No image available
/ 18 February 2009

Don’t get bullied in the staff room

Usually teachers know how to deal with classroom bullies. They’re also able to solve bullying incidents on the school grounds and sports fields. When teachers retreat to the staffroom for a soothing cup of tea, they may think they’re entering a "bully-free" zone, but they might be wrong.

No image available
/ 23 January 2009

A good start to the year

‘Well begun is half done", is a familiar English proverb and it definitely applies to teachers at the start of the year. Quality teachers ensure that their learners are happy, yet disciplined. How do they do it? Here are nine suggestions:

No image available
/ 13 May 2008

How to get talking

The Beijing Olympics are in August. In the gymnastic events the athletes will be aiming for "perfect scores" – full marks from every judge. In a school situation it’s slightly tougher to get a perfect score for communication from all the stakeholders.

No image available
/ 18 March 2008

Quality in leadership

What is the best leadership style for the classroom and the school? The consensus is that there is no single one that will be right all the time. Yet similar leadership styles are found in virtually all quality-driven schools.

No image available
/ 30 November 1999

Happy Xmas, Sir

The year was 1969, my first year of teaching. The last day of the school year at Doornfontein Primary had arrived. Everyone in my standard two (grade four) class was excited. At 12pm the bell would ring shrilly to announce the start of the December holidays.