Matric Exams 2013

It is that time of the year again when matriculants across the country write their final exams. According to News24, the first day of exams in Johannesburg kicked off without any hickups. Let us think about the our matriculants and keep them in our prayers for a successful final exam.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Matric-exams-off-without-a-hitch-20131028

Inclusive Education for the gifted

When we look at the overall make up of the average classroom, we find vast differences in personalities, learning abilities, meta-cognitive skills and development. Some learners are gifted with talents that are absent in the majority of learners. Some learners requires more attention than others, while some grasp concepts faster or slower than others.

Inclusive education has now moved on to encourage these learners to be part of the classroom rather than setting them apart from the rest. In the South African Journal of Education (2013) it stated that the mainstream school in future had to become the site for transformation to accommodate the diverse learning abilities and needs of all learners. Inclusive education requires a system-wide approach dedicated to making schools accessible and amendable for all learners. "In the final analysis, policy and practice in inclusive education require a focus on an enabling and nurturing environment that supports the learner, rather than on a learner who must fit into an exlusionary environment"(Peters et al, 2005 and Oswald, 2010:1).

So with this in mind, we as educators must adapt to the classroom setting of inclusive education in order to make each learner feel part of the learning process. Educators can help in this process by becoming actively involved in developing their own skills to assist with the 'gifted' learner.

You can also continue reading the article on 

www.ajol.info/index.php/saje/article/download/85003/74974‎

Resources:

Oswald, M., De Villiers, J. 2013. South African Journal of Education.

Department of Educational Psychology, University of Stellenbosch, South Africa

 

Oswald MM 2010. Teacher learning for inclusion in a primary school in the Western Cape.

Unpublished PhD dissertation. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University.

 

Phonics

I found an interesting way to learn phonics in a fun way and it is very simple.

All you need is wooden pegs and colour khoki pens

This can keep the learners busy creating new words, learners can challenge each other by seeing who can create the most words.





Visit http://www.imperfecthomemaking.com/2011/11/while-backi-whipped-up-little-game-for.html


Here is another way to keep the phonics learner entertained.



Visit learningspecialistmaterials.blogspot.com                   
 

Maths - Interesting way to learn numbers!

On the rim of each cup write 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 clockwise to make the ones cup. Continue making cups - tens, hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, hundred thousands. Twist cups to make new numbers.


You can also visit www.teacherspayteachers.com as well as Pinterest for more learning tools.



Learning different ways to make 10

Rainbow trick to learn 10



Visit first-grade-garden.blogspot.com




Another fun way to learn about 10 




             

Classroom Management - Rewards and Punishment

Classroom Management has become a big part of the role of the educator. We as educators have to ensure that learning takes place in a favourable environment and therefore classroom management need to be under control at all times. Educators have resorted to rewards and punishments since the abolishment of corporal punishment, but is this a positive way for controlling the classroom?

According to research in an article in Bam Radio!, 98 percent of educators make use of punishment and rewards in the classroom, but some are sceptical whether or not it is an effective way of dealing with behaviour in the classroom.


What are you views on the use of rewards and punishment in the classroom??



The link below gives you more information on the effectiveness of rewards and punishment in the classroom.


http://udini.proquest.com/view/the-effects-of-rewards-and-pqid:1980506481/


Resources:

http://www.bamradionetwork.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=638:jackstreet54&catid=35:jackstreet54&Itemid=89
 

Resource Tools

Word Search Generator   

I have always been a fan of the word search generator as it is quick, easy and you are able to customize your word search worksheet. All you need to do is slot in your list of words, topic and the amount of rows and columns and Bob's your uncle. You can use it for any subject as it helps with the vocabulary of the lesson. No more rulers, pens and cutting and pasting. All you do is choose your list of words and input it in the space provided and you have your customised word search.

This is also available for crossword puzzles and scrambled words. I have included the link below -

http://tools.atozteacherstuff.com/word-search-maker/


 

 

The following resource tool might not be relevant to South African curriculum, but I found it very useful when I was teaching in South Korea.

www.waygook.org (waygook means foreigner in Korean)

www.waygook.org is a website where ESL teachers in Korea exchange and post various teaching materials for English lessons. Each grade and lesson has a section to upload PPTs, videos, games and everything with regards to living and working in South Korea. So if anyone every end up teaching in South Korea, this website can be very useful. All you do is go to the grade and lesson and search for whatever you need to prepare a lesson. It is saves you a lot of time in preparing and the learners enjoy the slideshows and games.

I hope it will benefit someone in the future. Some of the materials can be used in South African English classrooms, especially grammar and punctuation. Enjoy


 

YOUTUBE as a resource tool  

I think that Youtube has revolutionised classroom teaching in the 21 century. The availability of video clips on lesson topics to learning a new song or even a new language, has brought an eagerness to the learners acquisition for learning.

The only challenge that the South African classroom might face in this regards is the access to internet connection, other than that it is an incredible resource tool.

Educational Quotes: Stay inspired

'We should turn out people who love learning so much and learn so well that they will be able to learn whatever needs to be learned.' John Holt

'education ultimately depends on what happens in classrooms... between teachers and learners. That is fundamental.'... 'I hope that teachers will discover the optimism and direction to combat the energy - draining pressures and frustrations of most educational settings.'David Perkins, 'Smart Schools.' 

'All learning begins when our comfortable ideas turn out to be inadequate.' John Dewey 


'All human beings are born with unique gifts. The healthy functioning community depends on realizing the capacity to develop each gift'.Peter Senge 

If kids come to us from strong, healthy functioning families, it makes our job easier. If they do not come to us from strong, healthy, functioning families, it makes our job more important.

-Barbara Colorose 

Teachers affect eternity; no one can tell where their influence stops -

Henry Brooks Adams