P a r t i c i p a t i o n W o r k s h o p s
Nutrition presented by Kholeka Mkhize from Nestlé
An informative workshop on nutrition was organized by Naomi Van Skalkwyk and presented by Kholeka Mkhize from Nestlé. There was a total of 24 ECD practitioners present at the workshop. The ECD practitioners were very enthusiastic and described the workshop as a great and valuable learning experience. Thank you Nestlé.
The Singing Schools presented by Malcolm Bowie from S.T.A.L.K. Education
A workshop on ‘The Singing Schools’ methodology was organized by the ECD Forum Executive. STALK Education presented an action-based, child-centred experience to 13 ECD practitioners from 8 ECD centres. The course was presented by Malcolm Bowie. The ECD practitioners were very motivated and participated in all the activities. They also discovered how to integrate singing, thinking and listening into their daily programmes. This workshop allowed child-care practitioners to find out about the inner voice, development of hearing and how to diagnose a child’s hearing ability. All participants present requested that more of this type of interactive workshop is valuable to them.
Practitioner support sessions were conducted in arts, music and the use of educational
material. A workshop in First-Aid was provided by the Emergency
Management Services. A Story-telling workshop was held in some of the
crèches presented by the Library department.
The Triple H Concept
Our first session on designing lessons for the ECD classroom focused on organizing a learning experienced and the school’s time table through an integrated approach were life orientation, numeracy & literacy, science, arts & culture components can be inter-woven and linked through the triple H concept.
All these areas can be achieved in a learning programme using a theme and linking “Heads-on, Hands-on and Hearts-on” aspects, keeping the learners busy learning through everything they do. Support a talking and doing classroom through trying the triple H concept. Keep your eye open for the next session. The Forum is designing their own NQF level 2, 3 and 4 ECD practitioner training materials using this concept.
We look forward to including any person and their creative ideas in the process on every third Saturday of each month.
Drawing Special Characters
The teachers of the schools in the ECD Forum also participated in workshops to help develop their skills and knowledge in:
- Drawing Characters using mixed media and waste
- Integrating Mathematics, Arts and Culture, Technology, Life Orientation, Languages and Natural - -
Sciences into hand-work activities
- Using children drawings to determine and assess the personal development of a learner
- Facilitating group work and face-to-face work with learners of all ages in ECD and
- Using drawings as a collection of evidence that presents the development stages of a learner as part of
continuous assessment.
These workshops presented by Mr M. Bowie (STALK Education (cc)) assisted
in generating funds to meet expenses in providing support for future
workshops.
Making Home-made Friends
A workshop on making ‘My home-made friend’ was presented to the school teachers of the ECD Forum by Mr M. Bowie from STALK Education (cc). This workshops aimed to help develop useful classroom handwork skills, knowledge, values and attitudes in:
• Making home-made toys using mixed media and waste
• Integrating Mathematics, Arts and Culture, Technology, Life Orientation, Languages and Natural
Sciences into hand-work activities
• Using animation and puppetry techniques to stimulate communication amongst ECD learners
• Using animation and puppetry techniques to determine and assess the personal development of a
learner
• Facilitating group work and face-to-face assessment of learners of all ages in ECD, and
• Using learner-made animations as a collection of evidence that presents the development stages of a
learner as part of continuous assessment.
Participating E.C.D Schools
The ECD Forum Schools that participated in both the ‘Drawing Characters’ and ‘My Home-made Friend:’ workshops were: Little People; Little Achievers; St Francis; Ms Motts Motherland; Davey Road Flats;
Bosmont Nursary and Zamimpilo.
Management Workshop for E.C.D. Educators.
Joburg Region B and the Department of Labour organised an accredited management workshop for ECD educators. 8 ECD educators from Region B graduated from this workshop. A special graduation ceremony was held at the Transformation and Development Centre (TDC).
HIV / AIDS Training Workshop
An HIV / AIDS workshop was presented to the teachers of the schools in the E.C.D. Forum, by Ms Thourhaan Musson, from WEFSA on 26th July 2008 at TDC. The following aspects of HIV / AIDS and its social problems were addressed:
• Stigma; Discrimination; Rights; Obligations; Gender Dimensions; Awareness; Prevention; Protection;
Treatment; Care and Support.
