Teacha Magazine 2020 - T1

The Magazine for South African Teachers . First Term 2020 . Volume 3 - Issue 7 Take Back 2020 Teacher Toolbox: Food Allergies Back to School Ideas



In this issue Editor's Letter: Things We Should Leave Behind in the Previous Decade 4 6 Hacks to Taking Back 2020 6 10 Back to School Ideas for Primary Schools 10 20/20 Vision: Pinterest Perfection vs Realistic Imperfection 14 Bullying vs Conflict vs Being Mean 16 A Fresh New School Year 18 Toolbox Talk: Food Allergies 20 Encourage, But Don’t Praise: A New Theory of Affirming Children 22 Our first PBL adventure - why we’re trying it again even though it ‘flopped’ 24 Icebreaker with a Venn Diagram During the First Week of School! 27 Teacher to Teacher: Beatrice Miller 28 Why South Africa’s Declining Maths Performance is a Worry 30 Student Success is About More Than Hard Work 32 Pinterest Perfection vs Realistic Imperfection Teacher to Teacher: Beatrice Miller Page 14 Page 28 Teacha! Magazine | 3

Things we should leave behind in the previous decade This year marks my sixth year of teaching and that’s underlined isn’t going to enable learners it may potentially be my last! Since I started to do better. teaching I have learnt many things, but a few have stood out as either time-wasters with no Since 2013, I have also been somewhat of an educational value or creators of rifts between EdTech evangelist - trying to get as many staff members - as what counts for one doesn’t teachers to use these tools in their teaching. necessarily count for others. Here are four Today, I look back and think of all the time things that we should denounce for 2020. I wasted having fun and not really teaching properly. Though I cannot imagine teaching Do you want to increase the rate at which young without technology, I think it took a while for me teachers leave the profession? Give them the to find a healthy balance between using tech most difficult classes in the school and you will for the sake of using it and using tech to actually succeed. Rather keep the teachers who are improve learner understanding and promote comfortable at the top on their toes by giving learning. Innovation in teaching doesn’t mean them the challenging classes. If they are master using EdTech in your lessons anymore, it means teachers, they should be able to handle the finding the best possible way for your learners most difficult classes. What’s even better is to learn. getting these experienced teachers to take new teachers under their wings - making them sit in Rant over! Now let’s focus on the excellent their classes to see how it can be done! Being teachers who have contributed to the first a young or new teacher is scary enough, you magazine of 2020. Fiona Beal - master don’t need any extra challenges for the sake innovator, gives us some excellent ideas to of a staffroom hierarchy masked as character start our year in primary school with excitement. building. Lauren Brown gives us some insight into the best possible way of building resilience in The well-known phrase, “You are in control children and Renate Rohrs gives us tips to take of your own classroom.” is unsupportive and back 2020, to work smarter and not harder! is a cop-out used by school leaders to not get involved with what’s happening on the As always, we invite teachers from all ground. If schools really care about the well- over South Africa to share their ideas and being of their teachers, they should offer innovations, tips and tricks and anything in-class behaviour management coaching, else worth sharing with us. Email us your have a school-wide consistent discipline plan suggestions, contributions or letters to editor@ and not accept condescending remarks from teacha.co.za. colleagues such as, “But they are fine in my class...” or “you should just put your foot down.”. We wish you your best teaching year yet, now let’s leave the negativity in 2019! I have read too many articles that show that marking books has very little impact on learner achievement. Yet, some of us, including me, are obliged to correct learners’ mistakes in their books and write, “Well done!” for no reason whatsoever. When should marking take place? On the spot, with the learner present, so that they can be guided through their thought process so that scaffolded learning can take place. Unfortunately, a red cross or a word 4 | Teacha! Magazine

Teacha! is a collaborative effort between Teacha! Resources South African & international teachers and organisations. We would like to thank the Teacha! is a hub for South African following contributors: teachers. Find and sell your original resources in our resources Jean Vermeulen - Editor marketplace, engage with your Ali Mills - Subeditor colleagues in the Teacha! Helpline group on Facebook, and find Teachers / Former Teachers: news, resources, teacher tips and Ali Mills inspiration on our websites. Fiona Beal Juffer \"My Klaskamer\" Teacha! Jobs Renate Rohrs Lauren Brown The leading job board for South Stacey Kirk African school-related vacancies. Nolene Theron Schools can find and post teaching positions on our website. Set up Organisations: a job alert to receive the newest The Conversation vacancies in your inbox weekly. Teacha! is published by Onnie Media Pty Ltd. www.onniemedia.com Support South African teachers by advertising on our platforms: [email protected] Images: Freepik, Unsplash or provided. SACE Points Guide on Teacha! We know how difficult it is to get to grips with the SACE CPTD system. On SACE Points Guide we try to make it easier for you by listing SACE activities all over South Africa. We also try to answer your questions regarding SACE. Teacha! Magazine | 5

6 Hacks to take back 2020 When last did you have a 40-hour workweek? workday and before you know it your job has Actually, have you ever had a 40-hour taken over your weekend, your kitchen table and workweek? Chances are that if you are a eventually your life. teacher, the answer is a resounding NO. Don’t get me wrong, working long hours is not unique But just because it has always been that way to teaching, recent research by the Organisation does not mean you cannot change it. The start for Economic Co-operation and Development of a new year is always a time to contemplate, (OECD) shows that since 2001 South Africa has reassess and set new resolutions for yourself. consistently had one of the longest workweeks Here are six hacks to take back your time. in the world. But teaching tends to be a very “leaky” job; it oozes outside the confines of your 6 | Teacha! Magazine

Saying No changing the way we communicate. And yes, According to James Clear, the ultimate the convenience of using Whatsapp for work productivity hack is saying no. The truth is that can save you lots of time, but it comes at a price, we say yes to a lot of things that we don’t want a very steep price. The nature of Whatapp is to do and often don’t need to do. At the root that it demands your immediate attention, no of this is the fact that we treat ‘yes’ and ‘no’ as matter where you are and what you are doing. carrying equal weight – which should actually Even if you decide not to respond to a message have a completely different effect on your life. immediately, the fact that you saw it already took you out of the moment you were in. When you say no, you are only saying no to one option, but when you say yes to one option, you And then I am not even talking about the time are effectively saying no to all other options. The you spend scrolling through posts on Whatsapp fact is that we can only do one thing at a time. groups that do not even pertain to you. Groups So when you say yes to attend that meeting this might be an easy way to keep everybody in the afternoon, you say no to the extra research you loop, but in the long term, it is an ineffective wanted to do for tomorrow’s classes, you say no way of communicating. Not only do you receive to the activity you wanted to plan for next week, a lot of messages that do not involve you, but you say no to having some quiet me-time after essential information gets buried underneath all school. those messages, making it difficult to find when you may need it. When you say yes to take on extra responsibility at school, you say no to spending that time on Thanks to smartphones, emails are not your own professional development, or your necessarily a better option to keep your job family. contained to office hours. But at least you have the option to keep your work and private emails As Pedro Sorrentino put it, “If you don’t guard separate. And unless there is a reason you need your time, people will steal it from you.” to be contacted 24/7 don’t ever allow your school email to push through to your phone. Track your time It might be convenient to read your emails in Tracking your time might be a scary idea, but the queue at Checkers, but it is not worth it. you can’t start to use your time more effectively You might even want to go as far as setting an if you don’t know what you are spending your automated reply on your school email informing time on. I would suggest every teacher keep parents that you will attend to their email the track of what they spend their time on for a next day at school. couple of weeks. The easiest way to do this is to download a time tracking app like Toggl; you will Set up systems be surprised at what’s really filling up your day. Somebody once told me that resolutions fail, Once you know what is taking up your time, you but systems last. Spend a bit of time at the start can decide where changes need to be made. of the year to create systems that will save you time. Having an effective filing system in your Cut the leash class and on your computer ends up saving Technology has made communication and you hours of searching for things that you know flexible working so much easier, but it also should be there. The same applies to checking means that you tend to work 24/7. Both parents books, marking tests, photocopying and most and colleagues expect your attention all hours other time-consuming tasks. of the day. Ideally, this problem should be addressed on a whole school level, but there are When creating time-saving systems, I find also a few things you can do on your own to cut checklists super valuable. Most of us have a the electronic leash. to-do list we use to keep track of everything we still need to do - but checklists can go so much First, it was Mxit, then it was BBM and now further. We spend hours of precious time trying it’s Whatsapp that have and are completely to remember what needs to be done, where a Teacha! Magazine | 7

