Grade R Teachers in Tsakane Celebrating Dr Seuss Birthday…………
Current News in the ECD Sector
- The professional registration of ECD Practitioners is a high priority for Government.
- An Action or Implementation Plan with timelines, financial and human resources and outcomes for the new ECD Policy should be finalized.
- Funding should become a joint effort by government departments and donors to train at least 20 000 ECD Practitioners who can provide centre and non-centre based training for effective and competent programme delivery. These 20 000 ECD Practitioners can take responsibility for 600 000 of the poorest of the poor children by 2019.
(South African Congress for ECD, 2016)
Project updates
Project Participants improving their educational careers
Nokuthula Ndimande is a a Grade R teacher at Rolihlahla Primary School in Daveyton. Her career in education began when her husband passed away in December 2011. She enrolled at UNISA in April 2012 for a Bed Primary Degree and approached Rolihlahla Primary School Principal to complete her practicals with the Grade R teachers. In February 2013 the Principal created a Grade R classroom and gave her a permanent position; however she was not paid the stipend by the department as she did not have an ECD level 5 qualifications. In 2016 she was enrolled into the UBS ECD project at Maths Centre and was elated that she would be receiving her stipend from the Department of education.
Nokuthula Ndimande
Lebogang Molefe a Grade R teacher at Funukhukanya Primary School. She was given the Grade R post this year March 2017. She started her teaching career in 2015 at the school and worked without pay for the whole year assisting the Grade R teachers. In 2016 she worked as an assistant teacher at Shadrack Mbambo Primary School and was paid a Stipend of R600pm. She was referred by the Department of Education and joined the UBS ECD Project at Maths Centre. The principal at Funukukhanya then took her on as a permanent Grade R teacher and she now receives the stipend from the DOE of R7000pm.
Lebogang Molefe
Grade R Teachers Maths Workshop
Maths Content workshops were conducted to improve the teaching and learning of Mathematics in Grade R. Topics were identified as per the pre-test learner Gaps.
Measurement
Grade R teachers had to demonstrate various methods that learners could be taught using a piece of wool to measure an object or use their bodies as well. Learners needed to be taught the concept of measurement at the same time they identify other mathematical concepts, “long” and “short”.
Grade R teachers demonstrating how they would teach their learners to measure their waist.
3D Shapes
Teachers used paper to build their 3D shape, a square and were excited to see how the shape was put together. They identified various ways of how learners could build the shape and paint the shape and label it.
An elated Grade R Teacher at how easy it was to put the 3D shape together
Patterns
Approximately 5-6 learners experience problems with drawing of patterns in the Grade R classes. The common pattern they are introduced to at first is copying a wave pattern. Teachers were taught to introduce learners to make patterns with clay or make patterns in the sand before drawing the patterns. Later they would progress to making patterns with baubles and beads and shapes.
Jennefer,a Grade R teacher demonstrating how she would teach learners to make the wave pattern
Print Rich Maths Hub
UBS ECD Project Alumni: Angela Kebe completing her 3rd year NQF Level 6
In 2014/2015 UBS funded 20 practitioners for the ECD Level 5 Diploma, Grade R practitioners in the project furthered their studies. This led to sustainable employment in the teaching sector and improvement in salaries.
- 3 Practitioners completed Bed Primary Degrees
- 2 practitioners completed their ABET Higher Diplomas
- 7 Grade R Practitioners completing their 3rd year NQF Level 6 Higher Diploma
Accredited Service Provider
Maths Centre ECD Unit Offers accredited courses in:
ECD level 4 and 5 Certificate Qualifications
