In my family it is common practice that every evening we ask each other: ‘How was your day?” When I asked my daughter, Lesego, this question, she replied: ‘Tell me first how yours was, Dad.”
As an educator, it is obvious that seven to eight hours of my day are spent at work. At around 7.10am, before assembly, I help a group of learners to practise the school’s presentation for the State of the Environment competition. As a teacher, not only do I teach science, I also participate in all science activities organised by the government to empower my learners. We are the defending champions of last year’s competition. Furthermore, these learners use computers to do PowerPoint presentations and that is part of using information and communication technology (ICT) in the teaching and learning of science.
After morning assembly, I prepare the computer laboratory for the day. As a former teacher in a Mastec (Maths, Science, Technology Education College) project school, we were given computers for the purposes of teaching, learning and management. I happen to be the computer technician at my school.
In addition, as a school we are implementing the use of ICT in teaching maths, science and technology. This is in accordance with the government’s policy on E-education, which states that all schools should be ICT schools by 2013.
Recently I was invited to make a presentation about the use of ICT in teaching maths, science and technology to principals and teachers from the 50 Dinaledi schools in Limpopo. These are the schools tasked with growing the number of maths and science learners and improving performance in these subjects.
At our school, we also meet daily to discuss ways in which we can improve our teaching. We meet during break to discuss our roles in the cluster of schools, where we help each other with how to teach a particular topic.
As a school we initiated this clustering of subjects to develop and instil love for them among teachers. Our cluster includes the nearby high schools we feed with grade sevens. I coordinated primary maths discussions at the recent 12th annual Association for Mathematics Education of South Africa (Amesa) conference held at the University of Limpopo.
We also encourage educators to become members of Amesa, the South African Association of Science and Technology Educators and other maths, science and technology-related organisations. In between assembly, break and school out, I conduct lessons to the grade five, six and seven learners. Like most of the schools in our country, I deal with situations such as a teacher ratio of 1:60.
At 1.10pm, it is time for sports activities. I am involved in rugby, cricket and soccer. However, the focus has shifted towards the State of the Environment competition group again as the date for provincial final is around the corner. School knocks off at 2.30pm, and then I often go to a nearby orphanage centre called Re a kgona, where I am the secretary on the board of trustees. I help with sports activities or gardening. The centre cares for children affected by HIV/Aids.
This is my typical day until 4pm, when I go home and relax a little before preparing for the next day.
I love being an educator, whether teaching learners or teaching educators. I love my job, especially teaching maths, science and technology.
Simon Modiba is a teacher at Pulamadibogo Primary School in Mankweng, Limpopo. He was named the Aggrey Klaaste Maths, Science and Technology Educator of the Year for 2005/06 in the general education and training phase. The award is sponsored by the Telkom Foundation