The Educator's New Clothes #3
July 30 2013
On this day I went knitting at B.E.S.T
centre, school for age inappropriate learners. This small (150-200 students) independent
school (funded by Christian charities) caters for students who have fallen out
of standard schooling for various reasons, their ages range up to early 20’s. I
found it to be quite charming and warm, set in stately building in Salt River. Due to the schools policy, to protect their
students’ identity I can not publish any photos. The learners were very open
and willing to share their experiences. They have come from diverse
backgrounds, mostly quite difficult financially and socially.
Their overwhelming response to the state of
education is that schools are over crowded, and the student teacher ratio is
way out of proportion, classes of 50 plus!
The teachers at these state schools do not
care.
At this school the classes are small and
the learners are given individual attention. They all agree that a caring
environment is necessary for learning to take place.
At this school learners are allowed to
learn at their own pace, and they felt this to be important. The school teaches
up to grade 9. Students can then go onto FET colleges and learn trades.
A comment that surprised me, and which
often came up, was that at this school they felt safe.
Comment from a student teacher, taking his
teaching degree; are that the teaching conditions at the schools he’s attending
are shocking (these are in low economic impoverished areas). He says the students are eager and willing to
learner, but discipline and over crowding is difficult to negotiate. He also
commented on the teachers’ attitude and behaviour; stating that they don’t
arrive to classes, some classrooms have no teachers in attendance, students
running riot, teachers arriving late. It seems that the students take their cue
from the teachers. My experience with younger students is that they learn by
the actions and behaviour of the teacher, not by what is said to them.
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