Chemistry Department

Teaching the teachers

Teaching Teachers Programme

2008 is a watershed year for secondary school education in South Africa as soon the first matric class to write the NCS (New Curriculum statement) will begin their final examinations. Unfortunately, there is a general perception that teachers in many disciplines have struggled to adapt to the new curriculum. In response to this perceived problem, the South African Chemical Institute (SACI) in conjunction with the The Marang Centre for Science and Mathematics Education at Wits University has set aside funding for selected projects geared to provide support training for science teachers specifically in Chemistry. The project proposal submitted by Dr Ken Ngcoza of the Rhodes Education Department and Mrs Joyce Sewry of the Rhodes’ Department of Chemistry was subsequently well funded by SACI, and the Marang Centre and has enabled Physical Science teachers from about 15 schools in the Grahamstown district, from afar afield as Alexandria and Port Alfred, as well as the public schools in Grahamstown to attend weekly workshops in the Department of Chemistry. The content of the workshops, involving a mix of theory and practical work, was initially determined by the teachers. Once the teacher’s needs were established Mrs Joyce Sewry and her team of committed Chemistry post-graduate students have provided the teaching input using the facilities and resources available in the Department of Chemistry.

Teaching Teachers Programme

Teacher attendance has been excellent and this has been attributed to the ongoing commitment to the success of this project from Mrs Sewry and the Chemistry post-graduate students and co-partners Mr Reuben Maselwa and Mr Leon Goosen of the Grahamstown District Education office and Dr Ken Ngcoza. “I was prepared to go ahead with the project, because all three partners share our Department’s passion for Science Education” said Mrs Sewry. After one of the workshops, Dr Ngcoza commented: “Each day I come to these empowering workshops, not only in terms of content knowledge, but social and cultural cross-pollination, my spirit is revived and lifted. It is such a wonderful learning space for everybody and I'm particularly impressed with the level of commitment shown by the teachers.”

Teaching Teachers Programme