above are Unesco World Heritage sites. Source: www.southafrica.info
Good to know Obtain a National Certificate (Vocational) Qualification in Tourism at Norhlink College
Tommy Botha, Senior Curriculum Planner, and Jean Goliath, Curriculum Advisor, also attended the exhibition
A close-up view of the Australopithecus sediba fossil
he museum hosted the exhibition entitled: “Fossil icons from South Africa” - which included the world’s newest hominid fossils, the fossil of a plant-eating dinosaur; a fossilised dinosaur egg; a giant buffalo fossil and an extinct bear and a giant pig, during Palaeo-Sciences Week in April. Bonita de Klerk, a scientist from the Institute for Human Evolution at Wits University, said learners could connect with the hominid fossil because it is a child found by a child. The nine-year old son of renowned Wits University scientist, Prof Lee Berger, discovered a clavicle of the boy on August 15, 2008. Over the next 18 months scientists found the partial skeletons of the boy and an adult female. De Klerk said what made this find exceptional was that the two skeletons were found in close proximity of each other, that they were possibly the most complete hominid skeletons ever found and the fact that the skeletons belonged to a previously unclassified species of pre-human and may shed new light on human evolution. The new species is called Australopithecus sediba. Australopithecus means “southern ape” and sediba means “natural spring”. Scientists believe that the two hominids were looking for water and fell into a deep pit, where they died. De Klerk got learners to actively engage with the fossil by pointing out the boy’s apelike long arms and small brain and his humanlike short
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powerful hands and long legs capable of striding like a human. “Come on, this is science, you’ve got to get way down” she said encouraging a learner to examine the boy’s teeth closely. She explained that scientists were able to estimate his age at between 10 to 13 years due to the fact that some of his teeth were still erupting and the ends of his bones were not fused.
“COME ON, THIS IS SCIENCE, YOU’VE GOT TO GET WAY DOWN” SHE SAID ENCOURAGING A LEARNER TO EXAMINE THE BOY’S TEETH CLOSELY. Tommy Botha, Senior Curriculum Planner for Biology, described the museum’s schools programme as an experience that Life Sciences learners will treasure forever. He said apart from viewing the real fossil, learners were able to better understand human evolution by attending talks by the scientists who were part of the discovery and the verification of the findings and listening to the experts explaining why this specimen is called a transition form of the human race. Neyama Davids, a Life Sciences teacher at Cathkin High School in Heideveld, said she grabbed the opportunity to bring the learners to
Scientist Bonita de Klerk engages with learners from Cathkin High
the museum because they would not have been able to come and see the exhibition on their own. “This is world history.” She said the learners were fascinated by the video show and talk by Dr. Adam Yates. “I was amazed by my learners and how they interacted by asking questions.” Nawaal Carelse, a Grade 12 learner at Cathkin, said she never thought that she would be able to see a real fossil and she now seriously considered studying science. “It is very interesting to learn more about our origins and it is great to learn that the fossil was found in South Africa, which makes us more proud to be South African,” remarked Grade 11-learner Nicholas Sithole. Kristen Fernandez, a Grade 8-learner at Rhodes High School, said she found the details of how the fossil was found and the scientists’ ability to shed light on how the boy died, amazing. De Klerk described their work as fitting a puzzle together. “Every single day we find a new piece that either fits on the boy or on the adult.” A total of 25 other identified species were also found with the two hominids and De Klerk said the public could expect to hear more about species like the saber toot cats. “It is an exciting time to be in the sciences and because science advances all the time we need to get children excited to be part of this constant discovery. If I just get through to one child, it is worth it.”
The National Certificate (Vocational) (NC(V)) qualification was introduced in 2007 and is offered as a three-year programme; Level 2, 3 and 4. The first group of Level 4 students completed their studies in 2009 with great success! The NC(V) Level 4 qualification is equivalent to the National Senior Certificate (NSC) on National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 4. The NSC is an academic qualification whereas the NC(V) is a vocational qualification. The main focus of the programme is to equip the learners with employable skills to enter the workplace. The learner is able to continue their studies after completing the Level 4 programme, as a number of them have decided to do this year. They are now part of the 2-year International Tourism Diploma and are finding the background provided by the NCV programme extremely useful. During their time with the College, the students are taken on various outings, including the Iziko museum, where they can experience first-hand what tourists would enjoy. The successful Level 4 learners of 2009 (Northlink College achieved a 92% pass rate), will be receiving recognition at Northlink College’s Annual Award Ceremony that will be held on 14 May 2010. The lecturers who are part of this programme are very dedicated and their goal is to equip the learners with the needed skills, knowledge, values and attitudes to succeed in the world of tourism. Should you have any further queries regarding the Tourism Programme offered by Northlink College, please contact Lesley Badenhorst on 021 558 1050 / lbadenhorst@ northlink.co.za
wcednews JUNE 2010
feature
7
WCED honours school achievement
in literacy and numeracy
The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) honoured 44 schools for excellent performance and improvement in the 2009 Grade 6 literacy and numeracy tests. onald Grant, Minister of Education, and Penny Vinjevold, Head of Education in the province, presented awards to the schools at a function on Thursday, 25 March 2010, at the Panorama Primary School in Parow. The department selected the top overall performers in each of the province’s eight districts, as well as those in disadvantaged communities in each district who had shown the greatest improvement. The awards recognized overall performance and improvement, as well as performance in literacy and numeracy. Awards were presented
to schools that consistently performed well over the 3 year assessment period as well as schools that have shown substantial progress. Grant said he had the pleasure of visiting two of the schools - Rustenburg Girls’ Junior and Yomelela Primary School. “Rustenburg has consistently performed well since 2005, achieving a pass rate of 100% in literacy in 2005 and 2009. In numeracy they obtained 95.9% in 2009, compared to 97.5% and 95.5% in 2003 and 2005.” “If one compares these pass rates to the provincial average, this is extremely praiseworthy. “However, the most noteworthy
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praises should go to schools, like Yomelela Primary School in Khayelitsha, who drastically improved their performance in these tests, despite facing a myriad of challenges each day.” Yomela Primary School achieved a 43.7% pass rate of 50% or more in literacy in 2009 – up from 0% in 2005 and 31.4% in 2007. In numeracy they achieved 0% in 2005 and 2007, and 38.9% in 2009. Mazwi Ncinitwa, principal of Yomela Primary School, credited the dedication of the teachers and the willingness on the part of the learners for the much improved performance. As part of their strategy the school analysed the
CATEGORY 1(A): Performance Excellence in Outcomes School Name
Total Ave %
Rustenburg Girls’ Junior School
88,9%
Laerskool De Hoop
82,8%
Laerskool Welgemoed
83,3%
Sweet Valley Primary
83,7%
Rhenish Primary School
84,4%
Laerskool Wesbank
82,5%
Laerskool Hermanus
78,4%
Augsburg Landbougimnasium
85,4%
CATEGORY 1(B): Excellence of outcomes in Literacy School Name
Excellence ’09 Achievement
Grove Primary School
100%
Greenfield Girls’ Primary School
100%
Llandudno Primary School
100%
Beaumont Primary School
93,6%
Kenridge Primary School
96,6%
Wynberg Girls’ Junior School
100%
Kommetjie Primary School
100%
Paarl Girls’ High School
93,5%
Holy Cross Primary School (George)
98,2%
Laerskool Swellendam
97,2%
Laerskool Vredendal
96,8%
“WE’VE BEEN SAYING THAT WE’D GET A 10% IMPROVEMENT AND WE ACHIEVED MORE. THE DANGER DOESN’T LIE IN SETTING TARGETS HIGHER. THE DANGER LIES IN SETTING THE TARGETS TOO LOW.” AWARDS ALLOCATED IN TERMS OF: Farm and Multi-grade Schools School Name
Overall improvement % (literacy and numeracy)
Wanganella NGK Primêre Skool
15,7%
Gamka-Oos Primêre Skool
12,2%
The Valley Primêre skool
11,9%
Protem NGK Primêre Skool
16,4%
Welgemeend NGK Primêre Skool
15,5%
test results to see where learners were struggling. They also taught the learners in the language of the paper that was written, revised old papers and held extra classes after school and on Saturdays. Ncinitwa said the school ensured that each class made good use of the reading periods because reading skills are important to perform well in numeracy.
