When I was young I used to believe I could learn everything
there was to know about everything. Now I have come to realize what Sir Isaac
Newton meant when he uttered these words:
“I do not know what I may appear to the world, but to myself
I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the sea-shore, and diverting
myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary,
whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me.”
―
Isaac
Newton
I read Paul Webb’s chapter “An International look at
educating young adolescents in South Africa” while sitting by the ocean today.
Truthfully it brought to mind more questions than solutions to the issues
facing South African educators. I liked that it placed some historical content
to the current situation we see at Emfundweni and talking to others who are
working to improve education in the Port Elizabeth area gives me a glimpse at
the vision of the what South African education can be if the pilot programs
take root and grow.
He wrote the paper in
2009 and I want to ask Mr. Webb if he has seen any changes or growth in the three
years since he wrote that paper. I have seen the difference between schools
located in the city and schools in the townships. I am glad that the
educational community is aware and attempting to address the two unofficial
education systems present.
I have spoken to many people about how government funding of
schools works. I honestly cannot tell you much except everyone says “the
government gives equal pay to all schools.” When we ask why there is such a big
difference between city schools like Gary and township schools like Emfundweni,
you get interesting responses. The most common would be “the parents contribute
more.”
The whole conversation reminds me of the segregated black
and white schools in the United States and the “Separate but equal” philosophy.
South Africa seems to be at the same point the US was when slavery ended. I hope that South Africa learns from the
mistakes we made and that South African leaders like Nelson Mandela arise and inspires the country many ethnic
groups to come together and recognize the humanity within each person. I hope
that South Africa can overcome the prejudices and misconceptions about other
ethnic groups to build a stronger, smarter and more prosperous South Africa.
·
I do NOT find bushmen mad and violent savages.
·
Xhosa people are NOT lazy.
·
NOT all white South Africans are seeking to
exploit and control others.
·
Just because someone is uneducated, does NOT
mean he or she is stupid.
·
Most people would rather have a hand UP than a
handout, especially people who live in townships.
·
There are a LOT of people in South Africa
concerned about and working towards improving the educational system.
·
HIV and AIDS awareness should be a priority
along with basic sanitation.
An issue that South Africa faces that I do not believe the
United States is the issue of language
of instruction (English or the native tongue or Afrikaans). In addition, I do not believe that the United
States ever had to deal with the “formation of militant teacher organizations
and the rejection of educational authorities.”
It does make one rethink teacher workshops if the teachers decide to
show up armed.
Some other question I have for Mr. Webb are:
1.
What are the practical applications or programs
started by the President’s Education Initiative post 1994 “Getting Learning
Right”?
2.
I also wonder how true the statement below is
and how teacher education and confidence can be improved so that they no longer
feel threatened by the probing questions of their students.
“Teachers, unsure of their own knowledge base and either
unable or unwilling to expand it, manage their teaching-consciously or
subconsciously- in a manner which prevents pupils from venturing beyond the
confines they set. This prevents any learning opportunity for pupils that may
threaten the shaky foundations of their teacher’s knowledge and skills, a
product of the inferior education offered at South African Teacher’s Training
colleges, the major source of training for educators of Black children in their
middle school years.”
3.
What is being done to address the poor training
at the South African Teacher training colleges? How can we motivate teachers to
learn new methods of teaching and keep them from becoming burnt out?
4.
How do you address: hunger, poor sanitation,
lack of textbooks and other school supplies, undertrained and demotivated
teachers?
“The study showed that it is possible for poor schools in
the mainstream of South Africa’s education system to perform at outstanding
levels, through extraordinary commitment, competence and accountability”
5.
What are the results of SA National Research
Foundation “An Audit and interpretative analysis of education research in south
Africa”?
After reading the chapter, I am left wanting to read the
rest of the book and wanting to see what changes and improvements have been
made since the studies have been conducted.
Monday November 20th,while teaching the kids how
to sew in one of my workshops, I meet a
gentleman from GM South Africa foundation whose wife works for the education
department. We meet Angi Jones on Tuesday and she took me on a tour of one of
their turnaround schools on Wednesday. It was very interesting to see what
changes could bee made in a year’s time and how much improvement still needed
to be done.
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