checklist could solve the problem. For example, next batch. Now that you know what you need have a checklist of everything that needs to be to create, you can focus solely on finding and done at the end of each term. Or a checklist creating what you need. The last batch would be of everything you need to do when you set an to do the photocopying or posting of the tasks. exam paper. This will eliminate the time wasted This way you can prepare for 5 - 10 lessons in by trying to remember what needs to be done the time it would have taken you to prepare one. and cleaning up the mess caused by the things you forgot. Divide and conquer. It is unlikely that you are the only teacher at your Batch tasks school, and even if you are, social media makes When I started blogging, I learned all about it very easy to link up with teachers all over the batching. Since then, I have saved hours by country. Spend a bit of time in 2020 to join or using batching with my school work. Batching is create a Professional Learning Network (PLN) based on the principle that doing similar aspects of awesome teachers with whom you can share of different tasks together takes less time than ideas, resources, and collaborate. doing a task from start to finish. Just think about it, doing all the photocopying for the next week Collaboration starts with your colleagues at or term is a lot more efficient than running down school. Set up systems - yes, we are back to that to the photocopier for every class or activity you - that enable you and your colleagues to share plan. your planning and resources quickly and easily. For example, when you plan lessons for the next Teaching will never be a nine-to-five job, but by week, the first batch would be to plan all the implementing these six hacks, you may just find activities while making a list of everything you that you are able to keep your job from taking will need to create, photocopy or get ready for over the whole of 2020. the activities. But don’t get distracted by actually creating these resources - that would be the Renate Rohrs 8 | Teacha! Magazine

Schoolscape Premier 2020 Meet the country's top-rated & most innovative school suppliers under one roof Are you a Principal/Deputy, Business Manager, Bursar, SGB Member, Facilities Manager or Head of IT? If YES, then you do not want to miss this exclusive invitation! We are officially inviting you to attend one of the most anticipated events in the school calendar - Schoolscape Premier 2020! Schoolscape Premier focuses on one thing: bringing the country's top-rated and most innovative companies together under one roof. Companies who can make magic happen in your school. It will be the best way for you to experience the latest and most innovative products and services. Connect with peers and meet new people involved in education. Plus, as an exclusive guest attendee, you'll be treated to speciality coffee, sweet treats and snacks. And, to top it off, there will be no long, boring presentations. SCHOOLS ALREADY COMING CAPE TOWN SCHOOLS: Rondebosch Boys' Prep // United Herzlia Schools // GAUTENG SCHOOLS: St David's Marist Inanda // Blairgowrie Primary // SPARK Curro Century City // Edgemead Primary // Hoërskool Outeniqua // Milnerton Ferndale // Frances Vorwerg School // Midrand High School // CBC Boksburg // High // Rhenish Girls' High School // Bellville High School Kingsmead College // Earlybird Educare 1 Event - 2 Locations You have the choice between A stunning Wine Farm in the Cape or a beautiful Tuscan-Styled venue in Gauteng? The choice is yours. Find out more & register (for free) Schoolscape - Cape Town Schoolscape - Gauteng 6 March, 9:00-15:00, Eureka Estate, Durbanville 13 March, 9:00-15:00, Accolades Boutique, Midrand Cape Town Speaker: Dr Darren Green Gauteng Speaker: Heinrich Gabler Medical Doctor, Professional Speaker, Media From orphan to teahcer to Mr SA 2019, the Personality, Recording Artist (you may have inspiring Heinrich Gabler is our Gauteng seen him competing on Idols SA) and speaker. Heinrich is a true inspiration, role Neuro-wellness Consultant. model and ambassador. FIND OUT MORE & REGISTER FOR FREE Teacha! Magazine | 9

10 Back-to-school ideas for primary schools avatar? An avatar is a little character that represents a computer user. It takes the place The first week of school is very different to the of an actual photo of a learner. Often an avatar rest of the term. It is a time of getting to know one is only a replica of the learner’s face. There are another, getting to know classroom routines and many free programs one can use, but the one site discipline procedures, and setting goals for the my classes love is www.cartoonify.de. You could rest of the year. It’s a time of leaving behind the set up a shared Google Slides or PowerPoint summer holidays and settling down to hours of presentation and each person could add their work routines for the rest of the year. A teacher created avatar with their first name and two can make this first week a special time for the things they like doing, so that everyone learners. This article presents ten useful Back to can take a look. School ideas, some of which have a digital spin for those who have access to digital devices with 2. DEAL WITH THE Internet access. PHRASE ‘I CAN’T’ 1. GET TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER’S NAMES Play the name game An activity I love is A new class, new teacher, a new year! After called “Let’s deal telling the class a little about yourself, think with ‘I can’t’”. about playing the Name Game. There are many Many teachers variations of the Name Game, so you can make will be familiar up your own. One variation is to do it rhythmically, with hearing with clapping. Everyone stands in a circle. The the phrase first person starts and says their first name and ‘I can’t…’ mentions two things they like doing. Take a look coming at this YouTube video which shows a class doing from a a variation of the Name Game: Jump In, Jump Out learner’s (Ice Breaker Name Game) http://bit.ly/2yM7Xkm lips. This is (2.01 mins) the start of a defeatist Create a name wordsearch attitude. After this the class could individually complete a We want out ‘Who’s Who’ wordsearch to see how many first learners to names from the class they can remember. You see struggles can easily create this wordsearch at Discovery as a productive Education’s Free Puzzlemaker site: http:// part of the learning puzzlemaker.discoveryeducation.com/ process. A great way to tackle these ‘I can’ts’ Create an avatar is to hand out strips of What about doing a name activity with a digital paper for each learner to write twist and getting your learners to create an out their three main ‘I can’t’ phrases. 10 | Teacha! Magazine

