Easter in Struisbaai – The Simple Life and Stingrays in the Harbour

2013-03-30 | puppy1952

Well nothing much has happened here today. I lay awake listening to the rain early this morning so when Earl got up at 5:30 to go fishing – I said – don’t bother – it’s pouring. He ignored me, went to the harbour and returned with an amazed look on his face, “The wind is horrific, the sea is rough and it’s raining!

I guess that is amazing when Summer has been hanging around for so long you think she’ll stay for ever, and suddenly, shockingly on a long weekend she gets meanly pushed out by Winter.

Lolz dragged her dad off to Bredasdorp to shop but I just didn’t have the inclination nor energy to join them so I spent a lazy morning reading my book.

There is not much to report about today so I will just show you some Struisbaai pictures I took on our walk yesterday afternoon.

Struisbaai has grown considerably since I we were regular visitors in the 1980s. There was no electricity, no telephone and no T.V. There was one shop and it did not provide for one’s needs adequately so everything was carted up. Today it is a thriving medium sized holiday resort. It even has a mall! Enterprising people have built up easy to run businesses and it would be quite a pleasant place to retire.

Lolz and Earl choosing home made delicacies

Art on sale in an open field

Old houses converted into business premises – a fashion shop and doggy parlour

Quite quaint an picturesque

The harbour is always an interesting place to visit. There is always something going on. Struisbaai is famous for its visiting sting rays who are often seeing cruising just beneath the surface in the shallows waiting for titbits of chum from the fishermen cleaning fish.

Sting Ray swimming in the shallows

Attracting lots of attention

Out in the tranquil bay

Fishing boats bobbing in the harbour

Cormorant

Surfers share the waves with the gulls

Earl decided that our TV was not good enough so while in Bredasdorp he and Lolz bought a new one! They are busy installing and setting it up now. Gone are the days when we came here simply to enjoy the simplicities of life. Now we don’t move without laptops, dongles, cell phones and ipads. Well I guess it is the 21st century and even though I am a nature freak – I do so love technology especially on a rainy day! The Easter Bunny may not make it through the mud and wet unless he has a takkies with 4X4 soles!

Easter in Struisbaai – Nature on my doorstep

2013-03-29 | puppy1952

Travelling on the day before the Easter Weekend is madness and as I was unable to leave school early we decided to Ïtthis morning instead. We have our youngest daughter, Laurie with us. The rest of the family have other plans. The Struisbaai weather does not look promising but all I really want is a relaxed and chilled break to recharge my batteries for next term.

The trip up was a pleasure – not a scrap of traffic. We spotted the usual roadside birds – mainly jackal buzzards and blue crane and arrived at about 11:30 a.m.

I was relaxing with a slice of banana bread and cup of coffee when Earl who had been out somewhere came charging in. Bring the camera quickly – I lept up, grabbed it and raced to the car no knowing what the heck I was about to see. “It’s walking down the road impersonating a dog!” he said. “What?” I asked and got no anser. – and then I saw it – in our neighbour’s garden under a tree – a Sharpe’s Grysbok! They’re hard enough to find in the wild – but here in a fishing village? There are a few vacant plots in the vicinity and people often tell us they see bokkies – but usually at dusk. This one acted like he owned the place and didn’t even ‘skrik’ when I got out of the car to take photographs.

What are you staring at – this is my territory!

I’ve had enough now – the grub was good though

My vacant lot has tasty food too

Goodbye – I’ll visit again soon

We are trying to get our new lawn to grow so lots of watering is required. Of course this also attracts the birds. We enjoyed watching a couple of red-eyed doves and a fiscal fly-catcher at their ablutions.

Nothing like a nice juicy worm while you’re taking a shower

This is so refreshing

Nice view from up here

Showering is fine but lying in a bath is so much more relaxing

Back in the Classroom – End of Term

2013-03-28 | puppy1952

I love my job and I work hard at it. So by the time the end of term comes I expect to feel a little worn out. This last week I have felt this weariness set in and dismissed it as end of term burn out. But yesterday I suspected there was more to it than that – it was a different kind of tiredness so I went to the doctor and was told – you need a course of antibiotics – you are sick! Fortunately today was a short day and my little girls were angelic. After news and handwriting we Googled ideas for Easter Cards and filled with inspiration and a set of coloured papers they settled down to a happy hour of card making.

