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DISTRICT BASED TEACHER RECRUITMENT STRATEGY

PROJECT SCOPE AND PROGRESS

26 JANUARY 2016

Presented by: Nqabakazi Mathe Education Project Manager

Save the Children (Free State)

Contents

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Project Background and Objectives

Project Scope and Approach

Stakeholders and Roles

UNISA Curriculum

School Practice Approach

Mentorship Approach

Upcoming Activities

Project Background and Objectives

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Background • Series of meetings btwn ELMA and The Minister of Basic Education from July 2013 –unemployed youth introduce to

teaching. Unsatisfied with the quality of teachers from long distance learning institutions. Solution to that is a model that would ne rolled out nationally, but test in high performing district.

Need Analysis • A shortage of teachers in Foundation Phase , low enrolment for studies in FP, where the majority of Bachelor

of Education students see high school teaching as more important and prestigious than Foundation Phase

teaching.

• A shortage of teachers in key subjects (languages, mathematics and mathematical literacy)

• Inefficiencies in the graduation rate of teachers from higher education.

• 3.3 million South African youth aged 15 – 24 are not employed or studying.

*Source: Teachers in South Africa: Supply and Demand 2013-2025, Centre for Development and Enterprise,2015

Primary Objectives • Support the National and Free State Department of Basic Education’s efforts to increase the number of

qualified, motivated and committed primary school teachers in the Thabo Mofutsanyane District (Free State)

• Attract well qualified teachers to work in rural area by giving them to access bursaries, Improving knowledge and skills of Foundation Phase Teachers in delivering quality teaching;

• Preparing student teachers for the teaching profession; • Document and share lessons from the mentoring program with the national and provincial education

department as well as with other organizations that deliver pre-service teacher education programs to inform continuous improvement and learn from best prac

Project Scope and Main Components

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• Four Components: Recruitment, Education Institution, Student Financial Support and Mentorship

• Location: In Thabo Mofutsanyane District (TMD), high concentration of schools with shortage of 200 Foundation Phase teachers, with most current FP Teachers closer to pension years.

• Student Recruitment Strategy: Harambee hired to recruit 100 young people –July 2015. Tests, interviews, shadow matching to determine levels of commitment, learning abilities and

understanding of the teaching profession. Developed FP profile from 10 FP teachers. First cohort of 50 recruited to study 2016-2019 with UNISA Second Cohort for 2017-2020

• Tuition and Teaching Practice: Placed in 20 schools within TMD, schools chosen by district (criteria= results, performance of FP teachers and strong and good leadership) Students paired with FP teachers for transfer of knowledge and skills teaching practice for four years BeD Degree study and support by long distance learning institution, UNISA

• Student Financial Support: Funza Lushaka, NSFAS, ETDP SETA

• Mentorship: 5 Mentors for 100 students, 3 in 2016, 2 more in 2017 To assist students with academic and psycho-social issues. Develop Mentorship Guidelines, measurement tools

• Project Monitoring and Evaluation: SCSA MEAL Officer and external evaluator. PSC established to iron bottle necks and monitor progress

Project Outcomes • Develop a model/ strategy to recruit and produce quality Foundation Phase Teachers • And improve existing teacher development programmes

Stakeholders and Roles

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The Department has committed to provide student funding estimated at R37m over five years

Project Monitoring and support

DBE will arrange biannual steering committee meetings with national, provincial and district representatives for progress updates and sharing of challenges and successes by the project team.

The Provincial Departments of Basic Education will be responsible for: • teacher supply projections and

identifying priority areas by subject, phase and geographic area;

• Working with SCSA to identify host schools;

• Facilitating students’ placements in schools;

• Making relevant documents and information available to district based stakeholders; and

• Ensuring finances are available for the Funza Lushaka bursary payments.