Then collect them in a container and explain that find lists of these on the Internet – here is one you will be burying them and they are not to be created by Brightdrops: http://bit.ly/2r2VtEx. repeated again in the classroom. You can read Let your class each choose a quote that inspires more about this activity in Cassie Tabrizi’s blog them, and illustrate it. To add the digital twist, use post http://bit.ly/34vMIR7 www.quozio.com to create an online quote and download it. 3. SET GOALS FOR THE YEAR 5. CREATE A POSITIVE CLASSROOM CULTURE Dear Myself It is a good idea for the learners to think about the Do you have a motivational system set up in your year ahead and create goals for themselves. Let classroom? Class Dojo, www.classdojo.com, is them write a letter to themselves at the beginning a free, online behaviour management system of the year. You could provide them with an intended to encourage positive learner behaviours attractive paper to write this on. Let them write and classroom culture. Learners earn 'Dojo Points' about the goals and hopes they have for their based on their classroom conduct. Teachers use upcoming school year. Encourage them to give Class Dojo to keep parents up to date on their themselves advice on how to reach their goals. child’s progress and classroom happenings. This You could even let them measure themselves with site will motivate your learners. string and cut off a piece that is their exact height. They then roll up the letter like a scroll, tie the 6. INTRODUCE CODING string around it and place them in a box. You can bring these out right at the end of the year to see The Hour of Code Why not introduce coding to your class right in the if they achieved their goals. You can read more first week? Coding is said to be the new literacy. about this activity in Cassie Tabrizi’s It equips learners with skills that are important in blog post http://bit.ly/34vMIR7. future. In order to compete in the current global economy, learners need to have a comprehensive To give this activity skill set that includes technology. The best time to a digital twist, the introduce this is when they are young. You could learners could open get all your learners to join https://code.org/. They Google Docs or could start with K-5 activities and even do these Microsoft Word at home. The Hour of Code is part of Code.org. and use voice Millions of learners in 180 countries complete the typing to write hour of code every December – but it is available their letters to all year with no experience needed. themselves. They would Coding offline then add If you don’t have Internet access or computer their height devices, your learners can practise coding offline. to the Download these free, printable Scratch blocks for letter, and them, found at at http://bit.ly/2M45pVs. They share the could also have fun making a free binary code document bracelet. http://bit.ly/38ICAHY You would need to with you. join Instructables first to sign in and download the binary code instructions. Dr Seuss quotes as 7. THREE EXTREMELY USEFUL WEBSITES FOR a source of ANY TEACHER inspiration Dr Seuss created Classroom Screen some of the world’s Have you tried this free web tool called most famous children’s Classroom Screen? It can be found at https:// books and illustrations. classroomscreen.com. Classroom Screen is a He is also remembered for one-stop-shop with 12 useful widgets you can use his life-changing quotes. You can Teacha! Magazine | 11

while teaching or while your learners are working. studentchallenge.edublogs.org/ . Your learners No matter what you teach, as long as you have a will learn everything they need to learn about projector, interactive whiteboard, or television in blogging, while they connect with learners from your classroom you’ll be able to use Classroom around the world. Screen to: write and display text in a large range of languages; customise your background; use 9. BRAIN BREAKS the random name selector or roll dice; monitor classroom noise levels; generate QR codes; draw; Have you experimented with brain breaks in provide work symbols; provide a visual reminders your classroom? Brain breaks are mental breaks of when to move around, begin a task, pack up designed to help learners stay focused and etc; use a timer to count up or count down, record attentive. The brain breaks get learners moving “laps”, and more, and show a clock and calendar. It so as to carry blood and oxygen to the brain. The is an amazing tool for any teacher. Learning Station presents 32 great, free, brain break videos online – my classes really enjoy Class Tools.net these. http://bit.ly/38RYo4f Class Tools.net, www.classtools.net is a free site for teachers, created by teacher Russel Tarr. This site 10 READING SITES FOR LEARNERS has useful free tools to integrate into your lessons, Reading is vitally important because it improves including Fakebook, graphic organizers, generate a a learner’s vocabulary, leads to more highly- QR code scavenger hunt and video game makers. developed language skills and improves the These are great to use in the first week of school. learner's ability to write well. .A person who knows how to read can educate themselves in any area Chrome Music Lab of life they see fit. Introduce your class, right from The Chrome Music Lab (CML) https://musiclab. Day 1, to some of the free reading sites that are chromeexperiments.com/, created by Google , is a available on the Internet. Examples can be found fantastic online resource for teachers and learners. at 11 Free Reading Websites for Kids https://blog. It’s simple to use and its main aim is to allow users reallygoodstuff.com/11-free-reading-websites-for- to explore sound and create with sound. Perhaps kids/. you would want your learners to create rules for a Maths concept or a language concept, or Think about trying out some of these ideas in 2020, classroom rules for the year and then express this and, why not share some of your own back-to- as a song. school ideas with us as well! 8. BLOGGING Fiona Beal Think about getting your learners to create blogs if they have access to the Internet and computer devices they can use. We use Blogger in my classes, but Edublogs is also free. Blogging develops writing, reading, speaking, listening, critical thinking, problem solving and a host more of creative skills. Learners can add colour, movement, images, video, audio, and multimedia to their blogs. Think about joining the free Edublogs Blogging Challenge which is held twice a year with the next one probably starting in February or March 2020 https:// 12 | Teacha! Magazine

STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS DISCIPLINE IN THE CLASSROOM PD points: 5 Understand what positive classroom discipline is about Recognise the meaning of ‘discipline’ and ‘punishment’ Learn how to design a classroom discipline plan Develop strategies to manage learner behaviour in a positive way Realise the importance of character development and instilling values in maintaining positive discipline WORKSHOP OVERVIEW Approved Provider This is an interactive workshop about developing strategies to manage learner behaviour. It focuses on positive attitudes and the development of supportive relationships with learners to create a disciplined learning environment. For more information or to make a booking: Alet Nienaber | Tel: 011 731 3370 | Email: [email protected]

20/20 Vision Pinterest Perfection vs Realistic Imperfection Stacey Kirk 14 | Teacha! Magazine

