Cause for concern
I ‘ve admired some of your ‘The year of the reader” pages, but the one in the May issue, The Talking Lizard, has me concerned. I wondered what kind of lessons about life the young reader is meant to absorb from this.
We are meant to sympathise with Lesedi, who is being bullied. I have no problem with the bully getting his just deserts, but the deserts in this case are not just. In effect, Lesedi gets his own back by a dirty trick (but he does not have to take responsibility for it, because the lizard did it). The bully is punished, but for a crime he did not commit. A lie is allowed to go undetected.
The fact that the headmaster uses corporal punishment is presented as acceptable (it is in fact not acceptable in South Africa). It is suggested that it was right for Lesedi to get someone else (the lizard) to fight his battles for him, and for the teacher to pass on her responsibility for disciplining (to the headmaster). And she uses violence to deal with the problem (grabbing Kagiso’s ear).
Physical violence is corrected by more physical violence. And one assumes that, far from having learnt his lesson, Kagiso is probably going to assuage his feelings by bullying even more.
— Di Kilpert
Facing facts
I wish to set the record straight regarding your piece in the Teacher in May, ‘Children are united in disharmony”.
On two occasions I was asked to investigate alleged fighting and verbal abuse that involved a pupil. I informed the parent that I would deal with the matter, and that the guilty parties would be punished. The pupils involved in the fighting were reprimanded and given a final warning, and the same actions were taken with the verbal abuse case. I considered the matter closed.
I have not received any feedback from the Human Rights Commission or the Department of Education. Due to the sensitive nature of this incident, the school cannot take any action until all the facts are determined.
This entire affair has greatly damaged the school’s image, and indications are that incorrect information and vague statements were given.
The Clivia School is here to serve all peoples in the community and we deplore unacceptable behaviour of any kind.
— Chris Arnold, headmaster Clivia Primary School
Appeal to authors
I am a learner in grade 11 who speaks English at school and at home. I find that many textbooks are not interesting enough. I have to read the information over and over again in order to understand the language and what is trying to be communicated.
The layout and the design of the books are often not thought through carefully enough with teenagers in mind. The print is too small and there is often not enough breathing space on the page and so I get weighed down with information.
It is sometimes not possible to answer the questions and activities. It would help if textbook writers tried to answer their own questions themselves. Learners are real people who have life experiences and are not just blank slates waiting to absorb information.
-Tamsin Clark, grade 11, Cape Town
– The Teacher/M&G Media, Johannesburg, June 2001.