From the Principal’s Desk – 7 February 2019
Dear Parents
Over the past couple of days, reports of an altercation between a teacher and a student at a local Cape Town school has occupied social and print media. As you can imagine, I have been bombarded with questions as to the apportioning of blame in this regrettable incident.
It is clear that there is more to this situation than one cellphone video reveals. It seems that the levels of frustration, of both the teacher and the student, had been on the rise before the student with the cellphone began filming the altercation. As a teacher I understand the repercussions of a student not having the correct book with them in class as this will cause issues down the line when a parent does book- checks and finds no work.
We all have our different theories as to how discipline in the classroom should be maintained, but we can all agree that it is totally unacceptable for a teacher to strike a student. It is also unacceptable for students to treat their teachers with disrespect. Insubordination creates a culture of disrespect, not only in a particular class but in the school as a whole. Bullying comes in various forms and instilling fear in children is an intimidation tactic, inappropriate for the classroom. One of my favourite sayings is “rules without relationship causes rebellion” and the altercation I am talking about is symptomatic of this simple truth.
Although corporal punishment was allowed when I was at school, I do not believe that it was the reason I towed the line. It was ultimately the fact that I knew my teacher would call my parents and the repercussions when I got home would be serious. I was taught to respect and honor my elders, be it an older sibling, a teacher, any adult I had dealings with.
One thing I am mindful of is that teaching is not the job it used to be as it is increasingly difficult to maintain discipline in the classroom. It is unfair for a teacher to have to spend any amount of time creating order before teaching can begin. It is a terrible waste of precious teaching time and frustrating, not only for the teacher, but for the other students in the class. A dear friend remarked yesterday that it seems educators now need danger pay as well. I believe, as a management team, we must be aware of the well being of our staff. Life can be difficult and challenging and supporting one another, listening to one another, relieves the frustration we feel at times.
Please remember our Interactive Curriculum Morning on Saturday the 9th of February for our Junior Primary school. We are looking forward to sharing classroom experiences with you as parents, grandparents, au pairs and everyone else who plays a role in our children’s learning.
I am also pleased to let you know that we are starting the installation of a new jungle gym at the Foundation Stage campus on Monday 11th of February and I would like to ask all parents to remind their children to be extra alert and cautious during this period.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend.
All my best.
Edna
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From the Principal’s Desk – 31 January 2019
Dear Parents
It was such a joy to see so many families at our Sports Day last Saturday. Your support of our young athletes builds their self-confidence and drive to succeed. I am certain that as our Sports Department continues to grow, we will see many more of you at matches and other sporting events.
As parents we want the very best for our children; we entertain a myriad of hopes and dreams for their future. We nurture their dreams, provide as best we can and are there to put them back on their feet after a fall. We wish to alleviate their pain, but also equip them for the world beyond their own front door. Our support is crucial to their growth, and their development as well-rounded and conscientious members of society.
Our innate desire as parents is to want more for our children, to provide them with whatever will make them happy, but what is really important is how we build and develop them through our love and support. Irrespective of diverse backgrounds, our goal is the same. The inherent desire to put our children first and to do so, and be good stewards of them, we must be in good spirits ourselves. We must take care of our own emotional well being in order to care for theirs. We work hard, taking on the realities and challenges of life, often hiding the truth from our children to protect them. It is crucial, however, that we have balance in our lives and take time out to reboot. When we are taking good care of ourselves, we are better equipped to take care of our young charges.
On a different note, tomorrow, the 1st of February, is “World Read Aloud Day”. This annual advocacy day, presented by the global literacy nonprofit organization LitWorld and sponsored by Scholastic, unites people around the world by highlighting the importance of reading aloud and sharing stories.
Our librarian, Mrs. Mashazi, will read aloud to the whole of the junior school tomorrow as we play our part in this important celebration.
We trust you will have a wonderful weekend!
Best wishes
Edna
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