We have all seen them, those Pinterest posts an imperfect place of wonderful learning of brightly coloured, themed and seemingly opportunities, joy and magic moments. Together perfect classrooms. Those classrooms that are with my learners, we experience success, we colour-coordinated, meticulously labelled and experience failure and we experience success functionally systematic. Those classrooms that, through our failure. We learn to embrace the let’s be honest, put the ordinary to shame! As quirkiness, our differences and similarities. a teacher who frequents Pinterest territory for We learn to support one another through the ideas and inspiration, I can admit that I have challenges and understand that everyone’s on many an occasion, experienced “Pinterest measure of success is different. We build Pressure”. That commonly diagnosed condition character and learn to value our little community. amongst teachers of which the symptoms are: My classroom may not be Pinterest perfect increased expectations, self-doubt, unnecessary but that does not mean that good things don’t comparisons and a sense of longing. happen. In fact, my classroom is perfect because we are all wonderfully imperfect! I am by no means disputing the fact that Pinterest, in all its glory, serves as a melting pot This is a fact that I can admit has taken me a for creativity and inspiring classroom ideas but while to acknowledge and embrace. I am cautioning against using it as a measuring stick for one’s own reality. The fact of the matter It is important to note that that is not to say that is, that while we all aspire to reach perfection every year I don’t strive to enhance my skill set, within our professional capacity, we can just as better my practice and improve on my areas \"What we do matters and it matters every day\" easily drop the ball and shift our focus from what of weakness. As teachers, we are called to be truly matters. reflective practitioners in our own right - We reflect at the end of every lesson, at the end of It is only natural for us to start the year off bright- every day, at the end of every term, and at the eyed and bushy-tailed, our inspiration tanks filled end of every year. Reflection leads to correction and ready to go but as soon as we hit our first and improvement. However, I encourage you pothole we stumble... We waver, we tire, and we to not get so wrapped up on the reflecting doubt. At some point, the everyday challenges and correcting part that we lose sight of the that we as teachers face catches up with us and magic moments that inadvertently take place in we realize that no matter how much we try to between. Everything exists in a delicate balance hide behind our beautifully coloured classrooms – allow your search for perfection to exist in a and wall charts, on the inside…we are not perfect. balance with your acceptance of imperfection. What happens when no one is watching is not perfect. Our children are not perfect and What we do matters and it matters every day, sometimes things get messy. Yet in the midst of which is why it is not always easy. Be kind to the messiness and the imperfection, the most yourself and others. Just as we encourage our amazing and meaningful learning opportunities children to make and learn from mistakes, allow may arise. In allowing yourself to loosen the yourself to make mistakes so that you too can reigns of perfection a little, and allow your space learn and grow. Whether your classroom is of learning to become safe environments that Pinterest worthy or not, know that YOU, as a welcome imperfection, we unlock the magic teacher, are worthy! Success and excellence is found in the ordinary. In essence, we enhance subjective, so set your own bar from which you the ordinary and allow it to evolve into the choose to measure your greatness – align your extraordinary. vision for your classroom in the New Year with values and principles that you hold dear. Seek Along the way on my personal teaching journey; to be the best version of yourself that you can I have made peace with the fact that I am an be – we may not all be Pinterest perfect but we imperfect teacher with an imperfect classroom are WONDERFULLY IMPERFECT and that counts and imperfect planning skills! Yet despite my too! imperfections, my classroom has become Teacha! Magazine | 15

Bullying vs Conflict vs Being Mean Anyone in a relationship, or even in contact, with bullying are better defined as socially-concerning another person will probably at some stage situations that need support. Rude behaviour experience conflict. For example, one friend (based on thoughtlessness or manners forgotten might want to play video games; the other might in the moment but not meant to hurt someone) or want to go outside. One friend thinks he should mean behaviour (intentionally hurting someone’s be the goalie in a soccer game; the other feels feelings once or twice and usually motivated that she is the one who should be the goalie. by angry feelings or low self-esteem) can often Conflict is a normal part of life. Bullying, however, be resolved with careful, active support from is different from conflict. Bullying is done with educators and parents. a goal to hurt, harm, or humiliate. With bullying, there is often a power imbalance between When children are in confusing situations that those involved, with power defined as elevated involve conflict and invariably, hurt feelings and social status, being physically larger, or as part tears, it can be very difficult for parents. The of a group against an individual. Then, to make following questions might guide you in figuring things more confusing, it can also be said that out if the situation should be classified as bullying all bullying is mean, but not all mean behaviour or not - is bullying. Children can be mean to each other. • Are the children involved equals in the They can be rude, and they can be unfriendly. Know that your child will most definitely be the situation? recipient of one or more mean comments or • Does your child feel victimized or targeted by actions at some point during his school years, but unless it is ongoing, repeated intimidation or an individual or a group? meanness directed at your child, it is not bullying. • Does your child feel safe? • Does your child feel that the person or group So how does one tell the difference? Bullying scenarios might look like this: Someone has intentionally hurt or humiliated him/her? convinces a group to tease another student • Is the situation one that occurs regularly? based on their looks; someone threatens to beat a person up because of how they talk; somebody Reference: posts something untrue and hurtful online about someone else; or someone trips a classmate Rigby, K. (2008). Children and bullying: How and makes everyone laugh at the person falling parents and educators can reduce bullying at down. Oftentimes, behaviours labelled as school. Malden: Blackwell Publishing. Lauren Brown 16 | Teacha! Magazine

schools are hiring! SCHOOL-RELATED CONTACT US VACANCIES TODAY Find and advertise school vacancies [email protected] on our South African teacher hub. www.teacha.co.za Teacha! Magazine | 17

sAcfhroeoshl yneeawr As we enter the beginning of a new school year, it (such as sequin pillows or rubber tools) ready is the ideal opportunity to start anew. Freshen up for those who benefit from it and check whether your ideas, the décor in your classroom and the an occupational therapist has given specific way in which you approach the New Year. suggestions. Begin the year by looking at the class list and Tired of posters curling up or marked with holes? ensuring that you have enough furniture in the Use strong fold back or bulldog clips to hang room. Step back and have a look at the room. your posters on wire hangers or use trouser Would each individual learner be able to see the hangers. You could also file smaller pictures or board? Do you need curtains to limit the glare A4 posters with your lesson plans. You do not or to block out the heat? Is your room tough to need to laminate everything at first. Use clear negotiate or are there several ways to get access plastic to cover your posters or plastic filing to the different areas? Are there areas, which are sleeves and cover smaller items (such as flash always messy, and how is it that you could tidy it cards) with clear packaging tape. Once you are up? sure that you like the specific resources and find that they are useful, you could then have them Organising storybooks in magazine bins laminated. (according to theme, author or level) has been really helpful in cleaning up my bookshelves. Clean your writing board well and ensure that Simply take out the specific bin and keep the rest lines are drawn prior to the first day. Remove the of the shelf neat and tidy. clutter on your walls and decide on having basic information such as number charts, an alphabet Think of ways to support learners who require frieze, a weather chart and a calendar. Should more movement. A latex band around the front you decide on decorating your door, think of legs of a chair provides a simple way for the connecting the design with a theme or an age feet to bounce and move. Have fidget tools appropriate design. You could connect a basic 18 | Teacha! Magazine