We had two birthdays to celebrate too and after a feast of little with Easter eggs and cup cakes as well as jelly baby treats from another little girl we finally got round to tidying up and sorting ourselves into our new groups for next term.

The older children had their final assessment paper today and the teachers all gathered in the hall after school for lunch and marking session before preparing our classrooms for next term. My wonderful Grade 1 colleagues saw that I was just not up to it and came in to help me. Thanks girls, it is much appreciated-

This time last year we had a two-week holiday – enough time to take the kids to Kruger – but this year we have no more than an extended long weekend! Still it will be enough to recharge the batteries before getting back into another exciting term. Have a wonderful Easter everyone.

Long Weekend Break – From Pioneer in the Semi-desert to Luxury by the Sea

2013-03-24 | puppy1952

It was a spur of the moment decision. Thursday was a holiday – Human Rights Day – and Friday was an off day for schools. Of course, it took a while for this to sink into my significant others head! ” So,” he said on Wednesday morning suddenly realising that we should have planned earlier – “What shall we do this weekend?” “Too late, now,” was my pessimistic reply although I am usually the optimistic one in this relationship. “Everything will be booked up!” – including our house in Struisbaai which friends were to occupy for the South League competition.

It was therefore a bit of a surprise when SO sent me a text at school – “Booked for Bizansgat.” Bizansgat would be in the middle of The Karoo halfway between Ceres and Sutherland. I had an appointment with a parent after school and still had to pack! As it turned out she didn’t pitch up – for the second time – so I got home at 3 and we left half an our later.

But I needn’t have worried because my Procard holding husband booked us into a Protea hotel in Stellenbosch for our first night – two for the price of one. He had been trying for years to get a good deal on his Procard but was always told, “We only hold certain rooms for Procard holders and they’re all booked!’ Ja right! Well this time they must have been tired of him complaining about it being an unfair system and that having paid all that money to have this privileged card he should be able to get any room whenever he wanted. So yes – they must have had complaints from other Procard holders because there was, “No problem, Sir – any time is a good time Sir – we have changed the rules, Sir!”

The room was comfortable and had a lovely sitting room and kitchenette – we could have self-catered but we didn’t. Perhaps we should have because the set menu was mediocre.

On Thursday we decided not to do breakfast at the hotel. We still needed to shop for Bizansgat after which we went to a great little coffee shop and had muffins and cappuccino.

The Karoo was hot! The Karoo was dusty! The Karoo was – well semi-desert and beautiful! How can one describe the flatness, the low, scrawny scrub and unique flat topped koppies. The colours – 50 shades of khaki – muted, dusky greens, pinks and mauves and peaceful! Then there are the birds. The dusty coloured, difficult to identify, confusing Karoo birds. We love them although it is a challenge to find them so well camouflaged and blending into the landscape. We didn’t find too many but enjoyed those we did see.

Bizansgat is a special little hide away. It is on a sheep farm and Petrus the shepherd was there to greet us with his dog Tes – a scrawny border collie with a very waggy tail. She deserted her boss and took up duty guarding us for the duration of our stay.

Bizansgat’s Welcome Sign

Miles of nothing surrounded us

Tes on guard in front of our humble abode

The bedroom

A corner of the kitchen

Another corner of the kitchen with crockery from the past

The last time we stayed in Pioneershuisie, it was winter and there had been some rain. The stream then was flowing and the duck pond was full. Now it was dry and we didn’t even see the usual geese that wake most visitors in the early hours of the morning. Birdlife was pretty thin too. We found Cape Bunting, Karoo chats – lots, Karoo long-billed lark, white-throated canaries and mouse birds. Birds of prey were lesser kestrel, rock kestrel and Pale Chanting Goshawks.

White-throated canary

Cape Bunting

Karoo Longbilled Lark

We braaied our chops in the little skerm and afterwards washed up in the outhouse created just for this purpose. The huisie doesn’t have a bathroom either so ablutions were done in the outhouse alongside. There are other dormitories where groups can stay and they share these ablutions – but we were the only people there.

