Tag Archives: teaching

Gamifying education: Boosting learning with fun

Games are fun. Most people would rather spend their time playing games than working, doing chores, recycling, exercising or helping out at a community centre. However, if there was a way of incorporating the fun elements of games into these mundane or unpleasant activities, it is believed that we would achieve much greater results in [...]

‘Study Avoidance Disorder’

Among the myriad of definitions from different lexicons, the Oxford dictionary’s definition of the word “study” is “taking pains to achieve”. When I saw this definition it somehow sounded ridiculous to me. It is only now recently that I found myself thinking back and actually delving deeper into this meaning. Receiving the final Unisa exam timetable in my post and email, was the best feeling I ever experienced. It kind of surged an instant energy to my muscles and spirit which indicated to me, that I am so geared up to sitting for this last exam so I can obtain my degree.

True teachers

I write this as an ex-teacher and headmaster of 40 years’ experience, whose family has been involved with education for many years. A recent comment in one of the newspapers that the dropping of OBE was not a cure-all has prompted me to write in support. While acknowledging the inequalities in education, one has at the same time to give credit to the role played by dedicated teachers. Apart from the hard work in the classroom, true teachers willingly participate in helping to organise sport and cultural activities. It seems to me that many teachers today are in it for all the wrong reasons.

Is the growth of a teacher outside the classroom?

It’s amazing how learners, parents, even teachers themselves, are still grappling with the answer to a big question that is frequently yet silently asked to the ordinary teacher: “Was teaching your chosen job, or your calling?”. Is it a fictitious dream or ideology for teachers to move up the remuneration ranks without leaving their calling?

‘SADTU must match its words with its deeds’

To improve education, SADTU must match its words with its deeds. Any discussion on education in South Africa inevitably begins with a litany of its failings. These collectively constitute an “education crisis”. Like most truths that are repeated often enough, this litany has turned into political cliché and lost the power to shock. That is why the new angle, in a speech by Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga this week, got people listening again.

Englishnet – New exciting resource for English teachers!

Englishnet is a new website created by English teachers, for English teachers. It was created specifically to host resources for the teaching of the South African English Language curriculum. This website offers a range of resources from lesson plans, to programmes of assessment, electronic marksheets, specific lessons on the prescribed literature, etc. It also has [...]

Die Begin

Ek wil nie voorgee dat ek ooit myself gesien het as onderwyser nie, en daarom was dit nogal ‘n aanpassing om weer gewoond te raak aan die roetine van skoolgaan. Soos enige jong onderwyser, was ek aanvanklik skepties en selfs ‘n bietjie skrikkerig.

Editor's Picks

The Flipped Classroom

by Adrian Marnewick

The “flipped” classroom is an idea that teachers shoot a video of a lesson, then make the video available online for learners to view at home. Class time is devoted to problem solving and guidance. It’s an approach that flips the delivery of the lesson to homework. Dorian Love posted an excellent piece with various [...]

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