Math teachers boost skills through US initiative
IN A bid to improve their teaching skills, close to 200 Eastern Cape mathematics and science teachers sacrificed some of their mid-year holiday to attend training organised by a United States-based non-profit organisation, Teachers Across Borders South Africa (Tabsa).
The initiative, which sees top qualified teachers from private schools come to Africa during their holiday to volunteer their time teaching these two subjects in several African countries, has now entered its 17th year.
The 2017 Tabsa team is made up of 15 members, who are educators and education administrators who gave up their US summer holidays, left their families and came to work with colleagues from South Africa.
The Eastern Cape leg of training started on July 3 and is currently under way until July 14. It is held at the Stirling Education Leadership Institute in East London.
Maths and science high school teachers from rural schools in areas such as Tsholomnqa, Mooiplaas, Newlands, Kwelera, Mdantsane, Duncan Village and King William’s Town attended the training.
Vuyisile Dabi, a science teacher from Bongolethu High School in Kwelera, said he was amazed by the simpler yet effective method of teaching demonstrated during the training.
“We usually theorise science because we do not have resources such as labs needed for experiments. However, during the training I have learnt rural schools in that science experiments can be simplified by using what is at your disposal,” said Dabi.
Mbulelo Katazile, from David Mama High School from Mdantsane, said he attended the training to get a different approach on how to teach maths.
“During the training I have learnt of methods to make maths more understandable by using a practical approach, number patterns and sketch graphs when teaching pupils,” said Katazile.
Tab South Africa co-coordinator Yunus Peer said the training was Caps-aligned.
Peer said even though the Eastern Cape still has its administrative challenges, he was inspired by the efforts of those who continue doing the best they can with the resources they have. —