My Personal Chef

Die Wasklip

The Ablution Block was spotless

One’s every comfort was catered for

Tes was intrigued by the bird calls coming from my laptop!

In the relative cool of the evening we sat outdoors to watch the stars – oh wow – in a place like this they are so much brighter. Indoors it was really hot. We needn’t have brought our bedding as we lay atop the bed with no need even for a sheet. BUT – the mosquitoes! In spite of lashings of BUG-OFF – they buzzed like helicopters all night and by morning it looked like we had chicken pox!

In the morning we went for a drive and got a good eyeful of Karoo scenery, spotted a couple of steenbok and birds and then returned, deciding that although we love this place the heat was a bit much. Earl was fighting a cold and felt he could do with some luxury – enough of outhouse showers and loo’s for this old chap!

Fifty Shades of Khaki

The Dusty Road heading towards the gorgeous Karoo style mountains

Typical Karoo Scene – not the PCG on the windmill

Pale Chanting Goshawks are common in this neck of the woods

Pale Chanting Goshawks are common in this neck of the semi-desert

Karoo Chat

Immature Pale Chanting Goshawk

Rock Kestrel

The competition in Struisbaai was cancelled so our friends did not go up for the weekend. We thought, therefore, that we’d go and stay in our comfy holiday house for the rest of the weekend. The drive through the Motagu/Bonnivale area was very picturesque.

The Robertson Valley

What a shock when we arrived to find that our house had in the meantime been let out by the agents! WE WERE HOMELESS!

Plan B – A couple of old well-known Agulhas houses have been taken over by Sanparks and we’ve been dying to spend a weekend in one of them in the new Agulhas National Park Rest Camp. But our luck was out – fully booked!

Plan C – Arniston Hotel and Spar – another item on our bucket list – so guess where our rent money went!

Arniston is just a half hour drive from Struisbaai. The birding on the way is usually quite good but it was getting dark so little was seen. The hotel is Four Star so not the cheapest place to stay. We booked a room with a ‘pool view’ as we didn’t think seeing the sea warranted the exorbitant fee. Well, when we arrived they said, “We’ve upgraded you to a sea view room – no extra cost!” Well – thank you very much!

The Sea View

Our room was fab-u-lous! Well I am a bit of a pleb and don’t often stay in luxury hotels so fluffy white towels tend to do it for me. And after all, I was expecting to spend this weekend like a voortrekker.

En route we had stopped at Bonnievale for lunch so had coffee and buns in our room for supper. We were provided with filter coffee making facilities which was just so grand!

Luxury Suite

The next day it was a breakfast to die for. Imagine smoked salmon and croissants to start your day! That was my choice from the vast buffet on offer. I didn’t even bother with the egg order. Chocolate chip muffin with my coffee was an added delight.

Starting off with fresh fruit before the final indulgence

At 10 o’clock we booked into the Ginkgo Spa for full body massages. We were given a hot cinnamon drink and then shown to the change rooms where we were given a locker to hang up our clothes. We donned gowns and slippers – the latter we could keep. A comb was another free gift. The massage was stunning and we were then shown to a rest room where we could lie on lounges and drink herbal tea or minted water until we felt like leaving. Oh bliss!

We spent the afternoon chilling – Earl needed to get rid of his cold – so an afternoon in front of TV was called for. I fiddled around on my computer preparing stuff for next term – it could have waited but its nice to work when there’s no pressure.

Dinner was divine – Butternut soup followed by a delicious salmon with creamy wine sauce and pasta for Earl and pork with tomato based sauce and pasta for me. Our plates were too full and we couldn’t finish and dessert was forfeited too. The chocci on the pillow was quite enough thank you.

This morning the whole breakfast thing was repeated and then we packed and reluctantly left for Struisbaai where Earl went to work fixing the rebellious sprinkler system!

We then took the scenic route home and did a spot of bird watching.

Steppe Buzzard

Jackal Buzzard

A Huge Flock of our National Birds

Spur-winged geese interspersed with a few Egyptians

Sugar Bird

So ended an unexpected and stunning long weekend!