The school also held mock tests in the examination hall where the assessment test was later to be written, in order to familiarize their learners with their surroundings. “We’ve been saying that we’d get a 10% improvement and we achieved more. The danger doesn’t lie in setting targets higher. The danger lies in setting the targets too low. We now want to reach 50% and above,” Ncinitwa said.
Every child can read Teachers from across the province flocked to a conference on best practice in teaching literacy, organised by the Cape Teaching and Leadership Institute (CTLI) of the Western Cape Education Department (WCED). The theme of the conference on March 29 and 30 at the CTLI in Kuils River was “Every Child Can Read”. The CTLI originally planned the conference for 300 delegates. In the end, about 1 500 delegates registered to attend from across the Western Cape. “The fact that teachers sacrificed their school holiday time and they were willing to travel to the CTLI from all over the Province, is a clear indication of the commitment and dedication of our teachers to improve
the quality of learning and teaching in our classrooms,” said Eddie Kirsten, Director: Human Capital Development. Kirsten said the approach to the conference was to share ways and approaches of promoting reading to every child. Presentations were geared towards sharing best practice in the classroom in order to promote reading amongst learners. Demonstrations lessons were presented using Grade R and Grade 8 learners who are struggling to read. Western Cape Education MEC visited the conference on the second day. He said improving the reading skills of learners is a major priority for this administration. “Therefore, we are delighted by the response we have had from our teachers.”
ENROLMENT OF 600 AND MORE School Name
Overall improvement % (literacy and numeracy)
Portia Primary School
13,2%
Yomelela Primary School
16,9%
Uitsig Primêre Skool
11,5%
Sophakama Primary School
11,6%
Jamaicaweg Primary School
13,1%
St Konrad RK Primary School
15,4%
CATEGORY 1(C): Excellence of outcomes in Numeracy School Name
Excellence ’09 Achievement
Oakhurst Girls’ Primary School
97,1%
Laerskool Hendrik Louw
77,4%
Laerskool Eversdal
90,7%
Kirstenhof Primary School
79,6%
Laerskool Eikestad
86,1%
Plettenberg Bay Primary School
76,1%
Laerskool De Villiers Graaff
72,5%
Laerskool Swartland
70,2%
LEARNERS ENROLMENT OF LESS THAN 600 LEARNERS School Name
Overall improvement % (literacy and numeracy)
Bonga Lower Primary School
19,2%
Riverton Primêre Skool
12,5%
Lotus River Primary School
12,7%
Laerskool Hoekwil
10,1%
Laerskool Struisbaai
14,5%
Leipoldtville NGK Primêre Skool
19,9%
Publishers displayed the latest available books and other literature at the conference on best practice in teaching literacy at the Cape Teaching and Leadership Institute. The Western Cape Education Department is committed to working in partnership with organisations that share their passion for creating text-rich environments in schools. In the past three years the department spent R120 million in establishing school libraries in the poorest schools. A further R40 million will be invested this year.
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wcednews JUNE 2010
development SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENTS Following are some achievements of a few of our partner schools. For more information about the EMEP programme and partner schools, please visit www.emep.org.za .
EMEP Project
The Extra-Mural Education Project EMEP has been working with the WCED since 1993. Their mission is to help schools grow as learning, recreational, and support service hubs within their communities.
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hrough the development of extra-mural learning activities after class, they help to energise and support the curriculum, expand opportunities for learners, develop healthier and more creative lifestyles, draw in and support parents, bridge the gap between school and community, and, in order to do all that, they help schools to use their resources maximally. EMEP’s work goes way beyond the traditional understanding of extramural as ‘sports and arts after school’. Literally, ‘extra-murals’ means ‘beyond the walls’ (as in the Afrikaans ‘buite muurse’), in this case beyond the walls of the classroom or, metaphorically, beyond the ’walls’ of old chalk-n-talk methods. For EMEP, an effective curriculum requires a range of teaching and learning strategies to meet the multiple needs of the children. While the classroom is key, there are many other vital spaces and ways that children learn, discover, create, and practice together. What EMEP does is to help (train and support) schools to use their existing resources (people, time, facilities, and community services) maximally in the interests of the child’s learning, development, and support. They do this by working with schools to extend their time and services to improve learning and developmental outcomes. In so doing, they draw in parents, community organisations, local business, and other providers to work together to support the child’s learning and developmental needs as well as to support the school in implementing its School Improvement Plan. In the much-publicised list in the national press of the 100 most successful public schools in SA, the single common factor in their success is that alongside their academic programmes are comprehensive extra-mural programmes. These provide varied sports, arts, crafts, entrepreneurship, environmental education, debating, lifeskills, community service, plus individualised academic, remedial, career, and welfare support. These extra-mural opportunities and supports are needed for all
learners to succeed. It is a distinguishing feature of successful schools… read ‘middle-class schools’. How much more these extra supports and opportunities matter for working class schools is evidenced by research that shows that learners from poor and under-served communities are way less likely than their more affluent peers to have educational, recreational, and support resources outside of school . For this reason they benefit much more from those extended school hours, services, and supportive relationships that extra-murals enable. Differences in family background lead inevitably to unequal gains for learners unless other sources of learning and support are provided to make up the deficit. EMEP’s extra-mural programming is designed to bridge this gap. EMEP’s approach combines the curricular goals of enhancing academic performance with the developmental goals of social health, recreation, and well-being; this includes learners’ active involvement in school and community life as ‘growing citizens’. It also involves the after-school usage of the facilities as a community hub by local people and organisations. Established as a non-profit trust in 1994, EMEP is based in Cape Town, but works with over 40 partner schools in the East, South, Overberg, Winelands, and West Coast Education Districts.
Albert Myburgh Secondary School in Bredasdorp has a fully functional extra-mural programme with maximum learner and educator participation. They provide academic support through their eco-, science, sudoku, and puzzle clubs. Educators say the extra-mural programme has improved the school ethos, discipline, and performance. “It has created an environment where learners feel safe and cared for, a place where they want to spend time and a place that they are proud to be associated with,” says Principal Kenneth Dunsdon. He adds that parents and community members are coming in to help the school with the extra-murals – parent attendance at meetings has grown from 20% to 50% in the past year. Parents have helped to paint and do small repairs free of charge. This sense of community ownership has led to a school that experiences less trespassing and which has become a much safer place for learners and educators. Bontebok Primary School in Swellendam has used extra-mural activities to help develop learners’ literacy and numeracy, social, and communication skills. They have noticed an improvement in learner attendance, especially on the days when extra-murals take place. This they say shows what an important incentive extra-murals is to get the learners spending more time on their academics. Activities at Bontebok include spelling competitions, woodwork, arts and crafts, drama, choir and music, hip-hop dance and a vegetable garden. Since the learners get to choose which activities they participate in they enjoy coming to school more than before. These activities allow educators to get to know their learners better and discover hidden potential. Capricorn Primary School has used the skills they learned at EMEP training workshops to deal with the social challenges facing Capricorn Park, Muizenburg. The school offers its premises as a venue for Community Healing sessions and Community
Peace Forum Meetings as well as an AET Centre. They offer literacy workshops to parents and provide them with skills to assist their children with reading. They hire unemployed matriculants as teacher assistants. The school day has been extended to ensure that all 538 of their learners can be involved in the extra-mural programme which includes swimming and surfing, baking, games, visual arts and crafts and ICT. Principal Hassen says “learners who formerly roamed the streets after school are now actively engaged in meaningful sessions after school… the safety of the school has improved markedly since the programme’s inception.” De Villiers Primary School in Robertson has experienced a significant boost in educator morale since the beginning of the programme. They are linking their extra-murals to literacy and numeracy, as well as the needs of their school, parents and community. They have started parent training sessions, starting with Grade R parents who learned how to lead by example, to be more careful about nutrition and the way they speak to their children. The school’s computer room is used for adult training, and they rent out their school hall for church services, aftercare classes and other functions. Last year De Villiers put on two drama performances. 11 learners participated in the Eisteddfod, where they won prizes including a gold medal. On Valentines Day 2010 the school had a successful fundraiser to support the costs of the extra-mural programme. Die Bron Primary School in Gansbaai has been working towards becoming a community hub by forming a coalition of CBOs, NGOs, government institutions and in-house school management structures (i.e. SGB, SMT, PTA and learner groups), to jointly-run extra-mural activities, such as holiday programmes. Eisleben Road Primary School has instituted a special one-hour period every Tuesday after school for Grades 1-7 in which the majority of learners and all teachers take part. They have established a Youth Club and an Environment Club. They are involved in sports matches with fellow EMEP partner schools.
