Mr Adams is busy preparing SMPS learners for a spelling marathon competition. A new dimension in spelling at Strand Moslem PS in one where the learners are in the LAB with their notebooks to practice the correct spelling of the words.
CAMI Reader with its Spelling activities and Encarta 2008 Dictionary are valuable tools to be used to do a spell check !!
Well done to SMPS and their efforts to improve the LITNUM !
Albie
A phone call.....Esangweni.....again. I answered the call. Donald Katz contacted me again about an Interactive Whiteboard not working. The educator teaching in the room was upset that she could not use the board whole day. Ok. That was surprise number one. I went there late in the day to help her. Unfortunately the key for the door could not be found, but she would not let me go. “We will find a way to open the door. You dare not leave”, she said. I was being held “hostage” here. After a long while we had to give up and as a result I had to promise I will stop there first thing tomorrow morning. What I liked about this lady was her tenacity to not let go and she is committed to use the Inter Active Whiteboard.
Off to the lab and surprise! Donald Katz was busy assisting some maths educators using Master Maths. A new educator was learning how to register learners. Another educator was busy with some Maths Literacy modules (the lady in the light blue jacket) while the third educator was busy going through modules on sequences and series. I believe that this is the type of school we want where educators are taking the initiative to teach each other. Also, educators who are willing to learn and to share will move this school forward. What did I have to do? Sit and watch him do his stuff.
Mr Mbotshelwa, the principal, was happy his school is moving along and after attending the iNET conference he was in good spirits. He and Mrs Phike have met new friends from overseas. Mrs Phike, the deputy, is happy that things are up-and-running at school but complained that the facilitators are not giving her personal attention, particularly science. But that is another story.....
Textbooks were delivered to some schools in the EMDC East Helderberg Area and EMDC Overberg after a free donation was received. These textbooks are brand new and can be used together with the EIAWB and the LAB to ensure the availablity of a wide spectrum of resources.
Seen with Khanya Facilitator Albie Smith, who transported the books to the schools, are Temperance Town PS educators Mr Sharief Davids and Mr G Louw and at Bloemenhof PS, near Riviersonderend, is the principal, Mr Danie Maloy and some learners.
Taking care of ICT equipment together with frequent cleaning operations, will result into a habitational continuous maintenance program that will ensure Sustainability of all electronic equipment in a school. 
Off to the science classroom where Ms Dlova with her grade 9 class constructing formulae by using the periodic table. Using the Croc clips software she quickly got an electronic form of the periodic table and merrily explained how to put elements together to get compounds. While discussing different possibilities of how to approach the subject we needed to use the laptop while learners were taking down the examples explained. We quickly found the picture freeze button and went ahead to discuss the use of some applets in her teaching.
This blog story is dedicated to all those educators who toil under adverse circumstances to produce good results in their subjects. Despite poor results, vandalism, burglaries, pregnancies, gangsterism and lack of motivation a few educators still feel they can make a difference.
Ms Mnisi, a maths educator at Chris Hani, jumped in early to use the Interactive Whiteboard with Master Maths to teach a section on Exponential graphs. Learners were eager to start off the year in their new grade. The Interactive Whiteboard has grabbed their attention with many being not so sure of the potential of the board.
At Esangweni Secondary School, Mr Donald Katz was teaching Geography using the World Cup 2010 as theme.
Armed with a laptop he easily connected it to the network and in so doing opened up a new world to the learners.
The internet showed a different dimension of the discussion they just had. Somehow the stadium is closer to Khayelitsha than it real location in Green Point.
Also in Khayelitsha Mr
s Christians-Gaffoor of Bulumko Secondary School allowed the learners to surf the internet for information on career possibilities. Information from websites such as that of UWC gave the learners a fair idea of what results they must achieve to study there. In Life orientation she has to cover so many bases and the internet allows her to teach skills such as navigation and research. Her school is one of a few who can allow learners to surf the net confidently with minimal trouble. This is because learners are allowed on the net during intervals and after schools. Educators working on administration in the lab also supervise what learners are doing.
So to these educators.....you are making a difference!
Coordinators meeting re EIAWB together with Facilitators An indepth discussion re EIABW training was done with input from all delegates present. The meeting was held in the Methodists Church - the premises adjacent to Somerset West Methodist PS. The garden was superbly nutured and well looked after and contributed to the more natural approach to resolve issues in the technical and digital world !
Mark even had time to relax in the garden while Bonny and Charlotte enjoyed their early morning Moca Java coffee and Green tea in the Garden of EIAWB Eden discussing the 40% vs 60% division of a certain facilitator. Food was ***** and we want to thank Somerset West Methodist PS for this gesture. Thankx.
The hard technical EIAWB issues took 90% of the time allocated to the meeting, but the Red Rose showed us the beauty of nature - and that this natural environment can easily be displayed on the EIAWB and can contribute to successful Science and Biology curriculum integration on a whiteboard!!
We must remember that Rome was not build in one day, so let us strive to give all educators an EIAWB learners driver's license to drive with a few basic tools at first, not to be a Michael Schumacher Ferrari EAIWB guru now, later.
The only difference between the 2x boards is that the old green / blackboard got chalk for fuel, while the Smart Board got an ELECTRONIC engine. Keep in mind it is a growing process - an EIAWB is not a once done, always done piece of equipment. An oil painting with a small winding road through a forest reminded me that we are on a journey, not @ a destination.
Remember there are 5 role players : Facilitator + Educator + learners + TOOLS + Curriculum. Use a few tools on the toolbar - those that you are comfortable with and achieved with it what is possible NOW. Don’t use all the bells and whistles - JUST THE BASIC TOOLS.
The EIAWB Marrriage should be between the learners and the curriculum. Give them also the basics tools: a teaspoon now and not a wheelbarrow. Start from being a Beginner – then move to an Intermediate user - and eventually an Advaced Guru - then you know the EIAWB + CURRICULUM marriage was a success.
EMDC East and South met @ Petunia PS with Ricus Groenewald of CAMI re the 2010 version. Ricus took us through the latest updated CAMI. 
The excitement on learners faces when David and Mark switched on the internet . The educator had already attached the laptop to the Interactive Whiteboard. They were eager to try the new device in their classroom despite the fact that others may laugh at the mistakes they make. Yet they seem to take this in their stride.
pictures they could colour in. They may not know what the internet is, but they know what excites them. It is hoped that through the interaction with the interactive whiteboard and the internet learners will have greater exposure to a world far bigger than Khayelitsha.
Amoy Appollis was in action today as the teacher in him reached out to the learners at Injongo Primary. After checking the interactive whiteboard he encouraged grade two learners to count in English and Afrikaans. Then it was to the board. There was no shortage of learners who would try out the board.
This young lady did not need an invitation to do maths on the board. Her striking pose shows how confident she is in trying something new.