• Identify and hire highly experienced service providers

• Stakeholder identification and project design

• Provide funding for student recruitment and mentorship programmes

• Provide project guidance, monitoring and evaluation

• Stakeholder mobilization and support

• Assist in project initiation activities

Coordinating the entire project;

• Recruiting, training, supporting and paying the mentors;

• Providing training and support for host schools’ SMTs and teachers;

• Providing training workshops for student teachers;

• Providing support and guidance to student teachers’ parents and families;

• Arranging a learning forum for organizations running teacher education internships

Stakeholders and Roles

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SCSA Mentors

• Support student teachers in understanding academic content,

curriculum materials, assignments and study programs;

• Measure student teachers’ performance against objectives and

targets set by UNSA and DBE;

• Schedule and conduct weekly meetings with the student

teachers and monthly meetings with Mentor teachers to ensure

accurate and ongoing feedback on student’s performance;

• Mentor student teachers by providing ongoing advice and

support on issues of curriculum, relationships and studying

approaches;

• Plan, arrange and support capacity building events as part of the

project intervention activities;

• Coordinate and conduct the annual parental involvement

events;

• Provide input into the development of resources and materials

required for the project activities;

• Drive data collection efforts and draw on monitoring and

evaluation data so as to inform and re-direct project

implementation;

• Collaborate closely with the MEAL unit to ensure continuous

improvement of the project, proper documentation,

accountability and internal learning;

Class Teacher Mentors

• Establish and agree on working relations with the student

• Capacitate students on how to comply with schools policies and

procedures, including child protection, health, safety and confidentiality.

• Teach students how to prepare, maintain and use equipment/resources

to meet lessons/ relevant activities.

• Capacitate them on how to establish sound relations with parents

/guardians

• Introduce the student to the learners and ensure learners treat them

with the same respect as teachers.

• Consult and communicate classroom progress, approaches in working

with the student and challenges faced with the mentors on scheduled

dates

• Observe student teacher in practice and identify gaps in their student’s

teaching skills and knowledge

• Complete a student assessment form every month and submit to the

mentors monthly,

• Work with UNISA Supervisors when they visit to observe student’s

teaching practice,

• Advise the project how the teaching practice can be improved through

your experience in working with the student

• Attend quarterly meetings of the district structure on this project to

report and share lessons,

• Report any misconduct by the student which is illustrated in their

contract given to you.

• Plan and prepare students on time for leave

Project Design Contributors

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Develop Student Recruitment Strategy

Recruit 100 unemployed youth meeting tertiary and Best FP criteria's

Develop a Foundation Phase Teacher Profile

Conduct a workshop to prepare students for schools

Assist with students applications & issue acceptance letters

Workshop students on the curriculum Submit registered student list to NDBE for Funza

Lushaka Facilitate timeous disbursement of stipends and

communicate if there are problems Provide subject specialists to assist in explaining

subject content Keep open communication lines btwn mentors

and lecturers Upgrade their programmes and support services

based on lesson learnt Train Mentor Class Teachers and external

mentors on teaching practice programme Provide Supervisors to assess student’s school

practice Assist external mentors with their quarterly

training sessions on teaching profession Conduct comparative analysis of controlled

group and experimental groups of students

Share teacher development/ mentorship programmes, tools, approach and lessons learnt with SCSA

Provide ongoing assistance and advice when needed

Use mentorship approach to train SCSA and Class Teacher Mentors on mentorship

Assist in development of Mentorship Guidelines

Assist in improving FP teaching methods

UNISA Curriculum

Bachelor of Education: ECD- Foundation Phases= 40 modules in 4 years 10 Semester modules (5 Register in January exams in May and 5 modules in 2nd semester

exams in November), one 12 month module Out of 40, 10 its compulsory modules with educational themes- teaching on child

development and how to teach. Each module has 2 assignments (study guides sent to SCSA) 15 is school based subjects (sister colleges within UNISA), Psychology (learn how adults think and learn)

and 2 languages (English and African Language)

2 assignments per module, 20 per year, submitted online Student Support: group forums, e-tutor, lecturer visits, student group chats, peer mentoring,

etc. Bookshop-voucher system (sent to student phones) Most UNISA communication and work via online-student laptops-temp solution is school

comp labs (high performance)

Teaching Practice is 5 weeks per annum They check functionality of schools –varies (rural vs urban) is there learning taking place Design content of what students have to learn in 5 weeks (consecutive) Have Coordinator assigned for each province and Supervisors located in various provinces,

identify and allocate them to our schools.