Back in the Classroom – School’s Anniversary, Funky Feet and Athletics Day

2013-03-20 | puppy1952

A line in our school song goes – “It grows in fame each year” and indeed since its humble beginnings 36 years ago SVPS has grown both in number and fame. My two older children were among the first students and two of our grandchildren have already passed through its portals. In fact when it was a brand new school I was its first Itinerant Speech Correction Teacher and I was pretty new then too! How amazing it is to be back in my more mature years.

To celebrate we had a Funky Feet Day. Everybody – staff included – decorated their feet in a multitude of different ways. It was so much fun seeing hairy monster toes, stripy socks, colourful toe nails, beribboned shins and tattooed feet traipsing up and down the corridors. Fun and Funky it was and there were prizes for the most creative designs.

I involved my poor, patient husband in preparing my feet and toes knowing that my girls would be highly disappointed if I didn’t make an effort. It took two episodes of The Good Wife (I have a media player) for Hubby to glue on and paint nails and apply colourful tattoos to make my feet look gorgeous. There were a few grunts of keep your feet still, or point your toes this way but the entire procedure was pretty relaxing as I just lay and watched the movie! My little girls loved the result and oohed and aahed and exclaimed, Your feet look so pretty!

Results of Hubby’s Foot Work

Well so did theirs! It was also Athletics Day for the Foundation Phase and they all came dressed up in their house colours and most had feet to match. It was difficult to choose a winner but in the end I had to go for a cute little girl in green with feet proudly declaring which house she was running for!

A selection of Funky Grade One Feet

The Winning Feet

I was a score keeper for the races so didn’t have a second to take photographs but the girls ran well in their championship races and thoroughly enjoyed the fun race in the mommys’ shoes. But it was a long time for them to watch all the other classes run so when it was time to return for the anniversary treat they were ready and waiting!

Here they are enjoying their delicious jam doughnuts!

Happy Anniversary, SVPS

And did we do any work at all that day? Well after all the fun and celebrations there was still an hour and a half of school – so yes we did do some handwriting and reading as well as creating a cover for our books for next term! I have hard working little girls in my class!

Back in the Classroom – Speaker Reader Final, Group Teaching and Patterns in Nature

2013-03-15 | puppy1952

We had one Grade One from each of our classes up against the Grade 2s and 3s in the Speaker Reader finals on Wednesday. There was much excitement as we filed into the hall. There were four external judges seated at their tables ready and waiting. Who would the winner be? My little finalist was all dressed up in her tooth fairy outfit as she would be reciting a very topical poem about loose teeth! Those judges had a hard job choosing a winner. All the children were dressed up fancily with elaborate props, their confidence was phenomenal and they presented their pieces with a polish that belied their age. There was no microphone and the judges were right at the back of the hall. During practices I had encouraged h to her to speak as loudly as possible but she was still quite soft. But when she got onto that stage she blew me away – WOW – her voice was animated, loud and clear! She performed flawlessly. It just took an audience to bring out the best in her. I could have burst with pride.

Calling on the Tooth Fairy

But the competition was strong and I thought at most she’d make it to third place. Well the third place winner was announced and it wasn’t my fairy. So when her name was called in second place I jumped up from my crouched position where I was taking photographs and cheered! The third place was a Grade 3 girl who gave advice on how to survive as an eight-year-old and the winner was just outstanding – a wonderful poem about a smelly welly done by a talented little girl in Grade 3.

Proudly receiving her certificate

At my school there is always something happening. We have a full programme of varied activities as we believe in teaching children not subjects. However, the three RS are not to be neglected. In order to do all the marvellous things we do we have to be creative about time management in order to fit everything in. I find that honing in on small groups is the best way to ensure that each child’s needs are met.

Teaching children in small ability groups on the mat while the rest of the class get on with a task at their desks gives the teacher the opportunity to give each child the attention they need. Each group will work at their level. The material presented will never be too challenging for the slower learner nor too easy for the faster child. Because of this, each child feels secure in her learning environment and because she is not being stretched beyond her capabilities, she feels successful.

I know the answer!

A six to seven year old child still needs to work in the concrete. She learns to count by rote and to recognize number names and numerals even before she comes to school and this is important. But learning the three-ness of 3 and whether four is more or less than five objects requires objects that can be seen and touched. This is why it is important to be given this opportunity in the small learning group where the teacher can observe individuals and give guidance.