• Effects on vulnerable people such as:
caregivers, street children, refugees, parents, expectant mothers, orphans, single parents and the
unemployed.
The ECD Schools that attended the workshop were: Sadie’s Daycare; Little Learners; Little People; Ms Motts Motherland; Zamimpilo and STALK Education.
A Teambuilding, Peace Games experiential learning workshop was held on 2nd August 2008 at the Coronationville Recreation Centre. It was presented by Brandon Johnstone from STALK Education The workshop focused on teambuilding using communication skills, listening skills, problem solving skills and trust.
The participating schools were: LGS Dynamics; Davey Road Pre School; Sadie’s Daycare; Ms Motts Motherland; Little Learners; little people; Little Achievers and Zamimpilo ECD.
Child Behaviour Workshop
Mr. John Jacobs, an ECD service provider from France displayed his knowledge and skills on child behaviour at one of the ECD workshops in Mayfair on 7th August 2008. This workshop was aimed at the audience of Mayfair schools and neighbouring areas. Mr. John Jacobs also gave valuable input associated with preschool management across the world in other countries as well as improving the quality of services of preschools. 12 schools attended this session.
First Aid Training Workshop
St Johns provided a First Aid training workshop for the ECD schools within the ECD Forum. There were 3 training sessions held, 2 sessions at St John’s training venue and 1 training session held at Riverlea Recreation Centre. The training workshop was pitched at levels 1 and 3.
The ECD Schools that attended the workshop were: Sadie’s Daycare; Little Achievers; Little People;
Little Sunshine; Bosmont Nursary School; Ms Motts Motherland; Busy Bees; STALK Education; HIPPY;
LGS Dynamics; St Francis, St Elizabeth; and Davey Road Flats.
C h i l d P r o t e c t i o n W e e k
The E.C.D. Forum celebrated Child Protection awareness at the Highgate shopping centre on the 9th June 2007, where 15 crèches were on display with their stalls and the children with their parents in tow, were involved in a variety of events. They spent a lovely day having fun, doing things and watching exciting entertainment. A big thank you goes to all who participated and ‘got their hands dirty’. A number of Service Providers in our community greeted all with big smiles and cheerful guidance, enthusiasm and fun.To acknowledge a few members: Emergency Management Services deals with burns and poisoning prevention, etc.; Colgate- Palmolive; Local Libraries with their children gift bags; SABC Urbanbrew; Together Action Group (TAG); Netcare911; Medical Research Council (MRC). Stalls with educational material and live entertainment groups graced the occasion: Eskom, Dream of the Nation (D.O.N.); Teenage Star Models; Monkeynastix; SAATME and many more. Join us next year, again for more fun. Let’s make it bigger and better.
The ECD Forum celebrated and hosted an event for Child Protection Awareness, on the 05th June 2008 at the Bill Jardine Stadium. There was a total of 8 ECD schools and 276 kids ranging from the ages between 3 and 6 years old. There were 5 service providers who supported this event namely, Monkeynastics, SPCA , SAPS, Zinto Productions and Joburg Region B. The event was a great success and all the children enjoyed the various activities that were held on that day. On behalf of the ECD Executive and the Forum members, we would like to thank all the service providers, the executive and Forum members, educators, ECD schools, the management of the Bill Jardine Stadium and most of all the children for a great event. After all, the children were the VIPs of the event.
C h i l d P r o t e c t i o n — S e r v i c e P r o v i d e r s
N a t i o n a l C h i l d r e n ’ s D a y E v e n t s
National Children’s Day was celebrated on the 2nd November. A number of schools from the Forum celebrated the day in exciting ways showing their dedication and commitment towards the development of children: St Francis, St Elizabeth's, Ms Motts Motherland and HIPPY— Fire Engine Demonstration; Little Achievers—Trip to Santarama Miniland; Bafana Le Bonyana - Fire Engine Demonstration; Simmunye, Davey Road Flats - Kiddies Olympics at the Danie Van Zyl recreation centre.