• The teacher was present in the classroom and while begin present, he/she was
• Explaining any part of the Mathematical syllabus to the students on the board or at a student’s desk.

The shocking number we arrived with was that this school’s teachers have less than 10% contact teaching than any other advanced school, such as a private school or well performing government schools!  We ring a hefty alarm to this matter since, if we considered the averages of the classes, it seems that if this school’s teachers could have taught almost the same amount of time than other advanced schools, then the school’s students will surely see a general pass rate, where now they see an average of below 20 %.

Through the typical sponsorship programs where “promising” children are selected and taken away from the township area into an advanced school or upliftment program, we will find that there is no address to the problem of teachers not teaching.  Therefore Me Help Me is principally concerned over this essential issue that South Africa’s previously disadvantaged schools face and will move even further away from selection programs and toward school intervention.

• Participate with our team during the March-April holidays at a Mathematics holiday program.  Don’t stress if you’re not too good with Mathematics yourself!  We’ll need some volunteers with random tasks such as food preparation or sport activities, but if you want to, be assured that we’ll require limited Mathematics knowledge from your side to assist us with the teaching procedures.  These students are often very far behind the desired levels with their Mathematics.

BETWEEN ONE AND FIVE DAYS TO OFFER FROM 8:00-14:00 (MON-FRI)
DEPARTURE FROM MORELETAPARK TO MAMELODI EAST (TRANSPORT AVAILABLE)

• Sponsor a specific student’s colour copies for the month!  We compromise with the colour due to cost when we offer black copies to our previously disadvantaged schools, but we strive to change this so that all our students can receive colourful summaries that contribute to their learning progress.  We send you pictures of your sponsored student and keep you posted about the progress/challenges.

R50 PER CHILD PER MONTH (R150 PER CHILD PER TERM)
R300 FOR TWO CHILDREN FOR A WHOLE TERM
YOU ONLY NEED TO COMMIT FOR ONE CHILD FOR ONE MONTH IF YOU WISH

1. Algemene redes vir hierdie “verskil” in klas en toets vir die kind:

      i.      Wiskunde kan makliker LYK  as wat dit IS (in die klas het die kind nog nie self ontdek wat is nodig in die denkproses sonder die onderwyser nie). Ouers moet versigtig wees om hulle kinders se klaskamerervaring as die maatstaf te beskou.

       ii.      Kinders kan die betrokke werk mooi verstaan, maar vorige jare of areas van Wisk (sommige fundamentele beginsels) veroorsaak eksterne foute wanneer die kind ‘n toets skryf en hierdie het ‘n groot invloed op die persentasie-resultaat.  Dit is uiters belangrik om te verseker dat jou kind se fundamentele kennis eerstens opgeskerp is tydens elke nuwe afdeling.  (Die skool se ekstra klasse kan ‘n gratis “toets” hierin doen, en gevolglik ‘n verkorte inskrywing behartig wat slegs die fundamentele kennis inskerp).

       iii.      Tieners kan doodeenvoudig skaam voel om te erken dat hulle nie verstaan nie, of bekommerd dat ouers oorweldigend sou optree indien hulle die probleem noem.  Hierin kan ‘n kortlikse email korrespondensie met die betrokke onderwyser ‘n vinnige oplossing bied om te sien hoe dit werklik gaan met die kind.

       iv.      Daar is ‘n verskil tussen geïsoleerde Wiskunde en Wiskunde wat in konteks gemeng word, soos in ‘n groot toets of eksamen.  Die kind het elke geïsoleerde stukke verstaan, maar nie voorberei vir die samesmelting binne konteks nie.  Hiervoor help die eksamenhulpboeke ter voorbereiding, of vorige jare se toetse en eksamens.

Ouers dink, “Ek kan nie betrokke wees, of my kind help met Wiskunde nie, want ek weet niks daarvan nie!” 

