YOUR GUIDE TO INVESTING IN EDUCATION
Futurekids (SA) embarked on an intensive countrywide teacher training programme at the beginning of the year that represents a major investment in the skills of South African educators.
Futurekids (SA) managing director Victor Schultze says the investment in teachers is critical, as the new educational paradigm calls for more creative teachers of a higher calibre than ever before. “Investing in upgrading their skills and empowering teachers is an important step in keeping our valuable and highly qualified educators in the profession – where the country needs them.”
The advanced level training is being carried out, free of charge, for the teachers involved with the Futurekids programme in schools around the country. This is in addition to the comprehensive training which has always been part of the implementation of Futurekids in schools.
“The classroom is the epicentre of the computer revolution,” says Schultze, “and mastering computer technology empowers teachers to bring all learning areas alive with the creativity of multimedia.
“Computers and the internet are classroom resources that enable teachers to fulfil the new educational criteria of not just teaching information, but teaching learners how to access, analyse, evaluate, synthesise, debate, utilise and apply information. Part of the process is teaching problem solving, which nurtures business skills and entrepreneurial thinking.”
The advanced programme involves formal training in all the critical areas covered by Futurekids – from Specialist User Word and Exel, to CorelDraw, Pastel and PC Repairs and Robotics. Futurekids is also encouraging the teachers to write the ICDL and Cambridge certification examinations. Classes are held for three hours every fortnight and the full course of programmes to be covered will take a number of years of ongoing training, so, Futurekids classify this training as ‘life long learning’, and expect it to continue indefinitely.
Over 200 teachers have been trained as part of this initiative to date.
– The Teacher/M&G Media, Johannesburg, August 2001.