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School Practice

• Student Placement 2016:

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AREA SCHOOL GRADE

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GRADE

1

GRADE 2 GRADE 3 NO. OF

STUDENTS

Harrismith 1. Vulindlela 4 4 4 4 4

2. Tsebong/

Olwazini

2 3 3 3 4

3. Pulamadiboho 3 3 3 3 3

Bethlehem 4. Impumelelo 4 6 6 6 4

5. Nthute 2 2 3 3 2

Lindley 6. Thutotsebo 3 5 4 5 3

Reitz 7. Petsana 2 3 4 4 3

Qwaqwa 8. Letlotlo 4 5 5 5 4

9. Witsieshoek 3 3 3 3 3

10. Lerato 4 5 4 4 4

11. Machaea 3 3 3 3 3

12. Mehloding 2 2 3 3 2

13. Naka 2 2 2 2 3

14. Lesaoana 2 2 2 2 2

15. Teboho 3 3 3 3 3

Warden 16. Slindokuhle 2 7 4 3 3

School Practice Approach

First Year Practice: Spend 3 days in schools and six hours within the premises. Four hours within FP classes, 2 hours studying

Class Teacher Modelling Teaching through daily activities, involving student in activities, learning procedures

Student Contract signed btwn students and SCSA

Students to be placed first week on February 2016

Class Teacher Questionnaire: to assess perceptions on scope of FP, the project and future challenges, including their qualifications

Redefining model and upgrading of tools and approaches six monthly

Monthly Mentor Class Teacher activity assessment form will inform the development of a school practice model and identify gaps for training and support for Class Teacher Mentors

First Year Outcomes: • Learn Classroom Management: how to discipline, how to plan work, use teaching materials/

aids, give and assess tasks/ activities, give and control group tasks, how to prepare and give home work, etc. How to divide and work with different learners, how to identify learning abilities of various learners, how to give and manage learner individual tasks

• Learn planning and administration: How to take registers, marking, how to plan lessons, how to file, time management, etc.

• Learner Interaction: learn how to communicate and understand children better, how to be patient and understand children needs, how to address those needs, identifying and resolving issues of children with psycho-social issues

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Mentor Monthly Activities • Initial Meetings with students (students profiling and baselines)- loan students travelling funds until stipend

• Monthly one-on-one meetings (identify issues, gaps, progress, academic and practice performance, attendance, school environment, etc.)

• Monthly cluster meetings (To share information and experiences, discuss common problems and challenges, plan for upcoming assignments, find ways to improve student development and learning)

• Monthly meetings with the Mentor Class Teacher and SMTs

• Quarterly Training Sessions (4), 2016 classroom management, discipline, lesson planning and delivery

• Monthly individual and joint meetings with Project Manager

Project Assessment: Student Self-Assessment and monthly activity reporting form

Class Teacher Student Performance Report

Mentor monthly reporting form

Student Teaching Practice Assessment by UNISA Supervisors

Student Progress Benchmarking

Student Results

Mentorship

Upcoming Activities in February

Acceptance of registration offers from UNISA (Jan)

Funza Lushaka Bursary processing (Jan-Feb)

Placement of Students to Schools (1-5 Feb)

Training of Mentors by PSP (9-11 Feb)

Meeting with Subject Advisors (12 Feb)

Proj. Steering Comm. Meeting (16 Feb)

Student Initial Meetings with Mentors (18-19 Feb)

First Cluster Meetings (29 Feb)

First Parental Support Meetings (19 Feb)

Teaching Practice Training- ECD Educators and Students (19-20 Feb)

District Quarterly Meeting- March

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OUR FUTURE FOUNDATION PHASE TEACHERS!

13 THANK YOU!

CONTACT DETAILS

Nqabakazi Mathe (Education Project Manager)

Save the Children (Phuthaditjhaba, 2nd Floor FDC Building)

Tel: (058) 718 2960

Cell: 0713422303

Email: nqmathe@savethechildren.org.za

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