The School Corridor Tatler

I always look forward to the reflection meeting with the four primary school principals - Lavinia Davis (Square Hill), Cassy Dick (Steenberg), Noel Isaacs (Floreat) and Lameez Rabbaney (Prince George). This foursome has been partners in this mentoring network that was established about three years ago. They have showed that professional learning networks can be a deep support network, IF you are prepared to invest in the partnership. In short, when you work with your peers, you have a pool of resources a phone call away. And, if you have a Cassy in the network, be forewarned: you will be phoned, e-mailed or picked up so that you know the group cares and cannot function well without you and your gifts. The comraderie that prevails and the mix of diverse personalities are part of the success of this professional learning network. Humour and sharp wit are also present in bucket loads here. Even I become the target of many a flippant comment. Like yesterday. "When I infor...

First, The journey of Maths teachers of three schools on the Cape Flats Aarnout Brombacher and the teachers reflecting on the term Three of our primary schools - Harmony Primary, Steenberg Primary and Prince George Primary - are in a sponsored Maths coaching programme with Brombacher and Associates. The focus is on Foundation Maths teaching. Learners are being taught number sense by learning to count, manipulate, problem-solve and practise. These schools meet once a term with Brombacher to reflect on the successes and challenges they are experiencing. Today was one of those reflection meetings. The teachers are excited because they are having more fun teaching and their learners are learning better and faster. The teachers were lyrical about the coaches linked to them. Muriel from Harmony Primary School raved about the phenomenal strides many of her learners have made in the past six months and expressed the ambivalence she experienced. " Many of my children have impro...

  The crowd enjoying themselves while the veld burns in the background On Saturday, Prince George Primary school hosted their fundraiser, an International food fair. When I arrived there just after lunchtime, I was told that the food fair was brought to a halt about a half hour before my arrival. There was shooting in Lavender Hill, a stone's throw away from the school.   Apparently, when the gunshots went off, panic set in. The crowd dropped to the ground instantly and the principal, Lameez Rabbaney and the school chairperson, Adele Campbell, threw themselves on top of the folk, trying to act as shields.   " We tried to calm the people, but they were scared, " said Fernall van Aswegen, a Head of Department at Prince George. "There was a stampede as people tried to run off and a little boy got badly injured when he fell."   " We thought our food fair was going to end on a bad note,"said Adele, the SGB chairperson. But here they are returning again a...

Women Staff at Prince George Primary School receives five-star treatment from their School Governing Body I was in awe of the Women's Day Celebrations that the School Governing Body (SGB) of Prince George Primary hosted in honour of  all the women at Prince George Primary - the educators, support staff, admin staff, parent volunteers at the school - EVERYBODY. Adele Campbell, the chairperson, was the brain behind this auspicious event.The event was fit for dignitaries of our communities - the bedrock of growing healthy communities - Women! Strike a woman, you strike a rock, says Prince George Primary SGB The programme was two-fold. The first part consisted of us honouring all South African women, present and past, who have helped to shape our future. Adele, a proud alumnus of the school, peppered her talk with humorous anecdotes of the women who have influenced her, a few of her teachers being teased endlessly for their contributions.  She says she is still a child of Lavender...