colour scheme to various themes, e.g. yellow Ensure that you know the protocol regarding with bees, lions, leopards, cheetahs, stripes or excursions and plan trips well in advance. Brush dots and blue with aspects of flight, space or the up on your knowledge of the school’s rules ocean. and confirm what the school’s dress code is before buying a new wardrobe. It is always Go through each learner’s profile and check better to make a good impression and to have in with the previous classroom and support more professional articles of clothing ready for teachers. Are there pertinent details that you assemblies or special events, but you would should know about or information that would need something more practical to wear when help you to start off on the right foot? you are working on the carpet or hanging new curtains. Keep confidential information locked away and secure computer files with a password. Most Prepare something special for the first day, such schools keep personal data and records in the as introductory activities about the first themes school’s vault, but you may often need to access or the school on the respective desks. Have certain information (such as assessment details) nametags ready to pin or use stickers. Older more regularly. Keep track of important dates learners could write their own names as they – using an electronic or printed calendar. A enter your classroom. Should you have much hardcover workbook could be an ideal way to younger learners, their parents might want to write down information, to track attendance and take pictures of the special day. Ensure that they to use as an assessment or mark book. It would have a welcoming message on the board or a always be best to have digital copies or to add few spaces where they could take a memorable marks to the school’s assessment software. Talk photo or two. to the office personnel and computer experts about how you should store digital information Write a welcome letter to the parents of securely. your learners and tell them about your basic expectations. You could add it to your classroom Line containers with plastic bags to create blog or website and share how you would like to mini garbage bins for groups or desks. Create be contacted. Should you choose to use specific pigeonholes for worksheets and decide if you apps to communicate with parents, mention it in are going to provide enough for various groups your letter and show them how it works at your or just for each subject. It could be beneficial to first parent information evening. have a filing system for the days of the week, so that learners can access worksheets they had Prepare ideas for future activities and brainstorm missed out on when they were absent. ways to implement it. Ask your colleagues for advice – as they would have had experience Does your school support recycling and how with best practices at your school. Sharing would you promote it in you class? There are ideas and checking in for a few minutes each various programs available (such as tabs and tags day, helps to build a sense of camaraderie and for wheelchairs), which could generate money could be valuable in the long run. Reflect on for a good cause or for the school. You do not the successes of the first few days and write always need to have a specific cause in mind and down aspects, which could use some changes. could simply recycle items such as paper and Brainstorm ways to make these changes and food scraps to be used in the school’s compost discuss it with your grade level partners. After all, heap. teachers are life-long learners and this is how we model teamwork. Think of simple ways in which you could make a birthday memorable or make a learner feel May you have a wonderfully successful school special. Decide how you would like your learners year in 2020! to line up and how you would address aspects such as having them go to the bathroom (e.g. Juffer \"My Klaskamer\" younger learners at a specific time before each break, older learners one at a time when they need to go, etc.). Teacha! Magazine | 19

Toolbox Talk: Food Allergies With the new year, comes the excitement of a • Repetitive cough class full of new learners…with their own set of • Shock or circulatory collapse new personalities, but for teachers of children • Itching or tightness in throat, hoarse throat, with food allergies, the excitement is quickly replaced with nervousness. Teachers play a vital trouble swallowing, role in keeping children with food allergies safe • Swelling or itching of tongue, lips, mouth or at school. eyes There are many sources of allergens that can • Sneezing, runny or stuffy nose cause an allergic reaction - but one of the most • Weak pulse and/or lowered blood pressure common allergens is food. So, whether you • Pale or blue colouring of skin are at a school that provides learners with food • Dizziness or feeling faint or at a school where parents pack lunchboxes, • Anaphylaxis – life threatening children are constantly being exposed to allergens. Some parents might be aware of There is unfortunately no medication to prevent allergies their child might have and disclose this food allergies. The goal of treatment is to avoid to you as teacher, but other allergies might be the foods to which the child is allergic to – like discovered for the first time at school (especially the Edward Coke quote, “Precaution is better when working with young children.). than cure!” According to the Centres for Disease Control and Anaphylaxis: Prevention, food allergies are estimated to affect 4 – 6 percent of children. The most common Anaphylaxis is the most serious reaction foods that cause 90% of allergic reactions are to allergens there is. This reaction is life- milk, tree nuts, peanuts, soy, shellfish, fish, wheat threatening, causing a whole-body allergic and eggs with milk, peanuts and eggs being reaction that can impair your breathing, cause the most common among children. Once the a dramatic drop in your blood pleasure and allergen is consumed it usually causes a reaction effect your heart rate. Anaphylaxis requires within minutes up to two hours. immediate medical treatment. If not treated properly, anaphylaxis can be fatal. Some health Allergic reactions to food most often involve the care providers may prescribe an emergency kit skin, the gastrointestinal tract, the cardiovascular that contains epinephrine, which helps stop the system and the respiratory tract. Symptoms can symptoms of severe reactions. range from an uncomfortable reaction to life threatening. According to the American College Prevention: of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, allergic reactions to food may surface in the following Most children who suffer from food allergies ways: attend school happy and safely every day. The key to success is to form a partnership with clear • Vomiting communication between the parents, the child • Diarrhoea and/or stomach cramps and the school. • Hives, Eczema or red spots • Shortness of breath, difficulty breathing and/ • Teachers must be aware of the child’s allergies and know what triggers the child or wheezing needs to avoid at school. 20 | Teacha! Magazine

• Teachers need to be familiar with signs of an their allergies, learn how to recognise the allergic reaction. symptoms of a reaction and if an issue occurs, tell an adult immediately. • Teachers should raise awareness of food • In severe cases teachers should discuss an allergies among learners in the class. emergency action plan with parents and have the necessary medication authorisation forms • Teachers should have name lists of learners completed. with allergies, visible in their classroom. • Epinephrine injectors should be clearly marked with the child’s name and these • Teachers can create the “no-sharing” rule. should be checked on a regular basis that • Teachers can ask parents for “safe snacks” for they have not expired during the school year. • Learners with severe allergies should wear unplanned events. medical identification jewellery. • Teachers should make sure children wash Let’s strive to live by the wise words of Charles M. their hands on a regular basis. Hayes – Safety first is safety always. • Schools with cafeterias can post the menu Nolene Theron in advance to allow parents to identify potentially unsafe meals. • Pictures of the children with food allergies can be placed behind the counter in the cafeteria. • Special seating arrangements can be made in the cafeteria to minimize exposure. • Children that are old enough should know Teacha! Magazine | 21

Encourage, but don’t praise: a new theory of affirming children Lauren Brown, Student Development Unit/Cognitive Development Specialist What makes a child do well in school? Common the real secret of great learning lies elsewhere answers to this question normally include – inside children themselves. A child’s view of a high IQ, a terrific school, well-run lessons, his/her own ability to achieve a goal (a concept skilled teachers, a creative curriculum, and high known as self-efficacy) is a powerful indicator of expectations. Although all these things help, school success. 22 | Teacha! Magazine