Community activities at Eisleben include a dance group for the elderly which is taught by an educator, use of the sports fields by a local soccer club, a dog club, church meetings and the community police forum. Principal Sass is convinced that these activities have contributed to “a safer environment where vandalism and burglaries have become non-existent”. Sid G. Rule Primary School in Grassy Park developed a partnership with the Oprah Winfrey Angel Network which resulted in the donation of thousands of books for the school’s newly built library. The school’s infrastructure has been developed, with a school hall, the building of three extra classes and surfacing and resurfacing of the quad, to be used as a multipurpose games court. The school offers 18 extra-murals per term, which supplement and compliment the litnum programme. The school has an absenteeism rate of almost zero. Riviersonderend Primary School in the Overberg reports that learners are excited that they can live out their passions. As a result learner behaviour has improved and Principal Duminy reports steady improvements in their schoolwork and homework. Masiphumelele Primary School in Macassar participated at national level in music for the first time in 2009. They have also extended contact time beyond the minimum requirements. Participation in extra-murals has increased from 100 learners to 250 learners at West Bank High School in Delft. No burglaries or cases of vandalism have been reported for the past two years. Educators report that discipline has improved, as has teacher morale. The school has also started an evening school where parents learn computer skills. Wavecrest Primary School in Rocklands, Mitchells Plain has involved all of the grade 4-7 learners in extra-murals. Parents have received training as counsellors and now serve the school by counselling learners with behaviour problems. The school has also started a Women’s Support Group, called the Women of Wavecrest. This group meets fortnightly to discuss pertinent issues. There are approximately 40 regular attendees. From this group of local women, several have received training to tutor needy learners in reading, and are now volunteering at the school. Members of Die Bron Primary School’s Bike Club participated in a bike race in Bredasdorp. The school received a donation of 50 bicycles from Giant Cycles for learners to borrow who live far away. Many learners are now biking the 10 km between school and home rather than walking or catching “dodgy” lifts.
wcednews JUNE 2010
development
9
Principals’ seminar Interview
Mike Chiles looks back and talks ‘e’
Mike Chiles, Director: eLearning & Library Services, educational IT pioneer in South Africa for over thirty years, has retired. What follows is an abridged version of the interview during which Mike shared his views on what the WCED did right and the future of ‘e’ in education.
WCED NEWS: Looking back, what did we do right?
CHILES: The implementation in the Western Cape of the Telecommunications (TK) Project, the Khanya Project and the QIDS-UP School Library Project have opened up opportunities that many learners and educators in South Africa can only dream of having in their provinces. The TK Project has opened up communications enabling educators and schools to participate in the information society and knowledge economy. The Khanya Project has provided access to ICTs for the vast majority of learners in our system - something that many other provinces have envied over the years. The QIDS-UP School Library Project has started providing print and other resources into communities that traditionally have not been print-rich. In effect these three projects have started to provide an environment in which teaching and learning becomes richer because of the resources that have been made available…
WCED NEWS:
Read more You can read the entire interview online: http://curriculum.wcape. school.za/site/156/news/ view/1775
You’ve been heading up eLearning and Library Services since its inception two years ago. If you were asked at a party to explain what eLearning is, how would you answer?
CHILES: Jeff Cobb defines learning as “the lifelong process of transforming information and experience into
knowledge, skills, behaviours, and attitudes”. He continues by stating that this learning “is not dependent on courses or classes”. This learning, therefore, can take place in different ways, one of which is learning facilitated by the use of various forms of technology. Many people consider eLearning to be simply the delivery of learning, training and education programmes via electronic means. For me this is but one of the possible modes of learning but it ignores the learning that takes place when humans interact with one another and with their environment. eLearning, therefore, must include those elements that allow people to interact and collaborate with one another – here social networking technologies such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, blogs, wikis, etc. should play a vital role. So for me e-learning is a combination of the “traditional” online courses/classes with the social networking and collaboration technologies, and access to digital resources.
WCED NEWS: As every aspect of our lives becomes digitized what do you see as the future of libraries, particularly EDULIS?
CHILES: In 1979 Christopher Evans authored a book called “The Mighty Micro” in which he presented a vision of the impact of the micro-chip revolution as it had started to play out at that time. One of the chapters in the book
talks of “The Death of the Printed Word”. Many of the devices that he envisaged in this chapter have now been realised – he wrote of e-books and e-book readers (Kindles and other similar devices that we have today); without mentioning them by name he wrote of Google and Wikipedia as “smart encyclopedias doing their own research and acting as study partners”. Many learners have cellphones that can be linked to the Internet, through which they can access digital resources, including e-books. Potentially the days of a physical library that stocks printed copies of books might be numbered as more and more people are able to access online digital resources. However, with the exponential rate of increase in the production of information comes the need to sort and sift. For example, if one does a Google search for “e-book readers” you get 143 million items.. It is physically impossible to read all of these items and so one has to find a way of “sorting the wheat from the chaff”. The America Library Association suggests that n “to be information literate, a person must be able to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information.” Information Literacy is now more important than ever before and this might well be the ay future role of librarians – not to say that they are not already involved in this role.
About 400 principals attended the Western Cape Education Department’s seminar programme aimed at improving the leadership and management skills of school principals. Alan Clark, retired principal of Westerford High School, educational writer and publisher of a number of books on Education Management, presented the seminars at the Cape Teaching and Leadership Institute in Kuils River. The topics covered included leadership and management principles, professional development, effective team building strategies, school improvement strategies and the management of teaching and learning. A total of 114 principals from the Metropole North and the Metropole Central Education Districts attended the first seminar on 6 March. The second seminar on 13 March was attended by 127 principals from Metropole East Education District and Metropole South Education District. 50 principals from the Cape Winelands Education District and West Coast Education District attended the seminar scheduled for 8 May, while 69 of their colleagues from the Eden and Central Karoo Education District and Overberg Education District attended the seminar on 15 May.
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wcednews JUNE 2010
insight&opinion
eLearning
Interactive Telematics Teaching
taking learner support to another level
WALTER J MERCUUR
W
hat makes the Interactive Telematics approach to teaching and learning powerful is more than the technology - it is potentially the social dynamics of networking. The revolutionary power of eLearning is not simply having a multimedia depository platform. It is the combined power of a world-wide web connecting the presenters and learners with the immediacy of text, audio and video, as well as interactivity and collaborative sharing. Technology-based instruction offers leverage to make the planning/development process and the delivery/learning process more efficient. Teachers and curriculum planners can now share resources more easily and together build learning-object repositories. Multimedia and expanded resources from the network can enhance the traditional classroom experience dramatically. Online synchronous tools (Telematics) create a new kind of cyber-classroom, connecting distance learners (“anywhere in the province”) in peer-to-peer engagement. Offline web-based tools (asynchronicity), on the other hand, allow for self-paced learning, enabling interactive and exploratory learning experiences that are accessible (“any time”) between broadcasts and when a learner is ready. Clearly, Telematics teaching presents an education and training revolution in terms of technological capability. But more importantly, it facilitates access and availability to quality education as never before, providing teachers and learners with a range of choices and opportunities for learning. Educational theory divides learners into three types according to their learning styles: visual learners, auditory learners, and kinesthetic learners (Al-Takriti, 1997). Fortunately, the emergence of the Internet and technology-based instruction, Telematics teaching for example, has provided new tools and channels to respond to these learning needs. We require information-era communication, teaching and learning methods to deal with the demands of the Information Age. This is supported by an article written by Celilia Kang (Cape Argus, 22 January, 2010,) in which she claims that “Kids are plugged in more than ever before”. The article asserts that young people, on average, spend up to seven-and-a-half hours a day using electronic media or more than 53
hours a week. Education must, therefore exploit this opportunity to meet learners on their turf. Thus, in the post-modern paradigm, meaning is constructed. However, the limited constructivist vision that we have is far exceeded by the possibility of technology and Telematics and a curriculum which creates opportunities. Interactive Telematics Teaching is a 21st century response to learner/ teacher support. In 2009 the Western Cape Education Department trialed Telematic Teaching in 10 identified schools by broadcasting lessons to Grade 12 learners in five subjects. The success of this trial project led to its extension being approved by the Head of Education in 2010. The trial project, currently being extended to 120 schools in the eight education districts, can potentially reach 14000 learners.
