Equipping better teachers for tomorrow
CRAWTHORNE - Botshabelo Babies Home based in Crowthorne, is helping to raise the level of pre-school education in the Olievenhoutbosch community.
In 2010, Botshabelo started the Pre-school Teacher Training programme to empower teachers to offer better education.
Andy Clark, a qualified teacher, explained the concept developed from when she went into the township to help a pre-school and found most pre-schools in the township were in need of “rescuing”.
“The main deficit in every school is the lack of skilled staff and educational equipment. There is not enough money to employ qualified teachers, therefore any person could be employed as a caregiver or teacher,” said Clark.
Clark said she knew teachers needed to be better equipped with the skills and tools such as how to implement a plan, teaching in a fun, informative way and planning lessons.
This year, the programme is training 14 pre-school educators in Olievenhoutbosch and the teachers are committed to attend weekly workshops, training days and planning sessions. Monitors check on the teachers in their classrooms and the teachers spend time watching teachers at Urban Kids Pre-school, on the same property as Botshabelo Babies Home.
Every Thursday, Clark conducts a lesson with the teachers at Dimphonyana Conference Centre in Olievenhoutbosch. Teacher on the programme Melodius Chifamba trained at Urban Kids Pre-school last week and said she was amazed at how well the children responded and believed this was because there was mutual respect between pupils and teachers. Mariam Vutela said she liked the school’s motto where the children learnt something new every single day.
Michelle Hinrichsen of Botshabelo Babies Home explained corporate companies and individual donors helped to aid the programme, which has reached 30 teachers, however Hinrichsen said with 80 pre-schools in Olievenhoutbosch, there were many more to help.
Clark said people could get involved through financial support, help to renovate pre-schools or help monitor the teachers. She is confident the programme is working as teachers plan their lessons beforehand, children are stimulated and motivation is high.
Details: www.botshabelo.co.za
