The strike that started three weeks ago is still underway…if you’ve been watching the news, you’ll know exactly how badly our government is treating teachers and all public servants for that matter. At my school, we’ve been really lucky with regards to not being intimidated by strikers, until yesterday morning. Before she even came to school, our principal received a phone call at home (which is really scary) threatening the safety of the school, pupils and teachers who are attending. She told us first thing yesterday morning.
I was seriously scared…to know that they can get the principals home number and try and intimidate us and the kids is not cool…the principal is not allowed to officially close the school without government permission who (surprise surprise) were uncontactable!!! Anyway, we got all the kids (on 50 or so of them were at school) into the hall. The principal said we could go home, but it was a decision we had to make for ourselves. I was really concerned about the safety of the kids (although they are the government’s responsibility) so I decided to stay.The principal called the cops and security companies etc, so we all felt pretty safe, but it was still nerve wracking. Anyway, we kind of stood around a while while the kids contacted parents to fetch them; you should have seen it, completely surreal, like every time someone left it was like one of those hostage scenes from the movies. About an hour later the school received another call threatening our safety and trying to intimidate us into closing the school. Quite a few of us teachers left.
I felt terrible and as I got into my car and dove away I was beside myself in tears, I was shaking and just felt so helpless. I’ve heard so much on the news over the last few weeks but you never really feel it’ll happen to you…and then it does. Anyway, I have no idea what is going to happen, we just have to watch the press and see what happens. The government and unions are not much further forward on the salary issue and negotiations have petty much failed – the government have offered teachers an ultimatum or else they go back to their previous offer and will not enter into negotiations again – this is now when things start to get violent...
Now – how democratic is our country really???
Anyway, school ends tomorrow, which will give everyone a bit of a breather…think it’s needed and well deserved all round.
Siobhan
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Monday, June 11, 2007
June 11 – Day 11 of the Public Service Strike on South Africa
So, yes…South African public sector workers have been on strike for 11 days. It seems totally ridiculous to me that after 11 days any democratic country could still be striking – does our supposedly democratic government honestly believe we don’t deserve 12% in the quest for what our country truly represents – equality???
Today was my second day at school (working) since the strike began (the days off have not been as part of the strike – rather study leave), and it was honestly one of the best and most rewarding days I’ve had as a teacher. With only 13 grade 7s at school, each of the teachers for the grade only saw the learners once, but I can honestly say in my one period with 13 children I got more done that I do in a whole day of lessons with the usual 40 in my class.
I want to reflect a little…
With the time I’ve been off (between the writing of and studying for my exams), I’ve been doing quite a bit of thinking about what exactly is going on in our beautiful country. In the past 11 days I’ve had 4 periods of actual teaching, and I won’t lie, it’s been great. Now I guess my being at school does not show any sort of solidarity for the greater cause of teachers (two justifications: I am an SGB employee and I need the money just as bad as the next person – no work no pay!!!), however I guess the reason I became a teacher is different to most – I believe in education and I believe in a better future for SA – that’s not to say that I don’t believe that teachers deserve more money, I suppose I’m just not doing this for the money at all – that’s when I’ll fall back on my real qualification – which is somewhat of a pity because I love teaching so much more that I could ever love journalism.
