The SWEP project has helped teachers in Soweto to gain confidence. Lorraine van der Merwe reports on its success so far
The fruits of in-service training and the dedication of teachers was rewarded at Lejoeleputsoa Primary School in Meadowlands, Soweto when the Principal and staff received the Rector’s Gold medal award from the Johannesburg College of Education (JCE, shortly to be amalgamated with the University of Witwatersrand).
This award is given annually for outstanding achievement in education, and was presented by JCE’s Rector, Professor Graham Hall. The ceremony last month was enthusiastically celebrated with singing, dancing and speeches by the staff, pupils and parents of the school. A high point at the ceremony for the children was the contribution and official opening of wooden playground equipment. This equipment will make a vast difference to the children’s development and enjoyment outside the classroom, and also supports the effort staff have been making to improve the outdoor learning environment for the children.
The receiving of this award by the school is not a random event, but something that has been worked towards, particularly since 1997 when Lejoeleputsoa Primary school joined the School Wide Enrichment Programme (SWEP) programme. The SWEP project started in 1996 and, in conjunction with JCE, its aim is to concentrate on the development of teachers: developing their confidence and competence in the classroom, creating the appropriate opportunities to do so, hopefully resulting in a more effective learning environment. SWEP was launched with five pilot schools in Soweto. These primary schools are all in underprivileged communities, where the children’s parents are largely unemployed and some are illiterate. Essential components to SWEP are support and cooperation. Vera Henstock, project manager for SWEP at the JCE, says that classroom support is very important in long term re-education, and this is the because of “the initial lack of a sound education, and the teacher training at pre-service level”.
Nearly all the SWEP programme work is in collaboration with JCE staff and students. At the school end, partnership and interaction have developed between school staff, the children and their parents. This has made for a more integrated approach to teaching and improving education, in a spirit of cooperation. Various activities at the pilot schools have motivated and helped the school staff to gain more expertise and confidence in the classroom. JCE students have spent time at the schools in classrooms with teachers, assessing and helping with problem areas, as well as giving workshops for school staff at some of the schools. Aspects covered in these workshops have been on areas such as lesson planning, implementation, assessment and resource for activities in mathematics and literacy. One of the focii from the JCE side is to strengthen teaching of oral and written language, and mathematics. Henstock says that ‘generally teachers responded positively’. These workshops have brought about many examples of visible change to the classroom, such as a change to a more interactive style of teaching between teachers and children. Changes in the appearance of the classroom can also be detected, with the use of more wall charts to support lessons, and examples of children’s work being displayed, and the displays themselves changing more regularly throughout the year to reflect current lessons.
Another project that has helped to promote language and reading development was the provision of book sacks containing activities, such as books, puzzles and language games. The book sacks were designed and assembled by students of JCE and have added an exciting dimension to learning in the classroom for teachers and children, and for the enthusiastic parents who have been involved in the programme.
— The Teacher/Mail & Guardian, January, 2001.