Carol Dweck, author of Mind-set: The New • Self-disciplined Psychology of Success (2006) believes that • Courageous implicit or inner views of ability have a significant • Confident impact on a child. Children who have a “fixed • Determined mind-set” believe that success is based on innate • Enthusiastic ability. Results or outcomes are normally seen • Goal-orientated as a measure of this innate ability. The problem • Orderly with the fixed mind-set is that it is a breeding • Persistent ground for distorted assumptions. For example, if • Responsible I achieve a below average result on a test then I • Creative could mistakenly deduce that my innate ability is • Energetic below average. It is mistaken because there are • Reliable a number of external variables that influence test • Self-assured scores, including whether or not I ate breakfast • Patient that morning. • Resourceful • Tenacious In contrast to this mind-set, having a growth • Helpful mind-set views success as something based on • Insightful hard work, learning, training and doggedness. Under this perspective, what becomes far more Not only is the development and exercising of important than the actual test score are the these qualities within a child’s control, but these child’s inner qualities, over which he/she has qualities are also longer-lasting and more far- more control in the first place. reaching in terms of impact than, for example, an A on an English assignment. Changing how one affirms one’s child can be a very powerful way of formulating a growth mind- So next time your child tells you his Maths mark, set. It all comes down to the difference between try saying, “Well done for being so persistent encouraging a child and praising a child. in the work you did to get that mark!” or “You approached your studying in such a goal- Gunderson et al. (2013:1526) explain: orientated way, and it seems that this really paid off!” You might be pleasantly surprised by the “Encouraging a child’s effort helps him to adopt impact it has. incremental motivational frameworks: he believes ability is malleable, attributes success References to hard work, enjoys challenges, and generates strategies for improvement. In contrast, praising De Lisi, M. & Vaughn, M. (2011). The importance a child’s inherent abilities [to which the outcome of neuropsychological deficits relating to self- is attributed] helps him to adopt a fixed-ability control and temperament. International Journal of framework.” Child, Youth and Family Studies. 1 & 2: 12-35. Praising focuses on outcome and innate ability: Gunderson, E.A., Gripshover, S.J., Romero, C., “Wow, you got an A for your test!” Encouraging Dweck, C., Goldin-Meadow. & Levine, S.C. (2013). involves affirming a child’s character and Parent praise to 1-3-year-olds predicts children’s personal decisions: “Wow, I’m so proud of how motivation framework 5 years later. Journal of hard you chose to prepare for this test!” It may Child Development. 84(5): 1526-1541. seem like a simple shift to make, but it is not as easy as it seems. Society, in general, seems to Skinner, E., Johnson, S. & Snyder, T. (2005). Six focus more on praise, to which we, as adults Dimensions of Parenting: A Motivational Model. have become accustomed. Encouraging a child Parenting: science and practice. 5(2): 175–235 requires an awareness of the inner qualities that contribute towards success, some of which include: Teacha! Magazine | 23

Our first PBL adventure - why we’re trying it again even though it ‘flopped’ During my first few weeks of teaching in a primary communication, often known as 21st century school, I did not know what was about to hit me skills. when our group of schools announced that we • allows some degree of student voice and would be following a Project-Based Learning choice. (PBL) approach and that our third term content • incorporates feedback and revision. should be transformed into a PBL module. • results in a publicly presented product or performance. At first I was quite negative about this approach, as I am convinced by research that explicit HOW DID WE GET STARTED? instruction is more effective and that so-called innovative pedagogies can be a waste of very We were fortunate enough to have had Lindsay valuable teaching time. When I hear “Fourth Wesner, Chief Edumagineer at Teach.Learn. Industrial Revolution” “The 4 Cs” or “Preparing Innovate guide us through creating our first PBL students for jobs that don’t exist,” I zone out as I unit. Over a few weeks (it was a bit drawn out) know that proper domain knowledge is required we were able to break down the silos of our in order for kids to engage with it. However, after curriculum and see how we could integrate our seeing the end result of our project, I would highly content into one amazing PBL unit. The most recommend the use of PBL, or at least some kind difficult part of this process was definitely the of hybrid version in the classroom. question setting aspect. Once you have your driving question, as well as the content that What is regarded as Project Based Learning? needs to be covered, the rest of the unit almost flows naturally into a masterpiece of interlinked PBL is not just a fancy word for a project, there are activities. a few important elements that make PBL, PBL: My teaching environment includes more than 5 Comprehensive project-based learning, according class teachers in every grade and since we teach to Wikipedia: at different schools, we have many different • is organized around an open-ended driving perspectives. This also helped us to create the project, as one school might have tried something question or challenge. before that another school hadn't. Working • creates a need to know essential content and together as a group of teachers really made a huge difference. We were also able to split up skills. the preparation work according to our strengths. • requires inquiry to learn and/or create During our final design process, we also had extra input from our EdTech leaders in our schools, something new. • requires critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, and various forms of 24 | Teacha! Magazine

as well as Lindsay. This was the final push we do away with reports in the third term. This needed to get everything ready for our big launch. helped us to focus less on getting marks in and rather on getting everyone to meet MORE ABOUT OUR PROJECT curriculum requirements. • Behaviour. I would suggest tailoring the Our grade 5s were asked “How can we make our project on how well your children can work school more energy efficient?” We worked hard independently, without being policed. to ensure that we had a cross-curricular approach. • It takes time to change kids’ mindsets to “It’s Mainly, however, this was between English and okay to fail and struggle” - especially in an NST. We had a detective theme and called environment where they are used to being ourselves Energy Detectives. This enabled us to over-nurtured. make investigations more fun, such as using clues • Due to some lawnmower parents, PBL to find out about new tasks, cracking codes at the was given the nickname “PBHell” which is launch to find out exactly what our theme was unfortunate. Do parents not want their kids and investigating where and how electricity was to be challenged? Do they prefer being sent being used at our school. home a task that they or their child’s tutor can do? WHAT WENT WRONG? SOME EXCELLENT THINGS THAT HAPPENED • It took too long to complete, we didn’t realise how many disruptions we have as a school, we • Our launch was excellent and the kids enjoyed lost a bit of momentum, we planned activities working through the clues to find out what that we didn’t get to and while we were their project will be. working through some of the activities on our roadmap, we realised that at times it was • If a visitor walked into the class and asked irrelevant or rather seen as a “filler”. what they were doing, they would tell you “We are busy working out how we can make our • Because we ran out of time, we didn’t end school more energy efficient.” our project as we had planned. One school managed to have an authentic audience to • Though we did very little formal teaching, kids present their findings to, but we only had the really have learnt a lot. We know this because principal and management team come in to of the questions they can answer about the view our kids’ final presentations. topic. I sat in on another class’ presentation about geothermal energy and if it would be • We didn’t implement any of their findings. possible to use this at all in our school. Their peers asked them many valuable questions CHALLENGES about the topic that they could answer in depth, for example, what is the impact that • As in any other school, we have children geothermal energy has on the environment? with a very wide range of abilities. Pairing the For a grade 5 student to ask and answer these children (even though they think it is random) questions accurately is quite remarkable. is imperative in this regard. • Though we do not want our kids to be under • We need marks! We were lucky enough to too much pressure, pushing them to achieve Teacha! Magazine | 25

more and to have high expectations enables and we had a debriefing session, one member them to produce excellent work. Our final gave me a hug and thanked me for the advice presentations were judged by grade 6 teachers, with the words: “You know, Meneer, it helps to the principal and deputy principal, we chose listen to your teachers every now and again!” these judges as they have the perceived power See, we are still needed, and PBL is not just a to make a change in school policy. Having an process of throwing a topic at kids and making authentic audience to present to is essential them learn skills and content through osmosis. to the success of the project. It gives them • The learners actually solved the problem. Most a chance to be heard and their ideas to be suggestions were well-researched, they were implemented. It also teaches them to keep their and are implementable and will be able to new audience in mind. make a real change. Some, of course, were not. • When we usually do orals or some kind of However, this does not mean that the “outcome” project where our learners need to do verbal wasn’t reached. Mostly it was because of a feedback or a presentation, we do not often grade 5’s vivid imagination and dreaming big, give them a chance to do a practice run where and as our school motto says “If you dream it, it we can give them feedback to improve and try is no legend” - an idea might seem unattainable again. I was amazed by how the learners took now, but it can develop into a solution that advice from “I like” and “I wonder” - watch your could prove to solve many problems in the language - and then changed up their final future. presentations to include the recommendations. I found myself saying that their work was good My colleagues from all three of our schools deserve and asked them what they need to do in order a standing ovation for their effort and perseverance to make it excellent. to make this happen. When things are new, it’s • A good example of this was the way that kids scary, and after our feedback session to reflect always introduce orals - “Good morning Mnr on our projects it was great to see teachers Vermeulen and class, today we are going to acknowledging where and how they went wrong. bore you with our presentation.” I referred my We have learnt from each others’ mistakes and class to some Shark Tank or Dragon’s Den have adjusted the project accordingly for 2020. I’m episodes and asked them if they ever see excited to make the improved project happen this anyone saying “Good afternoon, Sharks, my year! presentation is about...” when they start their presentation. One excellent example in my class I have shortened the article due to space was a group who worked on incorporating solar constraints in the magazine, but check in to teacha. energy in our school. They posed a question to co.za for the full outcome of our PBL Project. the class “How many hours of sunshine do you think we have in South Africa?” and the class Jean Vermeulen is a grade 5 teacher, the founder of was immediately engaged. After this group was Teacha! and the editor of Teacha! Magazine. complimented by the judges about their intro 26 | Teacha! Magazine