Ok, so that’s why today was such an amazing day…I had quite a bit of free time to do all my admin (so no homework for this teacher today), but more than that, I had time and the energy to give the one lesson I did have my all. I decided that there was little point in doing real work seeing that about 145 kids would miss out, but I wanted to give the kids something meaningful to take away – they should be rewarded for coming to school when no one else is as willing. I figured that the strike – being real and having a direct impact on them was a good place to start – so I linked the strike action and the concerns it’s raised to the happenings of June 16th 1976 (which we commemorate this Saturday). It was quite a hit. I had plenty of time to prep the lesson, did some research put some quotes up on the board, and then because I was so excited myself about the content and the idea of sharing something real and relevant with my learners, I was fresh and in a supped good mood when they came in. Needless to say they loved it, they were excited because it was different, but also because finally someone was informing them directly about what’s happening in SA at the moment – they were attentive and very talkative, but in a good way, they all had comments to make and questions to ask. And because there were only 13 of them I got to address all their concerns and let them all have their say, with very little time spent on discipline and telling them to keep quite (which is the norm with 40+). By the time the bell rang, we were still talking and no one wanted to leave. It really was the most amazing lesson of my life (which as a teacher has been admittedly short – but it was incredible). Although no one wrote anything in any books and despite the fact that I will never ask the work in a test, the lesson incorporated everything I’ve been taught a god lesson should include:
They learnt something – debating skills and some history
It was inclusive – everyone got to have their say
It was developmental – we all thought and reasoned
It was educational – everyone learnt something and was stimulated
AND – most importantly: it was democratic – everyone got to have an equal voice if they wanted it, we all deliberated together and we walked away enriched by the content as well as the process.
I think it’s very seldom that I teacher can walk out of just one class and say they learnt more than the kids did – but that was me today. I’ve always known that young South African’s have a lot to say, but today they shocked me – finally they spoke out and they were able to give reasoned arguments for what they thought was right and wrong about the strike – and it wasn’t all newspaper regurgitation –they were really really thinking.
After the lesson I had some more free time and I took in all their books to do what we call book control (checking that they are up to date in their exercise books) – which we usually skim (imagine – in excess of 200 books). I didn’t do book control, I actually marked their books, read through their work and gave some real feedback they can work with – an impossible task in “normal” times…
Now I ask you – what does this mean? What are we to learn from the strike – teaching is best when the numbers are smaller, I’d love 13, but even 25 would be good…but not 40…as soon as classes are smaller education in our country will return to it’s previous high standard (and probably raise above it), but classes will only get smaller when we have more teachers and there will only be more teachers when the salaries are more attractive – which will only happen when the teaching industry can actually compete with the private sector – which if the government refuse 12%, will be never…so my question is – how the hell can a government call themselves democratic and commit themselves to “education for all” when they won’t even let the nations’ educators put a decent meal on the table for their families???
Today was my second day at school (working) since the strike began (the days off have not been as part of the strike – rather study leave), and it was honestly one of the best and most rewarding days I’ve had as a teacher. With only 13 grade 7s at school, each of the teachers for the grade only saw the learners once, but I can honestly say in my one period with 13 children I got more done that I do in a whole day of lessons with the usual 40 in my class.
I want to reflect a little…
With the time I’ve been off (between the writing of and studying for my exams), I’ve been doing quite a bit of thinking about what exactly is going on in our beautiful country. In the past 11 days I’ve had 4 periods of actual teaching, and I won’t lie, it’s been great. Now I guess my being at school does not show any sort of solidarity for the greater cause of teachers (two justifications: I am an SGB employee and I need the money just as bad as the next person – no work no pay!!!), however I guess the reason I became a teacher is different to most – I believe in education and I believe in a better future for SA – that’s not to say that I don’t believe that teachers deserve more money, I suppose I’m just not doing this for the money at all – that’s when I’ll fall back on my real qualification – which is somewhat of a pity because I love teaching so much more that I could ever love journalism.
Ok, so that’s why today was such an amazing day…I had quite a bit of free time to do all my admin (so no homework for this teacher today), but more than that, I had time and the energy to give the one lesson I did have my all. I decided that there was little point in doing real work seeing that about 145 kids would miss out, but I wanted to give the kids something meaningful to take away – they should be rewarded for coming to school when no one else is as willing. I figured that the strike – being real and having a direct impact on them was a good place to start – so I linked the strike action and the concerns it’s raised to the happenings of June 16th 1976 (which we commemorate this Saturday). It was quite a hit. I had plenty of time to prep the lesson, did some research put some quotes up on the board, and then because I was so excited myself about the content and the idea of sharing something real and relevant with my learners, I was fresh and in a supped good mood when they came in. Needless to say they loved it, they were excited because it was different, but also because finally someone was informing them directly about what’s happening in SA at the moment – they were attentive and very talkative, but in a good way, they all had comments to make and questions to ask. And because there were only 13 of them I got to address all their concerns and let them all have their say, with very little time spent on discipline and telling them to keep quite (which is the norm with 40+). By the time the bell rang, we were still talking and no one wanted to leave. It really was the most amazing lesson of my life (which as a teacher has been admittedly short – but it was incredible). Although no one wrote anything in any books and despite the fact that I will never ask the work in a test, the lesson incorporated everything I’ve been taught a god lesson should include:
They learnt something – debating skills and some history
It was inclusive – everyone got to have their say
It was developmental – we all thought and reasoned
It was educational – everyone learnt something and was stimulated
AND – most importantly: it was democratic – everyone got to have an equal voice if they wanted it, we all deliberated together and we walked away enriched by the content as well as the process.