“MEMBERS REFLECT THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF SOUTH AFRICA AND CELEBRATE UNITY WITHIN CULTURAL DIVERSITY.” The principle purpose for this intervention is to create a virtual learning environment to support teaching and learning to Grade 12 learners. This cyber-classroom lie sprawled across diverse geographical areas where lessons are broadcast from the studio at the University of Stellenbosch to learners who have the opportunity to communicate and have immediate access to the presenter. The uniqueness of this programme is that it creates a platform for dialogue and interaction with the presenters as well as others. This virtual classroom platform makes it possible to reach a large number of learners and provide them with quality individual tutoring. Learners at any one of the 120 schools, are able to, via interactive internet facilities, “interrupt” the presenter to ask questions or request a detailed explanation of the educational material, when necessary. The subjects being broadcast are; Mathematics, Physical Science, Life Sciences, Accounting, English First Additional Language and Afrikaans First Language. In addition, six hours will be devoted to Geography lessons in map work and theory.
A professional development programme for teachers will be trialed in Mathematics and Life Sciences. Two hours per subject have been allocated for this purpose. All lessons will be recorded on DVD and sent to schools at the end of the third term for revision purposes. Schools will receive lesson plans to assist teachers in preparing learners for the broadcast. Teachers will support learners before, during and after every broadcast in order to stay focussed and maximise this intervention. The University of Stellenbosch developed a website where resources would be uploaded. The Senior Curriculum Planners of the six subjects have developed learning support material for learners which is to be used during the lessons. The Life Sciences materials will be uploaded on the website and schools can print this for their learners. In conclusion, Telematics is a blended approach to teaching and learning i.e. face-to-face (classroom activities - before the broadcast) and the Interactive Telematic Education satellite-based platform. The University places much emphasis on using the advantages of different types of technologies to support learners more effectively and to promote access more successfully. Presenters are encouraged to use a variety of teaching approaches/ styles that range from synchronous interaction (satellite-based technology) to asynchronous interaction via the LMS discussion groups. In this way they can effectively reach their learners through the broadcast but at the same time provide continued support and tracking via web-based interaction. In this process, it is the type of access available to the teachers and learners and the available technological infrastructure that determines the blend of activities. The rationale for Telematics is to add value to lessons taught and not provide more of the same. Consequently, presenters will work towards this approach throughout the period till October when the programme comes to an end. Presenters have selected the challenging aspects of the curriculum and will systematically unpack concepts for learners to engage with. We look forward to seeing this programme impact on the overall performance of our learners and want to strongly encourage them to embrace this opportunity. We also depend very strongly on the cooperation of principals and their staff for the success of this project.
THE TELEMATIC MAGIC Mandlenkosi Secondary School in Beaufort-West recorded an 11,2% improvement in their 2009 matric results. School Principal Tamsanqa Pandle said the staff, learners and Beaufort-West community are heavily indebted to the WCED, in collaboration with the Stellenbosch University, for bringing the Telematics Project to their doorstep. How Mandelenkosi benefited from this project: It promoted teambuilding among educators and learners. Concepts and approaches that the educators and learners were struggling with, were simplified. It augmented contact time and instilled a culture of learning and studying at the school Even after contact sessions, educators and learners continued with revision. This boosted the confidence of learners and educators. It brought a culture of interactive teaching and learning into the classroom. It improved the pedagogy in the classroom. It dawned on learners that there is a whole community out there to reach and touch and that this could be done effectively using information and communication technology (Telematics). The self image of the learners improved. Learners were assisted with examination tips, explanation of difficult concepts etc.
Parent involvement in the school work of the child was improved. Parents wanted proof that their children were attending these classes. Some parents came to school surreptitiously in the evenings to check on their children. SGB members assisted a teacher in the supervision of classes. The school gained important technological equipment e.g. Dataprojectors and connectivity. There was an 11,2% improvement of the final 2009 matric results: 1. 100% improvement in Mathematics 2. 23,4% in Accounting 3. 14,5% in Life Science 4. English 1st Additional Language obtained a 98,3% pass. Other subjects were also influenced e.g.; 5,6% improvement in Business Studies 18,9% in Geography 6,9% in History 11,7% in Mathematics Literacy 38,5% in Tourism Learners have experienced enriched learning experiences. Various outcomes were achieved. Learners learned how to write different kinds of texts for different purposes and audience. VIVA TELEMATICS VIVA!!!!!!
wcednews JUNE 2010
insight&opinion
11
Clockwise: Learners from various schools attending telematics lessons. A map of the cyber-classroom sprawled across diverse geographical areas. A teacher assists one of the learners during a broadcast. Participating schools are equipped with satellite dishes.
Technology
Virtual Learning Spaces: Alternative Gateway to Higher Education Learning Opportunities TELEMATIC SERVICES PROF TOM PARK AND DR ANTOI NETTE VAN DER MERWE Division of Telematic Services Stellenbosch University
ALIGNED WITH THE STELLENBOSCH UNIVERSITY VISION A key aspect of the Stellenbosch University’s vision is to make the University more accessible and academic achievement more attainable. To achieve this, the University has set in place alternative access routes, enhanced by user-friendly technology, especially aimed at those postgraduate students who currently need to overcome significant barriers to participate successfully in higher education. The purpose of the University’s Division of Telematic Services (iTS) is to create a virtual learning environment that increases the virtual mobility of geographically dispersed students to widen their participation in the postgraduate academic programmes of Stellenbosch University. The enhancement of virtual mobility blurs the customary divide between face-to-face and off-campus educational opportunities, while the barriers often set by location and time are reduced. In this way the University is making an investment to ensure that all students are given the experience of a rich
interactive and supportive study environment, irrespective of their locality. Numerous postgraduate programmes and short courses at Stellenbosch already utilize this integrated platform with great success to create virtual learning spaces as part of a blended learning approach to support more than 2000 postgraduate students.
THE TELEMATIC SERVICES TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM The Telematic Services system is based on a combination of satellite, cell phone (SMS protocol), smart card and web-based technology and consists of an on-campus studio, nineteen remote learning centres situated all over South Africa and one centre in Namibia. Together these create a virtual learning environment to support synchronous and asynchronous education opportunities for postgraduate students spread across a widely dispersed geographical area. The Division has a state of the art broadcast studio with formal and informal sets that can accommodate up to five presenters. The modern television and chroma-key equipment make it possible to broadcast live interactive presentations complemented by computer applications. A mobile camera unit and editing equipment are also available to pre-record video-clips as additional
learning resources that may be used during the broadcasts. All the learning centres are wellequipped with satellite equipment for receiving video, audio and data signals, including a television monitor or data projector and sound system as well as cell phones and card readers, which are used for login and interaction with the presenter (e.g. making comments and responding to questions). For a map of where the Stellenbosch University learning centres are located in South Africa and Namibia, see http:// academic.sun.ac.za/ite/map2.html. The Telematic Services system is unique in that it allows direct two-way communication between the lecturer and students while a broadcast is in progress either via cell phone technology (“SMS-
“THE WCED PROJECT IS ONE EXAMPLE OF HOW THE TELEMATIC PLATFORM IS ALSO UTILISED TO SUPPORT COMMUNITIES…”
to-web” gateway service) or via a web-based interface. Real-time interaction between the lecturer and students, which is one of the distinctive attributes of the Telematic Services system, allows for the collaborative co-construction of knowledge rather than a passive one-way transfer of knowledge. If students have missed a specific broadcast or want a recording for revision purposes, they can order DVD’s of broadcasts via a web-form. Lecturers are encouraged to use a blended approach incorporating a continuum of technology-enhanced learning opportunities that range from synchronous interaction (satellite-based technology, mobile and web-based messaging) to asynchronous interaction via the web-based discussion groups with face to face interaction. In this way lecturers can improve connectivity with students through broadcasts, while at the same time providing continued support and tracking via web-based interaction, e.g. online assessment, online tracking tools, podcasts, vodcasts, wikis and blogs. This blend of activities can be complemented with other existing online services via the student portal to enrich postgraduate studies. These include online academic counselling and career guidance, programmes
focused on the improvement of writing skills and access to library services, including access to the over 70 000 journals and almost 450 databases to which on-campus students have access.