At home, counting actual objects, sorting socks into pairs, counting the cutlery when setting the table and sharing items with siblings and friends are all good concrete activities that help children master basic mathematical skills.

Working with counters – first grab three – how many more to make 5.

While one group is being taught on the mat the rest of the class get busy with a task. We investigated shapes in nature and with this inspiration decorated an African Pot for a book cover.

Animal prints are so attractive

Everyone had a different idea

Yesterday I asked my girls, Who wants to come back to school tomorrow? They all put up their hands. “Why do you want to come to school?” The answers I got were all to do with play and fun. – School is fun. I can play. I get to meet friends and make play dates. Break is cool. – And I was so waiting to hear – So I can learn to read, write and do mathematics!

Link

Another busy week at school has flown past. Each class in the school has been preparing for the Speaker Reader Competition. Every child had to prepare a story or a poem and orate before the class. The teacher then chose between three or five who performed for the whole grade. How impressed we were at the standard of our brand new learners! Choosing who to go through to the Foundation Phase finals was indeed difficult but after careful deliberation the four teachers were unanimous in their decision. Quite by chance there was one winner from each of the Grade 1 classes. More about the final outcome in a later blog!

The theme for this year at my school is “Irresistible Schooling” We are teaching for the future and strive to make learning irresistible to our children. On Thursday between 9 and 10 o’clock our classes were open to visitors who after listening to a brief talk by our principal wandered in and out at will to observe how we teach using digital devises. In Grade 1 THRASS lessons were being presented on a digital white board in one class; a digital projector and screen in another; I had mine on a flat screen TV while another colleague had her children using I-pads. Children today are born knowing how to work digitally so we do what we can to use a medium of instruction that they can relate to.

Perhaps in the future – the very near future – children will no longer require pens and pencils; a frightening thought to many of the older generation. But don’t panic – we are still teaching them penmanship. Writing to an adult seems such a natural thing – you pick up a pen and all you think about is what you want to write. You do not consciously consider which side of the page to begin on, where to begin each letter or even if it’s the left or the right hand page you need to write on. But when you begin, all these things can be confusing. So each lesson begins with mind moves to wake up the ears, the eyes and the brain. Finger exercises prepare the fine muscles required to write neatly and we sing a song to remind us of correct posture. To the tune of Frère Jacques/Brother John we sing – Lets write neatly, lets write neatly, sit up straight, sit up straight, put your feet together, put your feet together, heads up too, heads up too. Imagine the concentration required to pay attention to sitting correctly, finding the right page, figuring out left to right direction and still having to form that letter the way the teacher is insisting upon. It is exhausting both for the child and the teacher who has to be very aware of which children need extra attention in learning these skills. Right from the beginning the child needs to learn the correct way of forming her letters so that those neural pathways are set and writing becomes an automatic skill.

Some things might interfere with a child learning to write. Problems with spatial perception, fine motor coordination, motor planning etc., can be corrected with professional intervention. If a teacher feels that a child is finding learning to write challenging, she may recommend an Occupational Therapy assessment. Reading problems may also be present but not necessarily. The thing to remember is that children do not deliberately write badly. You might say – but he started off so well – but look at the mess at the end of the page. The thing is – that neat bit took an enormous amount of energy and concentration to get right – and it simply could not be maintained. Quite often children who are extremely neat while at the same time are very slow to complete tasks – need Occupational Therapy. Their energies are going into getting it right – and not on the content of their work. Today children with extreme writing problems are lucky – digital devices take the stress out of having to write neatly.

Early diagnosis of problems is important but we allow children time to learn; we allow them to make mistakes and encourage them to practise the correct formations to set the neural pathways before we send parents for expensive assessments.

