Week 2 in Kwa Zulu Natal

More news from our Vocational Training Team


Now here's what we have been up to:

The second week was a challenging one to start with as we went into the classroom to deliver model  lessons with the teachers here watching and waiting for us to wave our magic wand. Unfortunately we do not have a magic wand but we do have an incredible tool box of resources (I am speaking metaphorically here) and the teachers have the same resources they just don't realise or know how to use them yet.

So into Maths and English lessons we went, using accelerated learning strategies that incorporated exercises to cover the simple visual, auditory and kinaesthetic characteristics. There is three form entry here so the format for us was:

i)       Model lesson taught by VT Team member

ii)      Same lesson taught to next class with team teaching as the VT Team member supported the class teacher

iii)      The same lesson taught to the third group by their own teacher and the VT Team member observed.

Yes, we did and do you know what? It was fabulous. The teachers began to mimic and copy us. They have started using praise instead of scolding the learners all the time. They are now beginning to focus on the positives. They want to learn more and more and they even have the students standing up in class doing physical exercise to make their brain more active and aid concentration.

Other changes we have influenced in the second week:

         All classrooms now have reward charts displayed and new reward system introduced,

         Two classes with 52 learners in each have been moved into large classrooms that were standing empty - they just didn't think about using them!

         The remaining large classroom is now being used as an activity area,

         Maths and English teams have had subject specific training,

         The senior management team have had IT and lap top training and now 3 out of 5 have email addresses set up!

         Differentiation and lesson planning has been delivered as  training session to all staff,

         And on Tuesday we delivered a full days training session to 16 Education Advisors who have responsibility across 510 schools.

The VT Team are encouraged by the teachers response to training and the advisors and hope that their positive attitude will grow and continue even when we are thousands of miles away.

We are still continuing to keep our work life balance in check. We visited the Natal Spa on Saturday and went on a safari drive on Sunday - Amazing!

Then the team were welcomed by Dundee Rotary Club on Tuesday evening and all presented with their club banner.

If you would like to read more about all of our activities and see some incredible photos please check out our facebook page:


Rotary VTT1120 & Livangeli School South Africa

There's also a blog: vtt1120.wordpress.com


They're ever so interesting!


 

Related pages...

Post 1

more The first report from our team in South Africa

The final report from South Africa

more As the project comes to a close we hear what has been acheived.

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Vocational Training Team

back read all about the Vocational Traing Team project in Kwa Zulu Natal