Curriculum Training and Support

Some of the learning areas are new to teachers, viz. Technology, Life Orientation. Arts and Culture, and Business Economics.  We find in many schools that teachers are teaching subjects in which they have no foundation.  This is why we focus so strongly on Curriculum Training and Support.

Maths, Literacy and Science Projects

Foundation Phase, Grades 1-3; Intermediate Phase, Grades 4-7; Senior Phase, Grades 8-9; FET Phase, Grades 10-12. This project aims at improving teaching and learning in these critical areas but first ensuring that the basics of  teaching are in place.

The Schools Development Unit of the University of Cape Town, has just completed a three-year programme aimed at improving teaching and learning in these critical areas.  It has made a considerable impact in the schools.   The Enlighten Trust will continue to build on this foundation and has appointed a Maths Specialist and a Literacy Specialist to support and assist teachers in the classrooms.

Arts and Culture Project

This includes music, art, pottery, drama, puppetry and dance. The focus is to promote creative thinking and problem-solving skills and to provide teachers with content-knowledge and skills to deliver this learning area. 

The learners have been given opportunities to take part in Eisteddfods in both music and drama, to become members of a Marimba Band and a Steel Pan Band, and to express themselves through pottery and art. Teachers have been taught how to use Puppetry as a teaching tool.  

Community members are being trained as trainers to ensure that the project is sustainable.  Two marimba bands and one steelpan band are included in this project and both bands frequently perform at school and community functions such as the Hermanus Whale Festival.

The Molteno Project

The Molteno Project which completed in 2009 focused on language and literacy for Xhosa-speakers in six schools catering for Xhosa-speaking learners. Language is an extremely complex issue in the Western Cape where 3 languages are in common usage.

Grade 8 – 12 Tutoring Project

The Tutoring Project in which all Grade 8 – 12 learners who wish to participate attend tutoring in accounting, English, science, mathematics and history.

The ACE Technology Project

The ACE Technology Project was a two-year, part-time, postgraduate qualification for teachers which ended in 2009.  No teacher had ever been a learner in a technology classroom and teachers struggle with this learning area. Modules include maths, science, technology and education.  The project integrates and supports all learning areas and includes both theory and practical application.  45 Teachers have enrolled for this. Technology as a learning area is relatively new in South African schools.  No teacher has ever been a learner in a Technology classroom, the body of knowledge is new to most educators and the specific methodologies and didactics of teaching technology have not been thought through.  We also know that the skills relating to the teaching of Technology are the generic skills that are needed to become excellent outcomes-based educators in all learning areas, but specifically in Mathematics and Science.  It allows thinking skills to develop in learners and invests in the ability of educators to master these skills.

Early Childhood Development Programme

The motivation for this is the dire need for young children from disadvantaged communities for early numeracy and literacy in preparation for the Enlighten maths/literacy/science programme in the primary schools.   This includes teacher training and the provision of books and equipment and books for young children.  This will be implemented in 5 existing centres and grade R classrooms in Hermanus.