1. ‘n Paar maniere hoe ouers betrokke KAN wees in hulle kinders se WIskunde:

       i.      Ken eerstens jou kind se Wiskunde beplanning om ten minste te weet wat word behandel in die klaskamer op ‘n gegewe tyd.  (Jy hoef slegs die “naam” van die onderwerp te ken.) Jy kan sommer jou kind vra wat die naam is van die werk wat hulle behandel.

       ii.      Maak aan die begin van die kwartaal ‘n kalender met toetsdatums op en vul die onderwerpe wat behandel word by hierdie toetsdatum in, sodat jy duidelik kan sien waaroor en wanneer jou kind ‘n Wiskunde toets sal skryf.  (Garsfontein Hoërskool bied die toetsdatums op die webtuiste aan vir jou).

       iii.      Plaas hierdie inligting op ‘n sigbare plek in die huis.

       iv.      Vra jou kind vroegtydig of daar ‘n area in die opkomende toets is waarmee hy sukkel, en hoe jy miskien kan help in die volgende maniere:

1. Hom aanmoedig om ‘n studiesessie met ‘n vriend te hou daaroor
2. ‘n Afspraak met die betrokke onderwyser maak vir ‘n vinnige verduideliking
3. By die skool se ekstra klasse toetslesse inskryf om addisionele insette te ontvang oor die betrokke onderwerp

       v.      Gee jou tienerkind genoeg emosionele en fisieke rus (moenie te veel “nag” oor huiswerk en eksamens nie – liewer ‘n stel grense/gevolge waarvan die kind homself reguleer)

       vi.      Log in op Facebook se Wisk bladsye waarby jy ‘n idée kry van dinge “wat gebeur”, soos bv die Garsfontein Wiskunde Noodlyn of Me Help Me se Facebook bladsy.

       vii.      Kommunikeer sowat een of twee keer per kwartaal per email met die betrokke onderwyser.  Onthou altyd om die kind se belang op die hart te dra tydens kommunikasie, en dus:

1. Nie ‘n onderwyser te probeer blameer vir jou kind se Wiskunde probleme nie.
2. Altyd vriendelike en ondersteunende kommuniksie te bied.
3. Nie te gereeld kommunikasie te verwag binne ‘n onderwyser se besige program nie.
4. Nie toe te laat dat jou kind ge”label” word deur jouself of die onderwyser nie.

       viii.      Laat ‘n ou klein boodskappie vir die onderwyser deur wanneer jou kind deur ‘n moeilike tyd gaan, sodat die onderwyser ook bemagtig is om sensitief te kan wees vir jou kind se emosionele behoeftes.

2. ‘n Interessante stukkie sielkunde:

       i.      Wanneer ouers wel hulle eie kinders direk probeer help met Wisk, ontaard dit gewoonlik in ‘n groter misverstand as in hulp (die rede hiervoor is ‘n stel sielkundige dinamikas tussen kind/ouer).

Ekstra klasse:

1. GEVAARLIK:  Kinders leer aan dat hulle nie in die klaskamer hoef te konsentreer nie, want hulle gaan in elk geval na die ekstra klasse toe….  ‘n siklus van negatiewe gevolge vir onderwyser (frustrasie), kind (onverantwoordelikheid) en ouer (finansieël).
2. WANNEER IS EKSTRA KLASSE DALK NODIG:

       i.      Wanneer ‘n kind moet voortgaan in sy pas in die Wisk klaskamer, maar vorige fundamentele beginsels is nog nie ingeskerp nie.

       ii.      Wanneer ‘n kind agterkom hy is besig om dit te “verloor”.  Neem ‘n pro-aktiewe stap om die presiese deeltjie so gou as moontlik op te vang.  Probeer eers studie-vriende of ‘n vinnige sessie met die klaskameronderwyser voordat jy noodwendig vir ekstra klasse inskryf.

       iii.      Indien ‘n kind ‘n meer regterbrein-dominante profiel het, kan dit gebeur dat die kind nie noodwendig die metodes van die onderwyser verstaan nie, maar wel sou instaat wees om die logika te begryp.  Iemand is nodig om die omskakeling te behartig vir die kind.

       iv.      Reg voor ‘n toets mag dit handig wees om voor te berei vir die toepassingsvrae, en veral die konteks van die toets.

       v.      Indien jy agterkom jou kind se punte sak drasties (15%+).  Moet asseblief nie ‘n toetskwartaal met ‘n eksamenkwartaal vergelyk nie!  Slegs tweede en vierde kwartale is akkurate aanduidings.