SUCCESSES ACHIEVED AND THE WCED PROJECT At the end of 2009, 1030 students, of which 75 were master’s students, successfully completed postgraduate programmes that had been presented on the Telematic Services platform by the different faculties. The profile of this student group indicates that students from all communities, age and language groups can gain access to the academic programmes of SU and complete their studies successfully while pursuing a professional career. The WCED project is one example of how the telematic platform is also utilised to support communities by providing virtual learning opportunities. Telematic Services is responsible for the creation of the virtual learning spaces by using the technology platform that includes satellite broadcasts to schools, real-time interaction via a web interface and mobile technology during broadcasts and interaction via a web-based discussion forum between broadcasts.
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wcednews JUNE 2010
reviews
EDULIS: we keep you informed W H AT ’ S N E W & NOTEWORTHY 1
Seeing red cars [DVD] / with Laura Goodrich. 2008. 1 DVD (10 min.) + 1 CD-ROM Contents of CD-ROM: PowerPoint presentation, video transcript, training guide, self study guide, activity guides, pocket reminder cards. Encourages audiences to focus on what they want instead of on what they don’t. By having a positive attitude and taking action, viewers will be motivated to move in the right direction for themselves and for their organization.
2 Abbott, J. Overschooled but undereducated : how the crisis in education is jeopardizing our adolescents. 2010. … synthesises an array of research from both the physical and social sciences and shows how these insights can contribute to a better understanding of human learning, especially as this relates to adolescence. If a generation fails, the fault lies squarely with the previous generation for not equipping them well enough for the changes ahead.
3 A leader’s guide to delegating [DVD] / produced & directed by Timothy Armstrong. 2007. 1 DVD (25 min.) + 1 CD-ROM CD-ROM contains PowerPoint presentation and checklist template. 1. Analyze the task -- 2. Select a delegatee -- 3. Assign the task : the delegatee’s checklist -- 4. Execute the task -- 5. Conduct regular feedback sessions.
on their practice, and to develop a productive and sustainable set of emotional responses, experiences and leadership tools
5 Hall, Peter A. Building teachers’ capacity for success: a collaborative approach for coaches and school leaders. 2008. This books offers a different approach to coaching and supervision centered on identifying and nurturing teachers’ individual strengths.
6
Donaldson, Gordon A. How leaders learn: cultivating capacities for school improvement. 2008. Links recent literature and research to support new insights into the role of emotion, self-awareness, and interpersonal skills in leader learning.
7 Reeves, D.B. Leading change in your school : how to conquer myths, build commitment, and get results. 2009. Whether your school needs to improve literacy, inspire great teaching, increase attendance, reduce dropout rates, reform grading, or reach any other accountability, let Douglas Reeves equip you with what you need to succeed.
SCORE!
4 Crawford, M. Getting to the heart of leadership : emotion and educational leadership. 2009. Contains a wealth of case studies and vignettes to help leaders be more aware of the ways in which emotion impacts
NOT ENOUGH RESOURCES TO SCORE @ YOUR LIBRARY? Your school can have the latest titles on various topics available when you borrow from EDULIS Library / your nearest Resource Centre to supplement your school library collection. We offer block loans to schools free of charge. Call us for more information 021 957 9618.
Your nearest resource centre EDULIS LIBRARY Tel 021 957 9618 1st Floor Middestad Mall Charl Malan Street Bellville
CHERYL JOSEPH Tel 021 900 5111 Metropole East Old Nooiensfontein Road Kuils River
NTOMBI MNGXUMA Tel 021 370 2084 Metropole South Brian O’Connell Resource Centre AZ Berman Drive Lengtegeur, Mitchells Plain
INA HEIBERG Tel 021 860 1229 West Coast 6 Hospital Street Paarl
SAM WEBBER Tel 044 803 8328 Eden / Karoo 42 Courtney Street George
JANINE ONTONG Tel 023 348 4657 Cape Winelands 9 Durban Street Worcester
wcednews JUNE 2010
arts&culture
13
MY COUNTRY - SOUTH AFRICA! 2010 PERFORMANCE PROJECT A showcase of the talented young artists from the WCED Arts Focus Schools n celebration of the 2010 Soccer World Cup and in acknowledgement of the great strides made in the identification and development of the great talent in our schools, Artscape and the Western Cape Education Department are partnering in an innovative new project. Professional choreographers have been assigned to each of the Arts Focus Schools to produce a performance that showcases the dance talent emerging from this project. The production is to be directed by the award winning choreographer Alfred Hinkel of Jazzart Dance Theatre fame. Joining the dancers will be music learners from the focus schools and some works from the Visual Art and Design learners will be on display as a preview to their Matric exhibition scheduled for August at the Iziko Museum.
I
Giving back to the community
Gershwin Mias and Chanice Andrews of Eerste River Secondary School performing a dance choreographed by their classmate Llewellyn Afrika
The discipline of dance, drama and visual arts and design Artscape and the Western Cape Education Department’s 2010 Performance Project is a celebration of talent, hard work and visionary leadership. Many of the professional choreographers involved in the showpiece on June 15 and 16 are graduates of the Arts Focus Schools who are giving back to their communities. n a quest to find the story behind the 2010 Performance Project, the WCED news team hooked up with Jenny van Papendorp, Senior Curriculum Planner: Dance Studies, on a visit to Eerste River Secondary School. The school is one of nine Arts Focus Schools to participate in the 2010 Performance Project. At Eerste River Secondary the teachers and learners commented on the improved discipline and learner motivation because of the school’s focus on arts and culture. Bernardus Esterhuizen, the principal, said after an initial struggle to get off to a good start, the focus school project finally came together. A choir and brass band resulted from the project. Esterhuizen said the focus on arts and culture impacted on learners’ attitude towards school. “The Arts and Culture learners are the top performers and leaders in the school. The school also experienced a reduction in incidents involving serious behavioural problems. I am grateful that the department chose our school as one of the focus schools because the communities where our learners are from do not offer them anything.” Esterhuizen said the biggest challenge now is to secure enough funds to maintain the project. In the dance studio a group of Grade 12 learners performed a dance choreographed by one of their classmates Llewellyn Afrika. Asked about the impact the Focus School project had on him, Llewellyn said his confidence grew and he could express himself through dance. Gershwin Mias, the school’s Head Boy and one of the top dance learners in Grade 12, added that the choreography component where learners have
O
to organise, time manage and lead their peers, taught them leadership, management and other life skills. Chanice Andrews, the Head Girl, described the school as their home away from home. She said the art learners were usually the first to arrive and last to leave school and they took care to ensure that their other subjects were not neglected. Jill Markram, their Drama Teacher, confirmed this. “The discipline that dance, drama and art require, impacts positively on the other subjects. The learners apply this discipline to their whole life. They realise the importance of being punctual, well prepared, and more responsible and mature individuals. Through drama, dance and art the learners can make sense of the emotions they struggle with as adolescents.” Markram said the Focus School Project had great potential. “If a few individuals could benefit so greatly from the project imagine the transformation on a whole school if the project was expanded.” Asked about his plans for next year, Llewellyn indicated that he would like to study dance and drama at the University of Cape Town. This dream is likely to be realised as the project helped to make the arts, once regarded as an elitist activity, accessible to disadvantaged learners with the talent and the drive to succeed. Llewellyn would also be following in the footsteps of several successful graduates produced by the focus schools, like Stephanie Swartbooi, who completed matric at Eerste River Secondary in 2008 and is currently a trainee dancer with the well-known Jazzart Dance Theatre. One of the company’s dancers, Grant van Ster, grew up in Eerste River and is studying for a BA degree in arts and culture. Douglas Griffiths graduated from
Belhar Senior Secondary in 2003, where contemporary dance was part of his school syllabus. He joined Jazzart’s Young Adult Training and Job Creation Programme in 2004. In 2007, he was offered a contract with the main company. Swartbooi, van Ster and Griffiths are among the artists-in–residence at the focus schools. Van Papendorp said the department found a marked difference between the results of learners in schools who have artists-in-residence and other schools that offer Dance Studies as a subject. Markram said the artists consolidate what teachers do in class. “The children are exposed to another methodology and the artists also provide support in areas where the teachers might be lacking.” Arlene Talmarkes, the dance teacher at Eerste River, agreed, “As teachers, our focus is more on technique and getting the curriculum done. The artists do more of the fun stuff and teach them things that we can’t get to. The children are in awe of the local artists, who work as professionals.” Van Papendorp said with the 2010 Performance Project, learners who would not normally have this access, would now be able to dance on a professional stage. “Artscape is providing the platform and technical support as part of their initiatives to nurture talent in the arts and for audience development.” Asked about what the audience can expect from the 2010 Performance Project, the professional choreographers said it was still early days. Sbo Ndaba, the artist-inresidence at Chris Hani Secondary School, said to expect a vibrant show, full of exuberance. Schools can make block bookings and there will be a few buses available from Artscape for large school groups.