Icebreaker with a Venn Diagram during the first week of school! What is a Venn Diagram? engage children in comparative thinking has A Venn Diagram is an illustration that shows the the greatest effect on student achievement relationships between sets or groups that share (Marzano et al, 2001). something in common - it shows what two things may have in common or where two groups or How? objects intercept. First explain to the class how a Venn diagram works. Gather groups of two or three children Why make use of the Venn Diagram? and supply each group with the appropriate • Using an icebreaker as the first activity Venn Diagram. They then complete the diagram according to provided questions (a typed (opposed to going through the class rule for handout or written on the blackboard). instance) will get the school year off to a great start. The children will get to know each other Put their completed diagrams up on the and their nerves may calm down a bit. classroom walls and see them reading each • The Venn diagram makes it possible to find others’ answers during the first few weeks! similarities and differences. This helps with organizing both new and known information. Mari Buys, Speech Therapist In the process, critical thinking is developed. Research has found that activities that Questions: • Brothers or sisters? • Boy or girl? • Do you like reading? • Birthday? • Colour of eyes? • Favourite colour? • Pets? • Favourite TV show? • Etc... • Movie seen during holiday? • What do you want to be when you grow up? • Favourite takeaway? Teacha! Magazine | 27

Teacher to Teacher: Beatrice Miller All of us have had our different ways of finding South Korea - which was an amazing experience teaching as our careers, and after one of my - but I ended up feeling redundant and I was favorite Teacha! articles, Teaching English in no longer being challenged by the job (Little South Korea in the previous edition of Teacha! did I know then what was waiting for me when I Magazine, it was lovely to delve a bit more into would eventually have my own classroom here the subject of teaching abroad. in South Africa). After that experience, I felt that I wanted to have an official position in a school This is where our teacher of the term Beatrice and I wanted the responsibility of having my class Miller comes in. and a chance to see learners grow through my teaching. Beatrice dreamed of being in theatre and performance. Ended up studying Linguistics; On arriving back home, I did my PGCE. I thought and then found herself teaching English in South it would be easy getting a teaching post after this Korea. It was quite a journey, but she did end up - but there were only a few availabilities after my finding her path to Disa Primary in ImizamoYethu, graduation. where she is now the class teacher for grade 4s and additionally teaches isiXhosa, Afrikaans and Someone actually let me know of a post opening Physical Education. a Disa Primary over a WhatsApp group. I applied and, as they say, the rest is history. So Beatrice, you said that you dreamed of having an entirely different career choice, how What do you find to be the biggest challenge in was it that you ended up in a classroom? your teaching? As I previously mentioned, I taught English in At Disa, we are blessed as our school is funded 28 | Teacha! Magazine

by the Andreas and Susan Struengmann work shadow) so that you can figure out what Foundation - we have great financial support, age group you are best suited for. Just because which provides the school with various you like children doesn’t mean you will be resources such as technology, specialist a great teacher. Secondly, you need to be teachers and teacher training. We strive for our passionate about education and love what you learners to receive an excellent education. For end up teaching, if you have a negative attitude me, I find that the biggest challenge for me has about what you are doing, your learners will been ensuring that I am on top of things without pick it up and become apathetic. As corny as sacrificing my own personal (me) time - but isn’t it sounds, when one is feeling the negatives of that every teacher’s struggle? being underpaid (we all feel it at some stage), it is the children that keep us going. Teaching Over your years, have you found that your is extremely rewarding and to see learners lessons or approach to teaching has changed improve emotionally, socially and intellectually at all? because of your input is something no one can take away from you. Yes for sure, it is important that my lessons are relevant to the learners. I also focus on the And any last thoughts for those starting afresh learners doing and practicing the work on their this year? own - opposed to me standing in front of the class for most of the lesson and me thinking Yes, take time to research classroom they understand what I’m saying (Disa Primary management strategies and implement a introduced Project-Based Learning (PBL) into manageable one into your classroom, making the mix in 2019, and have had great outcomes: sure to be consistent with it. Try to plan Read more about their experience with PBL ahead and keep on track with marking and here). assessments to give yourself more personal/ family time over the weekends. What advice would you share with people who are interested in becoming teachers? Remember, not every day is going to be difficult, it does get easier the more you My two bits of advice would be the following: familiarize yourself with the school and your Get exposure to schools first (volunteering/ classroom. Teacha! Magazine | 29

Why South Africa’s declining maths performance is a worry South Africa’s Department distinctions. A distinction is and maths areas. Strong of Basic Education recently a score of 80%-100%. This is performance in mathematics released the country’s National down from 2.5% in 2018. is essential for careers in Senior Certificate results computing, programming, for the class of 2019. These Why does this matter? finance and machine learning. are commonly known as the “matric results” and they The drop in numbers of Universities need to shoulder determine school-leavers’ pupils writing the grade 12 the blame admission and placement mathematics exam should be into tertiary level study. About of great concern. Performance Universities cannot absolve 81.3% of those who wrote the in mathematics matters for themselves of this national matriculation exams passed. university entrance. Without it, challenge. At the University There has been much well- school leavers are not eligible of Cape Town data from the deserved celebration of this for programmes at university Courses Impeding Graduation achievement of the highest in science or engineering project is being analysed to post-apartheid national matric or some in commerce. A better understand incoming pass rate. decline signals the closing students’ challenges, of the doors of opportunity specifically in courses like What the country is not hearing in these fields to a growing Mathematics 1. about from the Minister of Basic number of students. This Education, Angie Motshekga, will only increase inequality. In this course a worrying is the drop in performance in Economics researcher Nic pattern of performance mathematics. It is one of the Spaull’s research has shown emerged. A minimum mark “gateway” subjects, subjects that the top 200 high schools of 70% for maths in matric is which are considered critical for in the country produce 97% of needed to get into Mathematics the country’s economic growth the mathematics distinctions. 1 at the university. Based and development. The majority of these schools on several years of data, an charge significant fees. average of 33% of students fail This decline can be measured this course. Those students in two ways. There is a The deterioration in who enter with a 90% mark for reduction in the number of performance is also of great maths in matric score a pass in students writing mathematics concern. Getting a pass Mathematics 1 with an average from 270,516 in 2018 to 222,034 (30%) may secure a diploma mean of 64%. Those students in 2019. The second measure or university entrance but who achieved between 80% is the performance: only 54% these low pass marks will not and 89% in matric fail the of the pupils who wrote the prepare students to succeed at course with an average mean exam passed it. This pass rate mathematics at university level. of 47%. Those who achieved is down from 58% in 2018. The between 70% and 79% in matric minimum score for a pass is This development runs contrary fail with an average mean of 30%. This means only 54% of to the needs of the fourth 43%. mathematics exam candidates industrial revolution, which achieved a mark of at least 30%. requires highly competent Unless a student achieved a Of all the maths candidates graduates in the science, distinction for mathematics at only 2% (4,415) achieved technology, engineering school level they are at risk 30 | Teacha! Magazine