Die grootste redes wat jammerlik ‘n ouer forseer na ekstra klasse toe:

       i.      Kinders wat té veel buitemuurse aktiwiteite het en gevolglik nie by die belangrikheid van herhalende Wiskunde uitkom nie

       ii.      Kinders wie se ouers glad nie betrokke is by die kind se vordering nie, en nie agterkom wanneer daar ernstige probleme uitkom nie.

       iii.      Kinders wie se ouers moontlik te veel betrokke is en gevolglik die verantwoordelikheid van die kind ontneem.

       iii.      Kinders wat deur hulleself, hulle onderwysers of hulle eie ouers geklasifiseer word as iemand wat nie kan Wiskunde doen nie.  Die woorde word ‘n selfvervullende profesie

 The secondary Math educator is the one who re-explains the already introduced topic, or who brings together the different sections of explanation into a single concept. This educator might be a typical ‘extra class tutor’ or the primary educator who teaches additionally.

 The two types of Math teaching – primary and secondary – are worlds apart! They are specialities in their own characteristics and skills. Primary educators have the ‘dirty job’ in one sense and the ‘golden opportunity’ in another sense. They must have the students’ faith to trust them enough to absorb the loose parts of information that will eventually unfold into a sensible and single understanding. They are required to possess the profound skills and foundational knowledge on the particular topic in order to present it technically correct. And they also need to know creative ways in which the students can stay focused – while still enjoying the class. Should the primary educator succeed in this demanding job, then they found a ‘golden opportunity’ whereby they can build on the successful start, and often students perform well in the remaining parts of the lesson.

 But there is a great obstacle in the modern upper-class education system, which might prevent the primary educator to enjoy the ‘golden opportunity’ they wish for: the potentially intrusive role of the secondary educator. The secondary educator steps into the thriving market as an ‘extra tutor’ and often interferes with the primary educator’s path of strategy. The student would often express these sentiments during such an interference:

• My extra class tutor explains better.
• My extra class tutor has much simpler solutions.
• Who is your extra class tutor? Mine is… (apparently the latest, best one).
• I won’t listen in class because my extra class tutor will explain in any way to me this afternoon.

The primary educator fights consciously, or subconsciously, against this intrusion. They often change their own, detailed, explanations into watered-down “feel-good-versions” in order to match with the modern simplified explanations. They could also cut themselves emotionally distant from the student. This all forms part of a cycle in which the student even looses more interest in the classroom, relies more on the extra tutor, enlarging the need of the private tuition market more and put the parent under more financial pressure.

 The secondary educator has another battle field. This educator is out of control at the specific place of progress of the student, and greater class. This educator doesn’t know when the next topic will be introduced, and what that topic is, let alone when and how the involved student will be tested on this topic. The uncertainty results in an attempt to compensate; that might add to additional skills of explanation and orientation toward the student, which at the end of the day could result in better scores. However, at the same time, this secondary educator is performing under enormous amounts of stress and competition within the self-creating market. All of these inconsistencies also add up to the negative cycle of the battle between primary and secondary education in Math.

 What is your opinion on the roles of primary and secondary educators? Please comment on our blog or on our Facebook for Teachers.