Back in the Classroom – A Visit to Imhoff

2013-03-01 | puppy1952

This week the girls have got in touch with their senses. They now know that an ear isn’t a sense but the instrument that uses the sense of ‘hearing”. They have learned new vocabulary to describe what they see, hear, touch, smell and taste. And to put this all into practise e visited Higgledy Piggeldy Farm at Imhoff on Thursday. Their lunch boxes were filled with different tastes, there were wonderful sounds and smells and sights and they could get up close and touch the animals that they were also allowed to feed. We arrived at snack time and were allowed to use the lawn in front of the restaurant for our picnic. There was a play area with a big tree and a rope swing – oh what joy! My Gap student soon had them lined up and taking turns and there wasn’t one incident of selfishness. This was the second class she was assisting and had learned from her experience with the first one to have a plan of action and to make sure every one understood the rules! Well don Emma – you did a fantastic job of organising the girls.

Picnic Time

The swing was a hit

What fun to climb a real tree

Down the chute I come

Then it was our turn to go and feed the animals. The girls’noses twitched and the new smells – which most of them describes as nasty but none were put off. Some with drew their hands at the unfamiliar feel of animal lips nibbling feed from their hands; there were nervous giggles which soon changed to shrieks of delight. They identified the quack of the ducks, the bleat of the goat and the oink of the piglets.

Feeding the ducks

The goats were grateful for the treats

But which animals did the girls enjoy most? Without a doubt the bunnies. There were some brand new baby ones and weren’t they the cutest! We let the girls in a few at a time and boy was it hard to get them out of that enclosure to let the others have a turn!

He feels so silky

Enthralled by a bunny

The girls were ever so gentle and kind to the animals. I do believe that animals are therapeutic; shy children loosen up, sad ones begin to smile and all because they get to pet a creature who doesn’t judge them in any way.

It was altogether a successful outing. Thanks to the parents who gave up their valuable time to transport the girls. It is very much appreciated.

Back in the Classroom – Mini Funscapes and Staff Development

2013-02-23 | puppy1952

This week was a short one. We had what we call Mini Funscapes on Monday. Each child pays a nominal fee to have a day of fun activities with their teachers at school. Normal school work happens until 10 and then each grade has four stations of activities with a teacher in charge of each. The Grade 1s had – Movement to music and making a musical instrument, A session of making a beautiful mask for a ball, A delicious session of cookie baking and out on the field there was a slippy slide! My station was the mask making and oh boy was it interesting to see the difference between the boy and girl classes! They all loved it but the girls certainly have the edge when it comes to cutting out and pasting at this age. The boys took a little longer but were just as creative. Each session was 45 minutes. We were having so much fun that I forgot to take photographs!

But here is one of the girls on the slippy slide.

Fun on the Slippy Slide

On Thursday, the children were sent home at 12:00 for a long weekend. Lucky for them they do not have to return until Monday morning. This happens every year so that the staff can get together for some training and team building.

Once we’d seen our learners off we indulged in a delicious lunch, listened to our principal on the topic of bias, had a discussion on how we could handle this in ourselves and came up with ideas on how to teach our children to understand, deal with and control their own bias.

Then the fun began. We all got up and danced! We were ably instructed by an expert who patiently demonstrated the steps while her regular pupils dressed in red t-shirts were there for us to copy. Then the music started and we were off! Now I am notorious for my lack of coordination and although I might be fit when it comes to remembering a sequence of dance steps – I am a complete dummy. But I was concentrating for all I was worth and getting the hang of the step together step touch, vine, vine etc and delighting in my grace and rhythm when – oops I went the wrong way and stepped on a colleagues toes!

Getting into the swing of it

Some of our young male colleagues were showing just how good they were at this and were coaxed on to the stage to demonstrate their prowess.

Cool moves

Look at those legs

Move it, move it

They had us in cheering, wolf whistling and laughing and completely leaving our serious teacher personae back in the classroom.

On Friday, we started the day with a wonderful Continental Breakfast – the croissants were to die for. They feed us well at my school. (Overheard:- “You can’t complain when your mouth is full”)

On our tables we found a small packet filled with little treasures – a pack of highlighters – the foundation phase teachers oohed and aahed – nothing like colourful stationery to excite our breed; a notebook and pen, peanuts and raisins, Smarties and a flash stick. I just loved that our school’s name was on the cover of the notebook and the pack of highlighters. I a a bit of snob about brand names!