THE PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT IS TO: showcase the achievements of the A&C focus schools provide the FET learners with a professional experience developing career awareness provide the learners with role models who have worked hard and achieved success encourage the learners to aim high and aspire to something celebrate the youth talent in our schools celebrate the Soccer World Cup and Youth Day The focus school project began in 2006 as one of the targeted interventions to establish selected schools in each district as pathfinders and lead
institutions in their fields. Driven by the purpose of ensuring access to quality education in the full range of arts subjects especially in disadvantaged areas, these schools have been promoted to ensure excellence in the nurturing and comprehensive training of learners with exceptional talent, interest or aptitude and to improve the supply of high quality skills, particularly scarce skills, which are responsive to societal and economic needs.
PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS INCLUDE: Alexander Sinton High, Athlone Belhar High. Belhar Cedar Secondary, Mitchell’s Plain Chris Hani Secondary, Khayelitsha Eerste Rivier Secondary, Eerste River Schoonspruit Secondary, Malmesbury South Peninsula High, Diep River Worcester Secondary, Worcester Wynberg High, Wynberg The 2010 performance project will perform on 15 June at 19:30 and on 16 June (Youth Day) at 15:00 and 19:30 at the Artscape Theatre.
In tune Cade Cannon, a Grade 6 learner at Parow North Primary School, has been selected to play on the music programme, Cool Classic Kidz on FMR 101.3. The recording of Cade’s piano piece was aired on Saturday 24 April at 13:45. The Cool Classic Kidz programme was designed to inspire young musicians to work hard at their chosen instruments.
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wcednews JUNE 2010
noticeboard A quick guide to
CIRCULARS
The Western Cape Education Department issued the following circulars and circular minutes for the period March – May 2010 0014/2010 Timetable and arrangements for the April – June 2010 Senior Certificate Examinations http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/circulars10/ e14_10.html
0016/2010 General Education and Training matters in schools for 2010 http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/circulars10/ e16_10.html
0018/2010 Parental Consent Forms http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/circulars10/ e18_10.html
0019/2010 Discontinuation of CTAs with immediate effect http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/circulars10/ e19_10.html
PLANNING AND STRATEGY MINUTES KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT 0001/2010 Promotion of Access to Information Act (Act 2 of 2009) – Updated list of Information and Request Officers http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ PSminutes/edkm1_10.html
CURRICULUM MANAGEMENT MINUTES ASSESSMENT MANAGEMENT 0004/2010 Assessment for Abet Level 4 in 2010 http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ CMminutes/edam4_10.html
0005/2010 Examination and Assessment Guidelines for the new General Education and Training Certificate (ABET Level 4 Qualification, 2010 – 2012)
http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ CMminutes/edam5_10.html
0006/2010 Amendments to Examination Guidelines: Mathematics and Physical Sciences, Grade 12 National Senior Certificate http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ CMminutes/edam6_10.html
CURRICULUM: GET 0003/2010 Literacy/Language training (10 June 15 June 2010) for selected schools in Metro Central, North, South and East Education Districts http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ CMminutes/edcg3_10.html
0004/2010 Numeracy/Mathematics Training (21 JUNE - 25 JUNE 2010) for selected schools in Cape Winelands, Eden & Central Karoo, Overberg and West Coast Education Districts http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ CMminutes/edcg4_10.html
0005/2010 Numeracy/Mathematics Training (10 JUNE - 15 JUNE 2010) for selected schools in Metro Central, North, South and East Education Districts http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ CMminutes/edcg5_10.html
0006/2010 Literacy/Language Training (21 JUNE - 25 JUNE 2010) for selected schools in Cape Winelands, Eden & Central Karoo, Overberg and West Coast Education Districts http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ CMminutes/edcg6_10.html
CURRICULUM FET
http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ CMminutes/edea14_10.html
CORPORATE SERVICES
0001/2010 Western Cape Bursary Competition for Economics Grade 11 Learners (20102011)
0015/2010 Recruitment and appointment of invigilators
0002/2010 Inputs for the compilation of Financial Statements for the 2009-2010 Financial Year
http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ CMminutes/edcf1_10.html
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT 0002/2010 Delivery of Grade 12 Package for each 2010 National Senior Certificate (NSC) Candidate in the Western Cape http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ CMminutes/edcf2_10.html
E-LEARNING AND LIBRARY SERVICES 0001/2010 World Book Day 2010 http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ CMminutes/edel1_10.html
EXAMINATION ADMINISTRATION 0008/2010 Registration of Learners for the May 2010 ABET Level 4 Examinations with a view to obtaining the General Education and Training Certificate http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ CMminutes/edea8_10.html
0011/2010 Senior Certificate and National Senior Certificate: New tariffs and application form for the issuing of confirmation of results and combined or replacement certificates http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ CMminutes/edea11_10.html
0014/2010 Registration of Candidates for the Senior Certificate Examinations of May-June 2010 and 2011
Saturday School Initiative Head of Education in the Western Cape Penny Vinjevold attended the official opening of the SSI Saturday School initiative on March 13 at Cravenby High School. As part of the initiative Grade 12 learners from Cloetesville High School, Cravenby High and Kasselsvlei will be provided with extra tuition so that they achieve the necessary marks to gain entrance to a tertiary institute to pursue a technical career. Seen here with the learners from the three schools are Vinjevold and SSI CEO Naren Bhojaram.
The Bookery Western Cape Education Minister Donald Grant personally delivered twenty boxes of books to Equal Education's "The Bookery" ahead of World Book and Copyright Day. The Education Ministry obtained a donation of books from Oxford University Press for delivery to Equal Education's school library book drive. Over the next financial year the WCED will spend an extra R100 million on providing texts to school. This is in addition to the norms and standards allocation to schools and will target the foundation phase or Grades 1 to 3. Seen with Minister Grant is Richard Canyngham, co-ordinator at the Bookery
http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ CMminutes/edea15_10.html
INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND CO-ORDINATION MINUTES 0001/2010 Early enrolment http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ IDCminutes/eidc1_10.html
INSTITUTIONAL MANAGEMENT & GOVERNANCE PLANNING 0003/2010 Minutes of the Provincial Principal Forum Meeting held on 12 February 2010 http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ IDCminutes/edim3_10.html
FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING
http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ CSminutes/edfa2_10.html
INTERNAL HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT 0003/2010 Principals’ Conference http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ CSminutes/edhd3_10.html
0004/2010 Mathematics Solutions Conference http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ CSminutes/edhd4_10.html
0005/2010 National Teaching Awards http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ CSminutes/edhd5_10.html
004/2010 School Calendar for 2010: WCED 009
INTERNAL HUMAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT
http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ IDCminutes/edim4_10.html
0006/2010 Staff Performance Management and Development System (SPMDS) – Submission of 2009 – 2010 Evaluation Cycle Documents for Public Service Personnel on Salary Levels 1 to 12
0005/2010 School Terms and Public Holidays for 2011 http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ IDCminutes/edim5_10.html
http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ CSminutes/edhm9_10.html
SPECIALISED EDUCATION SUPPORT
PROCUREMENT MANAGEMENT
0005/2010 Poster Competition on the benefits of washing your hands
0002/2010 WCED Bid Committee – Meeting dates for 2010
http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ IDCminutes/edse5_10.html
http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ CSminutes/edpm2_10.html
How to get published in WCED news Share your school’s achievements, accolades, projects and new equipment/ facilities with the education community in the province through an article in WCED news by following these simple steps. UPCOMING EVENTS
Alert us about upcoming events by sending an email to wcednews@ pgwc.gov.za with details, including the nature of the event, the date(s) and contact details for more information. WCED news will consider all requests for coverage, but cannot guarantee that it will be in a position to provide news coverage for all events. PAST EVENTS
Submit details of newsworthy events at your school via email. Your mail should answer the following questions: what, where, when, who, why and how. Provide telephone numbers and/or email addresses of the person(s) that can be interviewed by the WCED news team. You are welcome to write and submit your own article. We reserve the right to shorten and edit all submissions. The article should include the author’s name and contact details for our records. Please ensure that the facts in the article are accurate and that all names are spelt correctly. Comments and opinions should be clearly attributed to their origin.