I think it’s very seldom that I teacher can walk out of just one class and say they learnt more than the kids did – but that was me today. I’ve always known that young South African’s have a lot to say, but today they shocked me – finally they spoke out and they were able to give reasoned arguments for what they thought was right and wrong about the strike – and it wasn’t all newspaper regurgitation –they were really really thinking.
After the lesson I had some more free time and I took in all their books to do what we call book control (checking that they are up to date in their exercise books) – which we usually skim (imagine – in excess of 200 books). I didn’t do book control, I actually marked their books, read through their work and gave some real feedback they can work with – an impossible task in “normal” times…
Now I ask you – what does this mean? What are we to learn from the strike – teaching is best when the numbers are smaller, I’d love 13, but even 25 would be good…but not 40…as soon as classes are smaller education in our country will return to it’s previous high standard (and probably raise above it), but classes will only get smaller when we have more teachers and there will only be more teachers when the salaries are more attractive – which will only happen when the teaching industry can actually compete with the private sector – which if the government refuse 12%, will be never…so my question is – how the hell can a government call themselves democratic and commit themselves to “education for all” when they won’t even let the nations’ educators put a decent meal on the table for their families???
E-mail read on Morning Live 5 June 2007
Dear Vuyo, Leanne and Viewers
In response to your question this morning, is 12% too much, is 6% too little:
I am a young South African educator in my first year of teaching. Being younger and less experienced, my salary is somewhat less that that of my colleagues who have been teaching for 10 years plus – the majority of them take home in the region of R6300 – now you can imagine what I get. My decision to become a teacher is one of choice, and there is no other job in the world I could imagine myself doing. However, I have it in the back of my mind that at least I have another qualification to fall back on once teaching can no longer pay the bills.
I am very fortunate that being only 22 and single that I have only myself to support, but there are those dedicated and committed teachers who have houses and cars to pay off, children to educate and food to put on the table.
We work everyday with children of the nation, they are amazing youngsters, but with 40+ in a class and the changing dynamics of the youth ( incorporating bad attitudes, violence, disrespect, indifference to education, etc), teaching leaves much to be desired.
The Department of Education insists on life-long-leaning, so many of us educators continue to study while we teach (it's one way to get an increase too) – so there are University bills to pay, as well as the added stress of studying and completing assignments.
The total number of learners that I teach is in the vicinity of 280. I think it's about time South African's sit up and take action – a strike draws attention, yes, but this should be a concern for the whole country, if we don't have good educators (which will only increase with better pay) and sound education, I must ask, what is the future of society really?
Yours in Education
Kind regards
Siobhan Louw
200715152
083 566 6332
Email: siobhan.louw@gmail.com
Blog: http://teach-learn-educate.blogspot.com/
"Technical skill is the mastery of complexity, while creativity is the mastery of simplicity"
In response to your question this morning, is 12% too much, is 6% too little:
I am a young South African educator in my first year of teaching. Being younger and less experienced, my salary is somewhat less that that of my colleagues who have been teaching for 10 years plus – the majority of them take home in the region of R6300 – now you can imagine what I get. My decision to become a teacher is one of choice, and there is no other job in the world I could imagine myself doing. However, I have it in the back of my mind that at least I have another qualification to fall back on once teaching can no longer pay the bills.
