The School Corridor Tatler

The day I reported to Fish Hoek Education Circuit office as my new workplace, I should have smelt a rat when I saw the truckload of bags with a blonde head moving into the building. My goodness, I remember thinking, is this what I was going to morph into?  The bags plonked themselves on the floor in the conference room and in their place, stood Colleen, my new colleague, the Foundation phase subject adviser that I would be working with for the next six years! As time passed,  I realized THE BAGS are the South African curriculum in motion. Over the years, THE BAGS, like our curriculum, adapted to the change, without losing their volume, though. Their contents writhed and grappled with the change from plain Jane NCS and its Gazette, 29626, that prescribed the requirements for progression in the GET band, to CAPS Gazette, 34600. Where Colleen went, THE BAGS followed. It was during our circuit meetings that these BAGS dominated our space. When it was Colleen's turn to...

Prof. Jonathan Jansen signing books with Square Hill Primary School learners waiting to chat to him. We say children have to read to help them learn faster, but how many of our principals and teachers are reading? If you speak to teachers, principals and even district officials, it becomes evident that many of those directly involved in education seldom make time to read. Reading feeds the soul and the mind One inherent danger in not reading for leisure or reading literature in your own industry means you are stunting your own personal and professional growth. Leisure reading is a pleasurable activity and a stress reliever. Reading takes our minds away from all the pressures and allows us to enter the world of others at no cost. On the flip side, professionals should read to keep their minds fresh. Reading helps them build their knowledge which will come in handy during their work as well. How are we going to stay abreast of all the new knowledge that is created at breakneck speed if w...

I knew Friday 04 October was going to be hectic, but I got more than I bargained for.  I had three key engagements: a visit to Floreat Primary school in Steenberg where I was supposed to conclude the performance appraisal of Noel Isaacs, the Head of school. We had already spent three hours a few weeks ago on the process and agreed that we needed no longer than another two hours to wrap up the appraisal. Then I needed to complete important administrative tasks at our offices in Fish Hoek and later the evening we had our Schools Arts Festival at the Cape Town City Hall where I needed to be. I had it all worked out and knew I would be able to tick off the boxes at the end of the day.  Well, life happens, you know and then the linear planning goes off the rails. That is exactly what happened to me on Friday morning till just before noon. I did start my day as planned, but that is as far as it went. So, here I give you a fairly diluted sequence of events once I arrived at Floreat P...