Week 9: Goodbye Haties

This week was a sad but also very fun week. We helped our mentors prepare for the exams which officially started on Friday. We also had to invigilate exam sessions as some teachers were busy with meetings, either with the principal or parents.
Exams are times in which learners ought to be more responsible and less disrespectful. This was not the case for some learners. The timeout (TO) room is a isolated room to which learners who are not obeying the school rules are sent to and have to stay there whole day for the duration of their punishment. Thus during exams they also write in TO and not with their class.

Unfortunately, for me, I had to assist in the TO venue the first session. I was shocked to see how these learners behave and also how learners come late for exams and some even asked what they were writing. Some of them have no respect for elders. There was a sweet grade 8 boy whichas looks like he can't hurt a fly. He was in TO with his friends for buying weed from a older boy because it was his birthday and he was an ted too be seen as cool. We still can't believe how the older learners are so ignorant to the little ones innocence.

I watched the two teachers who were with my colleague and I in TO very closely. I have learnt that you should not show these disobedient learners that you are feeling sad for them even if it is the sweetest learner in your class. This is how they take advantage of your kindness. Be firm and never say that you are going to punish learners for disobedience and then later don't do it. This is how they learn not to take you seriously. Most of the teachers reacted in this way and ended up crying because learners were deliberately trying to aggravate them.
The most important thing I will take with  me on my journey as a teacher is, when you are new at a school, especially us PGCE learners next year, do not try and be everyone's friend. Don't care to much if learners or teachers don't like you. Set your rules and punishments out day one and follow through. As long as you do what is expected of you and more, this is how you will earn respect in this industry.

The experience can either break or make you! I hope everyone had such a great teaching experience this term as I did. Friday was also bokke day at school and we could wear our rugby tops in support of our Springbok team. So sad to leave. Enjoy the week rest! #Haties

My PGCE colleagues and I in the staffroom

My gift from my mentor teachers

Reflection 8: One more week to go :(

This week I completed the rest of the themes that were required for knowledge strand 3 for the third term for both grade 9 and grade 10. There were no more lessons left and one could see how learners became restless. I realised that giving assessments also aided in doing revision on the work, especially since most of the marks were bad for the class tests and practical tests in both subjects. Some learners are complaining about doing the work over and over however there is no other way, thus I put my foot down and just did revision. I believe that one could never have to much revision as it will will help in the future tests and exam.

My mentor is the grade head of the grade 8 learners and this week she was very busy with parents and the discipline of the grade 8s. Thus we had to step in and supervise her classes. I'm still shocked to see how the juniors of the school especially the grade 8s behave. Some of them have no respect what so ever for their elders (teachers and older grades) nor their parents. Then you get parents who do not want to hear any bad reports concerning their children and blame whatever the child does on the school.

I have learnt that when faced with such parents as described above, one should stay calm and not indulge in harmful confrontations. Do not take sides, just state the facts with the accompanying evidence. There are also parents that thought of their children as angels and are utterly shocked and speechless when called to school to fetch their children because they broke the rules. Also, what was interesting to observe was the reason behind some learners misbehaviour. Some have problems at home and then get sucked into peer pressure and find it hard to get out of it as they have no one to talk to.
I must applaud the school staff on how they manage illegal substance on the school. The Learners are expelled from school for a certain period depending on the nature of the offense and sent for counselling as well as rehab. They may only return when they are clean, this applies for any illegal substances including tobacco. Learners are also tested for illegal substances regularly. We also found out that it is a group of senior boys that sell or give the junior learners these substances.

Next week is our last week and I must admit that I will be sad to leave!

Week 7: Formal assessments!

Time is surely flying... The atmosphere at HTS Bellville is surely overwhelming. Our mentor teachers are becoming more and more like family. The conversation topics are also much different, much more personal. There is also a clear trustful relationship.

This week the one aspect that stood out for me is the formal assessments. I spent the whole week and my weekend just marking. I did not do soo much lessons this week. I was shocked to see how the grade 9 Natural Sciences test and practical marks look. I still don't know what to think of it.
During the lessons and the activities, learners answer correctly and are participating. The recapping of concepts also stimulates the learning process. However, the  marks are so disappointing. Yes, surely thee are a few learners that do well but the majority is less than average. I am quite worried about this because exams are coming up in two weeks and alot of improvements need to take place.

It took my own grade 9 class 3 periods (3hours) to finish a formal assessment that was suppose to be completed in 1 period (1hour). They are the last grade 9s to write their class test on Monday, thus I'm actually quite worried judging from the results of the other classes scripts we have marked thus far.

Learners tend to get very nervous when writing tests or doing formal assessments that require them not to use their textbooks or writing books. They doubt their answers and make silly mistakes. Thus i feel that we need to emphasise the importance of writing down formulas much more. Also, now we need to do much more revision lessons than what we intended on doing.