The national lockdown has been a challenge for children because it has forced them to learn remotely. But one academic expert believes that the need to find alternative ways to teach will innovate the education system in the future.
Chris van Niekerk, the managing director for schools that fall under AdvTech (including the Bridge School in Beverley), believes that while finding a way to teach children remotely has been a challenge for educational institutions across South Africa, it will also lead to innovations in teaching and learning after lockdown concludes. He spoke to the Fourways Review about how this remedial school is responding to the challenge.
“AdvTech had actually introduced technological capabilities since last year, and while I wouldn’t say trying to teach remotely has been simple, we’ve been doing well so far.”
The school is currently in the pre-scheduled term vacation but is prepared to go back to school (remotely) from 14 April with content created to engage their children in their home environment. He explained that staff, as well as the school’s new principal Dr Greg Pienaar, have been putting in the hours to prepare for the new term.
“For the older children from grades 4 through to 7, the children will be able to follow lessons like usual as the way staff emulate regular lessons as much as possible. For the younger grades (grade 0 to 3) who cannot study as independently, we’re making sure that their parents are enabled to give them the right content.
“With remedial education generally, it’s a shift in mindset in that we’re not focused on the teaching, but rather in letting children learn their own way based on the individual. Teachers engage individuals on aspects of critical learning, which is the same thing they’ll be doing through virtual lessons.”
He concluded, “Although there’s been a sense of anxiety in educational circles [on how this work can be done], I think there’s also an element of excitement – what will come out of this experience that will be new for education? This challenge will force us to find ways to provide better education for our children. I’m quite excited to see past Covid-19 and what innovations this challenge will make to the teaching world.”
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