I am very fortunate that being only 22 and single that I have only myself to support, but there are those dedicated and committed teachers who have houses and cars to pay off, children to educate and food to put on the table.
We work everyday with children of the nation, they are amazing youngsters, but with 40+ in a class and the changing dynamics of the youth ( incorporating bad attitudes, violence, disrespect, indifference to education, etc), teaching leaves much to be desired.
The Department of Education insists on life-long-leaning, so many of us educators continue to study while we teach (it's one way to get an increase too) – so there are University bills to pay, as well as the added stress of studying and completing assignments.
The total number of learners that I teach is in the vicinity of 280. I think it's about time South African's sit up and take action – a strike draws attention, yes, but this should be a concern for the whole country, if we don't have good educators (which will only increase with better pay) and sound education, I must ask, what is the future of society really?
Yours in Education
Kind regards
Siobhan Louw
200715152
083 566 6332
Email: siobhan.louw@gmail.com
Blog: http://teach-learn-educate.blogspot.com/
"Technical skill is the mastery of complexity, while creativity is the mastery of simplicity"
Assembly Message – Youth Day (11 June 2007)
This Saturday, the 16th of June is national Youth Day. On Youth Day we celebrate the heroic actions of young people who took to the streets of Johannesburg in protest of an oppressive system of government 31 years ago, in 1976.
In the face of apartheid's brutality, these learners joined together, voiced their unhappiness and set in motion the march towards the freedom which we finally received in 1994.
The struggle for freedom was fought by students, parents, teachers, workers and the broader community, who supported the students in their demand for a political voice. Armed with placards, a strong will and determination, they fought the might of armed police and soldiers.
It is so important that in remembering what happened 31 years ago, we continue to celebrate our freedom and reflect on how far we have come as young South Africans in reversing the damage caused by apartheid. I want to urge you as the future of South Africa, as our future leaders, politicians, educators and business men and women, let us rededicate ourselves to the achievement of the democratic ideals which the youth of 1976 stood up for. Let us be as strong willed and as determined to stand up for what we believe in. Let us stand united, peacefully and whole-heartedly against the evils in our society, in our homes, on our playgrounds and in our hearts. Florida Primary learners, the South Africa we live in today is still the beautiful land it has always been, but is littered poverty, crime, racism and violence. In 1976 South Africans just like you and me fought extremely hard for the democratic education that we receive today. Your education and your democracy is you right, a right that thousands of people suffered for. Our rights give us wonderful opportunities which will become powerful tools that will serve us our whole lives. But with this great power, we must remember the great responsibilities, to serve ourselves, our country, our parents, and most of all the democracy for which we fought so hard.
In the face of apartheid's brutality, these learners joined together, voiced their unhappiness and set in motion the march towards the freedom which we finally received in 1994.
The struggle for freedom was fought by students, parents, teachers, workers and the broader community, who supported the students in their demand for a political voice. Armed with placards, a strong will and determination, they fought the might of armed police and soldiers.
It is so important that in remembering what happened 31 years ago, we continue to celebrate our freedom and reflect on how far we have come as young South Africans in reversing the damage caused by apartheid. I want to urge you as the future of South Africa, as our future leaders, politicians, educators and business men and women, let us rededicate ourselves to the achievement of the democratic ideals which the youth of 1976 stood up for. Let us be as strong willed and as determined to stand up for what we believe in. Let us stand united, peacefully and whole-heartedly against the evils in our society, in our homes, on our playgrounds and in our hearts. Florida Primary learners, the South Africa we live in today is still the beautiful land it has always been, but is littered poverty, crime, racism and violence. In 1976 South Africans just like you and me fought extremely hard for the democratic education that we receive today. Your education and your democracy is you right, a right that thousands of people suffered for. Our rights give us wonderful opportunities which will become powerful tools that will serve us our whole lives. But with this great power, we must remember the great responsibilities, to serve ourselves, our country, our parents, and most of all the democracy for which we fought so hard.
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