News articles should be between 200 and 300 words while feature articles should not be longer than 800 words. PHOTOGRAPHS/GRAPHICS
You are welcome to email us photographs and/or graphics of events at your school or district office. The photographs should be high resolution and should preferably be in jpeg format. Please provide the name of the photographer/graphic artist. LETTERS
WCED news wants to provide a platform for people with informed opinions to share their views, suggestions and constructive criticism with colleagues. We would like to stimulate debate and be your partner in finding solutions for those problems that affect all of us. Tell us what works for you, what we can do better and how you suggest we go about achieving success. Letters should contain the author’s name and contact details for our records. While we welcome all story ideas, articles and letters, WCED news reserves the right not to publish an article and/or letter, at its sole discretion. Follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/ wcednews for the latest updates to what’s happening
wcednews JUNE 2010
sport
Paarl Boys High tops at Schools Rugby Day The annual Canal Walk WP Rugby Schools Day at Newlands on 24 March celebrated the kick-off to a bumper 2010 schools rugby season. Club Newslands Enzine had the following report on all the action of the day. oishaai hier Boishaai daar, Boishaai maak vir almal klaar!” rang from the stands at Newlands Rugby Stadium as Paarl Boys High took the honours on and off the field at the annual Canal Walk Schools Day at Newlands. The 2010 Canal Walk Schools Day at Newlands kicked off with four Under 9 matches, which saw Busy Bees RFC and Groote Schuur Primary being selected as the most promising teams in the Mini Rugby category. The budding youngsters from these two teams will now get the opportunity to attend the newly launched WP Kidz programme courtesy of the Canal Walk Foundation. In the under 13 fixture, Lochnerhof Primary from Somerset West took the honours against Goodwood Park Primary, scoring 4 tries to 0. Flyhalf Bader Pretorius walked away with the Man of the Match award – a cap and rugby ball sponsored by Canterbury. Vodacom WP Craven Week star Jody Reyneke showed why he is a loose forward for the future, when he scored three of Tygerberg High’s seven tries to thump Rangers/Silvertree RFC’s under 19 team 35 points to 0. Jody not only walked away with the Man of the Match award, but also R1000 Canal Walk gift card for scoring the most tries in the Under 19 division.
“B
In the next fixture Wynberg Boys High were outclassed by Paul Roos Gymnasium, going down 20 points to 0. Paarl Gymnasium followed in the same vein by outscoring SACS 4 tries to 0. The Southern Suburb schools reclaimed some pride when Bishops looked the part against Boland Agricultural. A tight match with scores drawn 5-all, Bishops scored in the final few minutes to earn a well deserved victory. In the final match of the evening Rondebosch Boys High started well, but simply could not contain an inform Paarl Boys High, who ran in 5 unanswered tries in the 40 minute fixture, wrapping up another fantastic display of school boy rugby at the home of rugby – Newlands. A huge thank you to event sponsor Canal Walk who really got behind Youth Rugby in the Province, by not only sponsoring the event, but also providing fantastic prizes for both the players and the spectators. Paul Roos Gymnasium, Boland Agricultural and Rondebosch Boys provided stiff competition in the stands, but in the end there could only be one “Best Supporting School” and that had to be Paarl Boys High. First to arrive and last to leave, the boys in blue cheered and chanted throughout the day al earning them R5000 cash from Canal Walk (to be used to purchase sportm ing goods), a signed framed Vodacom Stormers jersey and of course bragging rights... until 2011!
Club Newlands is the official Supporters Club to the Vodacom WP and Stormers teams. Visit www.clubnewlands.co.za for information about upcoming events, news from inside the camp, photos from recent outings, as well as details on the benefits of joining the club.
Top: Langa’s Busy Bees RFC Club won in the Mini Rugby category Bottom: Paarl Boys High with the winner’s check for being the Best Supporting School
Player escort
Jaden Jansen
E Every four years Mc Donalds chooses children ffrom all over the world to escort the soccer players oonto the field at the World Cup. They held a ccompetition for children between the ages of six aand ten, where they had to express their love for ssoccer by writing a letter or a poem or drawing a ppicture. Jaden Jansen, a Grade 2 learner at Parow North Primary School, drew a picture and wrote a N ppoem. He was chosen out of thousands of entries tto be a Mc Donalds’ escort at the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup. S It is going to be an experience of a lifetime tthat he will never forget. Wow, Jaden! What an awesome opportunity. We hope to see you on TV!
Kelso Peskin - Multi-talented athlete
ANTON MANS
hey say first impressions last. And when you first meet Kelso Peskin, a gr. 9 learner at Stellenberg High School and multitalented athlete, it immediately strikes you that she has a lot of self-confidence, but in a positive way. Few athletes of Kelso’s age, she only turns 15 in July this year, have achieved what this little star in the making has been able to do in her short sports career. Kelso not only
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excels in one sports code but in at least three. She has SA colours in soccer, WP colours in hockey and also does very well in athletics. It all started when Kelso was only 5 years of age. Her father Nathan was coaching at the Kuils River Football Club and began taking Kelso along. She immediately took an interest in soccer and at the tender age of 7 she was selected for the u.9 boy’s team of Kuils River Football Club. She however, stopped playing football after a while and only in grade 7 at the age of 12 did she again start playing soccer at the Holy Cross Football Club. Kelso who has always been a striker was invited to the u.16 zone trials in gr. 8, and was eventually selected for the Western Cape u.16 girl’s team to play in the SA tournament in Johannesburg last year November. She made such an impression on the SA selectors that she
was then chosen for the SA u.20 ladies team who played against Nigeria in February this year. Unfortunately she did not get called up from the bench. She has subsequently been selected for the SA u.17 girl’s team. They recently played two matches against Botswana and beat Botswana 9 - 1 and 13 - 0. Kelso scored a goal in each of these matches. Kelso also travelled to Lagos where the u.17 girl’s team played against Nigeria. They were unfortunately beaten 5 - 0. She is holding thumbs that the South African u.17 girl’s team qualifies for the u.17 World Cup Soccer Tournament that takes place in Trinidad & Tobago. Kelso took an interest in hockey when she was at Excelsior Primary School in Bellville. She is a centre forward and scored a record number of 7 goals in her first match for the u.10B team of Excelsior. Last year when she
played in a tournament organized by DF Malan high School she again scored 7 goals out of 10 in one the matches. Being a natural at sport she did so well in hockey that she was selected to represent WP in grades 6, 7 & 8 and will be playing in the final WP trials on 8 May. Kelso is also a fine athlete. In 2009 she won gold medals in the girl’s u.14 long jump and 300m hurdles and this year she won silver in the girl’s u.15 long jump and 100m and came 3rd in the 300m hurdles. Kelso is a very level-headed young girl who apparently knows exactly what she wants out of life. With her positive attitude and spontaneous nature she is also very popular amongst her friends. On top of this she is quite serious about her schoolwork and knows she has to put in a lot of effort on that side as well to be a balanced sports girl.
