What factors make school mentorship effective?
October 3, 2023Feedback and guidance: The key to progress
November 28, 2023Can the teaching techniques we impart truly become ingrained in a school's culture long after our direct involvement? The answer is a resounding yes! And Lion Park stands as a testament to this. Eight years after Edufundi first stepped into the school, the techniques are as alive as they were when first introduced.
We spoke to Mr Morudu who at the time of Edufundi’s involvement held the position
of a Peer Level 1 teacher. Today he serves proudly as a Departmental Head.
“The road from foundation phase to grade seven is being paved by the use of these techniques,” says Mr Morudu. Learners know that as soon as a teacher comes into the classroom there is a strict entry routine they follow which creates order from the beginning.
We spoke about how the techniques help the transition from foundation phase to intermediate phase. This transition can be challenging for students who are accustomed to having one teacher but are now introduced to a different teacher per subject in Grade 4. “So the techniques, they don't hear them for the first time in Grade 4 as they had to them in Grade 1, Grade 2 and Grade 3. It's a continuation of the implementation of the techniques,” explains Mr Morudu. This helps greatly with effective classroom management where teachers can focus on content rather than managing learners.
Recognition from the Department of Education
Another strong adoption into the school has been Double Planning. To this day, the school uses templates given by Edufundi to plan lessons. These templates ensure that lesson objectives remain focused and clear. “The department requires us to do two weeks of planning. So we use Edufundi templates to assist the teachers in moving forward and implementing good effective lessons.” This has not gone unnoticed by the Department. “The Department has noticed a huge difference. Before we had some challenges of submitting or meeting due dates that the Department required us to meet. Edufundi has assisted us in this, and the Department is recognising that we are submitting on time and the performance has improved.”
Paving the way for leadership
Mr Morudu also acknowledges that the support he received from his mentor assisted him in becoming a confident departmental head. Being confident in the use of techniques in his own class means that he is confident to support teachers in their classrooms, too.
It is remarkable to see the growth of the school and that novice teachers who were exposed to the techniques early on are now becoming confident leaders in the school. They are ensuring that everything they learned with Edufundi continues to shape the school's future for years to come.