 See one of our Senior Teachers’ comment:

 Ek is dankbaar vir die ekstraklas juffrou wanneer ek onder druk is om die onderwerp klaar te maak en ek voor my siel weet almal is nie heeltemal by nie. My namiddae word opgebruik vir Alpha Wiskunde, vraestel 3 en die graad 12’s. Laasgenoemde se behoeftes is egter so uiteenlopend date k beslis nie 60 matrieks ekstra hulp kan gee nie. Ja, daar is beslis plek vir die ekstra klasse – om ‘ groot aantal redes.

 In ons omgewing is daar mense wat al jare ‘n pad saam met ons stap, bel om seker te maak van sekere  aspekte van die sillabus en vir wie ons ons vraestelle gee. Ons kry immers ook die voordeel as die leerders goed presteer. Julle betrokkenheid by ons skool word baie waardeer en besonder positief beleef.

 Ek raak geïriteerd met die ekstraklas juffrou as sy in die middae die leerders se huiswerk vir hulle doen of selfs vooruit werk. Dit ontneem die leerder die geleentheid om self sy probleemoplossingsvaardighede te ontwikkel. Dit skep by hulle dan ‘n vals gevoel dat hy/sy die werk verstaan. Wanneer hulle dan in ‘n toets alleen die probleem moet hanteer, sukkel hulle. Die grootste frustrasie is die leerders wat ooglopend verveeld is met di twat in die klas gebeur, met hul selfone of enige iets anders besig is – want dit word in elke geval vir hulle individueel verduidelik.

 Na my mening hoef die onnie in die oggend nie bedreig te voel deur die onnie in die middag nie. Ons het dieselfde doel en wanneer elkeen sy rol verstaan en mekaar respekteer kan dit ‘n wonderlike wenresep word – soos ons samewerking met julle reeds is.

 Marie Louw – Senior Educator in Gr 12 Mathematics

In 1953 Verwoerd implemented “The Act of Bantu Education” in all South African schools.  Except for a few missionary schools that could subsidize themselves through funding, all schools that provided proper education to non-Whites had to close down or submit to the Bantu Education Act.  This act implied inter alia that Black people were not supposed to be exposed to proper education and that they should rather receive the kind of education that will prepare them for labour related work such as field work or hard labour.  The act also served as a justification for the segregation of races in future.  Some of the most shocking arguments came forth from Verwoerd’s government, such as:

There is no place for [the Bantu] in the European community above the level of certain forms of labour ... What is the use of teaching the Bantu child mathematics when it cannot use it in practice? That is quite absurd. Education must train people in accordance with their opportunities in life, according to the sphere in which they live^[1]

^ ^a b c d Clark, Nancy L.; Worger, William H. (2004). South Africa - The Rise and Fall of Apartheid. Seminar Studies in History. Pearson Education Limited. pp. 48–52. ISBN 0-582-41437-7.

Imagine that there were teachers in those schools who had really cared about their students, their futures, their race’s future.  Imagine that some teachers during those years, and the ones to follow – such as when Black schools were forced to receive tuition in Afrikaans, which was often foreign to them – had truly been dignified in their positions as teachers, had done lesson plans to use that could no longer been used because it turned out to be “too high levelled” for their students’ future fate, or compiled “in the wrong language”.  Imagine if these teachers had no way to stand up against this act, which they didn’t!

Those teachers’ hearts were taken out of their jobs, their dignity has been destroyed and the belief in their students’ future fates have been stripped out harshly.  No rebelliousness or tears or any other form of resistance would have had an effect on their desires for future.  The belief in themselves, as teachers, have been taken away.

Today, it might be that the teachers from those townships are the residues of the Bantu Act of Education.  We might say they suffer from the ‘Bantu’ syndrome.  They are typically characterized by the following:

• No internal motivation to set proper goals and attempt to reach them for their students
• Administrative chaos
• Late coming or constant absentness from the classroom
• Emotional cold relationships with students

This is a time where we should stop to select some apparently gifted students in the townships and rather select the teacher group with whom we can reverse the historical massacre of Bantu Education.