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My 2010 World Cup Provincial Finals The Provincial final of the My 2010 World Cup Tournament was held over the last weekend in April at the Western Cape Sports School in Kuils River. All eight districts participated in the football fixtures arranged by South African Schools Football Association’s Western Cape Convenor Mustapha Obaray. The program was officially opened by the Provincial Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport Sakkie Jenner. Obaray said the tournament was a huge success for all concerned. Schools participated in a round-robin fixture list before qualifying for the finals in the different age groups. The following teams were the winners and qualified to represent the Western Cape at the national finals in Rustenburg from the 7 to 9 May 2010. Various prizes, including 2010 World Cup tickets were up for grabs. Boys Under 14 Hlengisa Primary District North Boys Under 18 Modderdam High District Central Girls Under 14 Lwazi Primary District Central Girls Under 18 Fazeka Secondary District Central ELSEN Schools Boys Under 18 Nolutando – District West Coast For information on schools football, visit www. sasfawesternprovince. blogspot.com or contact the following SASFA Western Province District Representatives” District Central Mustapha Obaray 0847744438 and S. Kamaar 0791551547 District East Mr D. Vaax 0825609564 and Mr J. Jacobs 0721072010 District South Mr T. Phphenteni 0837612597, Miss E. Daniels 0844053982, Mr M. Mange 0825120440 District North Mr G. Sipamla 0835361604
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wcednews JUNE 2010
sport YOUNG ATHLETIC STARS SHINE AT NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Sporting achievement
Hammer-throw star:
Annemie Smith
Annemie Smith scores a hat trick JACQUES WOLFAARD
nnemie Smith, a Grade 12 learner at Outeniqua High School in George, is among the 29-person national squad named by Athletics South Africa in preparation for the 13th IAAF World Junior championships which will take place in Moncton, Canada, from 19 to 25 July. She is also part of a 56-strong SA squad named by Athletics South Africa in preparation for the CAA African Summer championships in Nairobi, Kenya from July 28 to August 1. Annemie did very well this season in sport.
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She won the gold medal at the SA senior championships in Durban earlier this year in the hammer throw for women, at the SA schools Track and Field Championships in Sasolburg she took the gold with a new SA record of 57.13m (the previous record was 51.33m). She saw to her third gold medal of the season at the YP SA Junior Track and Field Championships in Germiston, also with a new SA record of 55.25m (she bettered her own record of 54.21m of last year). Annemie became the first woman in the history of Outeniqua as well as SWD to win the senior title at the Yellow Pages SA Senior Track and Field Championships.
Because she already broke the Junior SA records, she targets the SA Senior record of 59.33m and the Senior African record of 68.48m. She not only excels in athletics, but also has provincial colours in squash. She also set very high standards in her academic grades with 6 A’s in GR 11 and the last exam. Although she has a very busy schedule, she also obtained her First Aid Level 3 certificate which comes in handy in the sport season. She is also a leader at the VCSV and is in the academic portfolio – team. She also passed on additional course in a third language, isi Xhosa. Smith is very dedicated and hardworking.
Ismail Teladia, New Zealand’s go-to man for World Cup
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smail Teladia, a teacher at Spine Road High School, is the Team Liaison Officer (TLO) for New Zealand for the FIFA 2010 World Cup. He is the only teacher amongst the 32 TLO’s. Teladia has been a teacher at Spine Road High for the past 26 years. He was seconded to the Metropole South Education District Office for two and a half years where he was Project Manager: School Sport. He did duty as TLO for New Zealand during the 2009 Confederations Cup. This in itself was an experience of a lifetime. During the ConFed Cup he was on the NZ bench for all their matches including the one against Bafana Bafana. He was the only one of the 8 TLO’s at the ConFed Cup whose team allowed their TLO to sit on the team bench. This is how well he was respected by the NZ team management. The role of the TLO is to make sure that everything pertaining to the team is sorted out - team accommodation, transport, security as well as the link between the team, the LOC and FIFA. The movement of the team to and from matches, training venues and functions are all coordinated by the TLO. The
TLO has meetings with the SAPS, Team security, traffic manager in the area that the team is staying, medical unit, stadium managers and training venue managers amongst a host of other contacts. The TLO works directly with the LOC Team Services Unit which is responsible for the welfare of all visiting teams. The TLO’s knowledge of locals as well as the cities of our country will assist in making the movement of the team easier as well as assisting the team management in making decisions about the movement of the team. Teladia has been involved in school sport administration for the past 25 years, so he is well placed to be of assistance to the team during their stay in South Africa. He received a
“THE TLO WORKS DIRECTLY WITH THE LOC TEAM SERVICES UNIT WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WELFARE OF ALL VISITING TEAMS”
commendation from the NZ Football Federation for the sterling work he did with them during the ConFed Cup. When they qualified for the FWC they requested that he again be their TLO. He links up with the NZ team from the 2nd June 2010. The New Zealand team will be based at the Serengeti Golf Estate in Johannesburg and will play their
matches in Nelspruit (Mbombela Stadium), Polokwane (Peter Mokaba Stadium) and Rustenburg (Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace). The teams in their group include Italy, Slovakia and Paraguay. Many people do not expect NZ to progress beyond the group stages but Teladia reckons they could surprise a few pundits.
The Western Cape Athletics team won 37 medals (relays excluded) at the South African Primary School Championships in East-London. Two athletes won two gold medals each: Angeline Smit (Gene Louw Primary) for her discuss throw of 33.21 m for girls u12 and 33.07m in javelin and sprinter Jason Davids (St. Albans Primary) won the 100m race for boys u13 in 12.31s and completed the 200m in 24.13s. Kyle Ballakistan (Kirstenhof Primary) was the only Western Cape athlete to win three medals. He came second in the 100m for boys u13 (12.36s) and won bronze in the 200m (24.36s) and long jump (5.52m). Joshua Vermeulen (De Kuilen Primary) won the 200m hurdles for boys u13 in 27.63s and received silver in the 80m hurdles. Keenan Abrahams (Somerset West Primary) (boys u13) won the 80m hurdles in 11.83s and received silver in the 200m hurdles. The middle distance athlete Salamua Ntondo (Wavecrest Primary) won the 800m race for boys u13 in 2:08.93 and came second in the 1 500m (4:29.28). The best performance by a Western Cape athlete as judged according to the ASA points log was Gustav Marais’ (Mikro Primary) distance of 45.45m in the boys u13 javelin. Gustav scored 958 points. Jessica Anaduwee Yee (Ysterplaat Primary) (girls u11 high jump) delivered the best performance by a Western Cape girl by winning a silver medal for clearing 45.45 m (948 points). Two of the three new SA records were set by Western Cape athletes - Wikus Groenewald (Outeniqua Primary) in the u13 discuss with a throw of 46.91m and Jo-Ane van Dyk (Hartenbos Primary) in the javelin for girls u13 with a distance of 43.55m. The Western Cape also had the exceptional achievement of winning all three medals (gold, silver and bronze) in the 80m hurdles for boys u13 and the high jump for girls u10.
SQUASH Aubrey Lawrence of HTS Drostdy in Worcester is South Africa’s top u14 boys squash player. Aubrey successfully defended his title at the SA National squash Tournament held from 28 April to 2 May. In March he became only the second Boland player to reach the finals of the SA Closed Junior Squash Tournament and win. Aubrey also plays in the position of eighth man in HTS Drostdy’s u14 rugby team.
BADMINTON
Spine Road teacher Ismail Teladia (middle, with the book in his hand) flanked by New Zealand assistant coach Brian Turner and President of New Zealand Football Frank van Hattum at the Final Draw held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.
Ryan Elliott, a Grade 7 learner at Parow North Primary School, was selected for the WP High Performance Squad. Earlier this year he took part in the Western Province Under 15 Badminton Championship and Inter-Provincial Tournament, held in Durban. Seven provinces took part in the A section of the Inter-provincial championships, and WP ended in the third position. Ryan was graded number seven. He had been invited to join the Western Cape Sport Academy (WECSA).