of failing it at university level. Expert maths teachers have How can the pacing of the Students who fail Mathematics been appointed to lecture curriculum accommodate 1 will inevitably take longer to this challenging course. But different learning needs? How complete their degree and are the overall failure rates of can educational technology at higher risk of being excluded approximately one third of support innovative forms from the university. the class have remained of teaching and learning stubbornly in place. A decision mathematics? These are global Dealing with the problem was taken in 2019 to revise issues, not unique to South the Mathematics 1 curriculum Africa. The University of Cape Town to ensure a greater alignment is taking responsibility for its between schooling and The national euphoria around share in these dismal results. A university curriculum. the national pass rate means number of interventions have nothing if it hides problems been put in place over recent This kind of curriculum review such as declining mathematics years to provide additional raises a number of complex performance. support to students. These issues: what is the appropriate include “maths labs”, Saturday content to ensure a relatively Suellen Shay, Professor, workshops, and even providing seamless transition from school University of Cape Town multilingual resources to maths to university maths? Do support students who are not different disciplinary areas like This article is republished yet fluent in the medium of actuarial science, chemistry from The Conversation under instruction. and engineering need different a Creative Commons license. kinds of mathematics courses? Read the original article. Teacha! Magazine | 31

Student success is about more than hard work It is that time of year again In a recent journal article, we University academics have when South Africans celebrate have argued that academics access to research looking at National Senior Certificate often ignore the research on the complex mechanisms of results, ushering a generation student failure that shows it higher education. Despite this, of youth out of the school emerges from a number of many are likely to believe that system and into the world. Of factors. Many of these factors the university is a meritocracy. the 788,717 who successfully are beyond the attributes Believing that students succeed completed these exams, inherent in the student. Instead, or fail on their own merits 186,058 achieved passes that most hold on to the simplistic sits more comfortably than potentially open the doors of common sense assumption that scrutinising the role universities university study. success comes to those who play in reinforcing divisions in deserve it. Academics who hold society. As we read about the results, this view are prone to assume we take delight in the success that students are successful In every country around the stories, like the student from because of what an individual world, higher education success a poorer background scoring student does or does not do. most strongly correlates to multiple distinctions despite social class. Parental education having no properly qualified But the reality is a far more levels, wealth, social influence maths or science teacher. Or complex interplay of individual and status are the strongest the rural student who earned attributes with social structures indicator of university success. a university entrance despite which unfairly affect some more But class does not work in walking long distances to school than others. isolation from other forces. each day. These achievements should be celebrated, as they The lure of meritocratic Social class intersects in are truly exceptional. explanations varying ways with race, gender, language, and so on. In some But the problem with these There is a widely held view countries, for example, race stories, uplifting as they may be, that education is a meritocracy, is used as a means of dividing is that they often carry a subtext. where success is determined society and assigning social by the merit of the individual. class. In many countries, “If he can do it, why can’t the rest The term was coined in British gender too plays a role in who of them?” sociologist Michael Young’s gets access to the powerful 1958 book The Rise of the knowledge offered by the The presumption that hard Meritocracy. In it, he described academy. All of these factors work alone leads to success a dystopian society stratified and more have a role to play. – and that laziness leads to by educational level and But it is social class that most failure – follows the student intelligence. The term has been consistently tracks higher into the university. Here, despite appropriated to suggest that education success across a wealth of careful research those who do well at university geographical contexts. that proclaims otherwise, most do so on the basis of personal people believe that success effort and acumen rather than If you did well at university, emerges from the intelligence as a result of their privileged chances are that you worked and work ethic of the individual. background. hard and you’re bright. But those two characteristics probably account for a much smaller part 32 | Teacha! Magazine

of your success than most of us at university is to engage being challenged to consider would care to admit. not just with facts but with forms of knowledge long the disciplinary rules for omitted by the colonial order. What class privilege looks like how knowledge gets made. Typically they are willing to The university promises Entering university from a challenge what is presented society that it will produce middle-class family doesn’t to them and to seek flaws in both powerful knowledge and only confer financial, health, the evidence provided in the competent graduates adept at educational, emotional and texts they encounter. They also using such knowledge to tackle nutritional benefits. It also have a stronger confidence in societal and environmental provides less visible privileges. their right to be there and to problems. But not all university A middle-class student participate fully. These, and practices are inherently probably had role models many other ways, aid middle- powerful and much powerful like relatives who went to class students to enter the knowledge remains outside its university, possibly even the academy primed for success. walls. same university, who could explain the university system. What needs to happen? If some students enter the It’s likely that they took part in university with easier access everyday conversations about Academics who are committed to the practices needed professional identities, and to social justice often have to for success, nobody can they could probably draw on grapple with the fact that the pretend that institutions are social networks to assist them university does not reward a meritocracy rewarding in adapting to university life and students on the basis of merit attributes inherent in the then entering the workplace. so much as on privilege. This individual. Understanding the calls for teaching in ways that complex relationship between The late French sociologist constantly seek to make the social class and educational Pierre Bourdieu argued that expectations of the classroom success requires that educators underprivileged students fail transparent and the disciplinary reconsider almost all aspects of not because they are less norms and values explicit. their teaching. intelligent than middle-class students but because the Teachers need to make these Sioux McKenna, Director curriculum is biased towards practices clear to students of Centre for Postgraduate what middle-class students are and, in the process, harness Studies, Rhodes University already accustomed to. It is this students’ agency to craft and Simpiwe Sobuwa, Head that reinforces the relationship their own place in the world of Department: Emergency between social class and and their own contribution to Medical Care & Rescue, Durban success in higher education knowledge. Regular feedback University of Technology around the world. on student work, for example, allows students to begin to see This article is republished Many of the privileges that what counts as knowledge in from The Conversation under middle-class students enjoy the particular discipline. a Creative Commons license. are so arcane as to be invisible, Read the original article. even to themselves. These It is also important to expose students often bring with academic practices to scrutiny. them a sense that their role Increasingly the academy is Teacha! Magazine | 33

FOR SOUTH AFRICAN TEACHERS BY SOUTH AFRICAN TEACHERS. THE TEACHER HUB TO FIND 9000+ RESOURCES, JOBS, CPTD COURSES, NEWS & INSPIRATION. Teacha! Magazine is also published every term. Read it for free online or as a PDF. www.teacha.co.za www.teachingresources.co.za