There was also a programme and a grid to show us where we were to go when; as we were divided into five groups of 14. It took our dull brains a while to figure out the coordinates on the grid but we didn’t feel so bad when even our boss got it a bit confused too. When it was finally worked out we set off to the different seminars – an hour long each with of course breaks for tea (delicious pastries) and lunch (mouth watering briyani).

I will not go into detail as to what we learned but each workshop was absolutely excellent. We did not sit and listen to long and detailed lectures – we got involved, we discussed topics and learned from each other. Our groups were a mix of different genders, generations and phases – pre-school, foundation phase, sports staff, high school and intermediate phase. We got to grips with issues that bothered us and to understand why this school puts the things into place that it does. We were inspired to go back to our classes with fresh ideas for digital teaching, effective discipline, movement, care and effective report writing I am proud to be working at such a dynamic school where we have to work as a team, where we involve parents, where the child’s interests are paramount and where we provide a safe base for them to learn. We are truly a 21st century school and we are teaching children for the future.

Thanks to our Leadership team for a great Programme. Thanks to the secretaries, catering and estate staff for all the background work. We really appreciate it all.

Back in the Classroom – Building Sentences, Valentine’s Day and Our First Project

2013-02-14 | puppy1952

Forgive me if I enthuse about everything that happens in Grade 1 but really it is the most exciting and rewarding grade to teach. The little ones have been at school for less than five weeks and yet already they have come so far. Yesterday they used their Reading words to build and write their very own sentences. Many of them made up completely new sentences using the words from the vocabulary learnt so far while those learning at a slower rate reconstructed the sentences they know from the story they are learning. This is all part of the process of learning to read. I still get excited when I see the children getting to grips with the written word; there is nothing more thrilling.

Valentine’s Day – what does that mean to a six or seven year old. Well its all about Love isn’t it. And at my school we believe that children learn well when they feel safe and when they feel loved. So celebrating Love is important and fun. Children and staff came to school dressed in red and white, we made Valentine cards for our friends and family and the whole atmosphere of love just seeped into us. The was an atmosphere of joy throughout the whole school.

My girls looking cute in red and white

Late yesterday afternoon the staff all received a text message – Meet in the Staffroom at 7:30 a.m. Prizes for the best dressed teachers! Oh my – what shall I wear? I guessed the idea would be to go fun and funky – so on my way to gym I dropped in at the local super market and bought rose clips for my hair and in the morning put on my best red dress and raided my jewellery box for something red! Sure enough on arrival I was in fits of laughter at what some of my colleagues turned up in. The young men cross-dressed and one even donned fairy wings. The principal wore a jester’s hat and the deputy had hearts on her cheeks. The staffroom was decorated with bright red hearts which read – Your are Loved. It seems a small thing but it really did build morale and made one feel appreciated. Photographs were taken and senior staff announced that Chocolate Cake and Cream would be served at break when the winners would be announced. At break I joked that I only taught at this school because the food was good! My principal said – there aren’t many perks but this at least was one of them! While we indulged the prizes were announced. We cheered for our funky, fun loving colleagues and then my name was called – for the most beautifully dressed staff member! I actually blushed. My prize wrapped in red tissue paper in a red carrier bag – a bottle of win and a PS chocolate! And wow – it made me feel good. Thank you Leadership – it was a really fun day.

My girls just loved the roses in my hair

In Grade 1 – ME is very important. Today the girls did their very first school project which was all about who they are, why their parents chose their names and why they were special to Mom and Dad. They brought photographs of their lives thus far, information that Mom and Dad had prepared with them and bits and pieces to decorate their presentations. What fun they had putting it all together and what fun I had finding out all about them. Well done parents for your special involvement in the preparation and well done girls for your beautiful presentations.

Hard at work with a little help from our GAP

Altogether it was a very successful Valentine’s Day but it was not yet over. When I got home there were a dozen red roses from my Romantic Husband and to end a wonderful day he took me to my favourite Restaurant, Just Sushi, where we were treated to a free glass of Bubbly and a starter platter of Salmon Roses. And Dessert was rather special too.

A perfect end to a lovely day – sushi followed by chocolate coated strawberries

* A GAP is a full time learner teacher. (Guided Approach to Pedagogy)

Back in the Classroom – Get with the Programme

2013-02-10 | puppy1952

Get with the programme is an expression that I am often heard to utter. My children and grandchildren raise their eyes to the ceiling and I know what they’re thinking. But I don’t say it lightly – it is something I have in my life I have learned to do! In my chequered teaching career of 30+ years I have had to get with a new programme so often that I’ve lost count. It was group teaching versus chalk and talk, look and say versus phonics, the old maths, the new maths and the even newer maths. Then there was Outcome Based Education and now it something called CAPS. And when I was young I would grouse and complain or rant and rave against those in their Crystal Towers who had lost the plot and exclaim things like fix it when it isn’t broken – and don’t throw the baby out with the bath water. And then in the end knuckle down of follow the programme! Now I believe that if you don’t want to follow a certain programme then don’t teach at the school that offers it. And if you have doubts about what a school offers your child – don’t send your child there either! You see I believe that every ‘programme’ has its merits and if it is followed correctly it will work and the children will learn. If, however, a teacher has no faith in it, there is no doubt that it will not work.

At my school we certainly do things differently. The thing these days that we have to understand is that we are dealing with a fast growing technological world. Our children are into it and we as teachers cannot afford to lag behind. So a teacher who is still relying on the good old tried and tested programmes of old is going to have trouble getting the 21st century child get interested. Sorry – but what worked even 10 years ago is not going to cut it now! I started off saying that I have learned to get with the programme and I want to get with it even more with an interactive board in the classroom – but as yet my school can’t afford it. So I have made a plan and compromised with a flat screen HD Television and laptop computer. It’s not perfect but it does make an enormous difference.

Another programme that was brand new to me when I started teaching how was the THRASS. Teaching Handwriting, Reading and Spelling Skills. Well! Literacy is my thing. I have a special diploma in speech, hearing and language difficulties. At my previous school I followed a programme of teaching phonics and reading that I was well trained in by the principal and I believed in it. It was hugely successful too. So changing to THRASS was a challenge. Horrors of horrors even the font was different! But if I wanted to teach at this school – I HAD TO GET WITH THE PROGRAMME. Now that I’ve got to grips with it and made it work for me I am loving it. This year we are using a set of stunning work books that have been developed to fit in with the CAPS requirements; we have a set of tracing boards for the new font and I have created some PowerPoint presentation to teach the phonemes and graphemes and the kids too, are getting with the programme, having fun and learning at a rate that makes their teacher proud!

Practising the correct letter formation

Working hard in our THRASS workbooks

Now we know c cat, k kitten and q queen and ck duck and ch school will follow later

Now we know c cat, k kitten and q queen and ck duck and ch school have that phoneme too.

Back in the Classroom – Learning to Read

2013-02-02 | puppy1952

What I just love about Grade 1 is the way they learn to read. How do they learn to read? Each child has a different way – for some it’s visual – for others auditory then again it may be a combination of both – tactile comes into it too. They use picture cues, contextual cues and a dozen other cues. Some children learn easily for others it takes longer and some might even need specialised help. The good news is that almost every child does learn in the end. I try to make each reading lesson fun and so far the girls seem to be enjoying it.

But before a child learns to read she should have had many many stories read to her. Parents and other adults in the child’s life should not stop reading to the child when she begins to learn to read to herself either. She will be gaining so much from having books with richer vocabulary read to her; books she can not yet read to herself. Hearing language builds language. I cannot emphasise enough how important this is. Then when it comes to helping your child at home the key is – no pressure. Do not ask her to sound out a word – or say things like – you know that word – you’ve just read it. It takes time for the new words to sink in. Make the reading session fun – read with your child – tell her the words she gets stuck on then come back to that word later.

Many parents say to me – my child doesn’t really know the words – she is reading the book off by heart. Or If I cover the pictures she can’t read the story. Please, parents – all of this is part of the learning process. Do not cover the pictures – they give important clues as to what is happening in the story. Learning by heart is also part of learning to read – eventually those words will be recognised. Let her read off by heart and then point to random words and see how many she eventually learns to read! Let her work out the word by its position in the sentence. Referencing is also a way that gets that word embedded into her head.

Over the past few weeks we have had fun doing lots of different activities.

We learned a new word – Symmetry – and filled in details on a face.