Latest news with #teacherTraining
News24
29-05-2025
- General
- News24
Teachers matter – and we need more of them
Almost everyone can remember a teacher who made a lasting difference in their life. Great teachers don't just deliver educational content – they open up opportunities, ignite curiosity, and offer encouragement that can shape a child's future. But South Africa simply doesn't have enough of them. Each year, the country produces around 15 000 new teachers – far short of the 25 000 needed. With almost half the current teaching workforce nearing retirement age, and many others taking up better-paying posts overseas, there's a growing urgency to attract, train and retain more skilled teachers locally. Recognising this, STADIO 's School of Education is working to bridge the gap between the lecture room and the classroom. Its teacher training programmes are designed not only to attract aspiring educators, but to thoroughly prepare them for the complex and often challenging environments they'll work in. Equipping teachers for the workplace Teaching has always been more than a job – it's a profession that demands resilience, empathy, adaptability, and deep commitment. Today's educators face an increasingly demanding landscape: from managing large classes and limited resources to supporting learners' emotional and psychological needs, often with little external support. That's why practical, real-world preparation is critical. Through its School of Education, STADIO equips future teachers with the tools they need to succeed. Its Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) offers a wide range of subject specialisations across the Senior Phase and Further Education and Training (FET) band, ensuring graduates are ready to teach at multiple levels. The programme is designed for flexibility, allowing students to complete it in one, 1,5 or two years – ideal for those balancing work, family or other commitments. Delivered via distance learning, the PGCE includes essential work-integrated learning elements, such as lesson planning, classroom management, and innovative teaching strategies. Students graduate with not only theoretical knowledge but also practical, in-classroom skills that prepare them to meet the realities of South Africa's education system head-on. Affordability is another key focus. By keeping fees accessible without compromising on quality, STADIO is making it possible for more South Africans to pursue their passion for teaching. This in turn will help address the country's growing demand for dedicated, skilled educators. Creating teachers of the future Although the educational landscape is rapidly evolving, with new tools and technologies available, one thing remains true: teachers matter. They change lives, shape futures, and are essential to the health of our society. By preparing and empowering the next generation of educators, STADIO is investing in a brighter, more equitable future for all. For more information, click here for the STADIO School of Education's website.
Mail & Guardian
16-05-2025
- Science
- Mail & Guardian
Advancing the teaching of chemistry in Overberg education district
According the CAPS curriculum for Natural Sciences, content of the second term covers the Matter and Materials knowledge area generally referred to as chemistry. To address this part of the curriculum, Advancing Knowledge Non-Profit Company (AK NPC) continued with its professional development programme for Natural Sciences teachers in the Overberg region. A total of 44 intersen (grade 4-7) teachers attended the Inquiry-Based Science Education (IBSE01) course on Friday 9 May 2025 and a smaller group of senior phase (grades 8 and 9) teachers attended the course on Saturday 10 May 2025. The training took place in the science laboratory of De Rust Futura Academy in Grabouw. This science laboratory called a STEM Teaching and Learning Centre (STEM TLC) was constructed through the partnership between AK NPC, Garden Cities Archway Foundation and Western Cape Education Department. The basic philosophy of the ongoing Advancing Knowledge NPC professional development training is the inquiry-based approach which includes practical and experimental (inquiry-based) hands-on application of curriculum content of each school term. These sessions therefore serve to prepare teachers for the particular term's curriculum content. The teachers' participation was arranged in collaboration with the Overberg education district's science subject advisors Mr Jandre Gerber and Ms Clothilda van Aarde. The facilitators for the chemistry sessions were Ms Zaiboeniesa Ahmed (intersen phase) and Prof Shaheed Hartley (senior phase) assisted by AK NPC staff Saadiqah Fraden, Somila Dlakavu and Yusra Joubert (science interns) and projects coordinator Melissa Petersen. EXPLORING AND ADVANCING INTERSEN (GRADE 4-7) CHEMISTRY The science laboratory at De Rust Futura Academy was a hive of activity, noise, enthusiasm and excitement on Friday 9 May 2025 as a total 44 teachers participated in the chemistry activities prepared and presented to them by the facilitator and science interns. Teachers' basic chemistry knowledge was tested both theoretically and practically but also extended and advanced through carefully selected experiments and investigations. Challenging teachers conceptions of dependent, independent and constant variables always bring out debate as many teachers are not always sure when faced with different experimental scenarios. In the end teachers actively participated in chromatography, pH testing of everyday substances using various indicators, acids and bases reactions, testing the strength of materials, application and balancing of forces, solubility of substances and various chemical reactions. Because of the number of teachers present (44), they were also guided on group work, how to set out investigations and experiments for groups of learners and assessing learners participation in groups. The activities were specifically prepared so that teachers could translate it directly into their lessons for the second term. The following are some of the teachers' reflections: The chemistry experiments were very exciting as it made us think. I like the idea that you can use an experiment that did not quite reach what it was supposed to as a learning opportunity to find out what went wrong. The interaction with colleagues during the experiments certainly makes one think and learn new things. [Teacher] The experiments we did today was not difficult or complex. It is definitely what I will do in my science class. That is what I like about this workshop. It is practical and meaningful and in line with what we can use in our lessons. [Teacher] I am a new science teacher. I was overwhelmed at first with chemistry content and all the science teachers in the workshop but it was actually nice to be able to talk to each other and see how we teach things at our schools. The workshop definitely helped me on how to plan my practical science lessons. [Teacher] Teachers expressed their appreciation for motivating them to attend the course. They were very excited and indicated that they enjoyed themselves and learnt how to implement the inquiry-based approach to teaching. [Science Subject Advisor] CHALLENGING SENIOR PHASE (GRADES 8 and 9) CHEMISTRY TEACHERS Despite the threat of a storm on Saturday 10 May 2025, teachers attended the training at De Rust Futura Academy's science laboratory. They responded well to an example which illustrated the scientific method as they could easily transfer it into their natural science lessons. The facilitator engaged teachers in a detailed discussion about matter, phases, periodic table of elements, compounds and mixtures, etc. Teachers participated in the many chemistry activities including separation of mixtures (chromatography experiment), the relationship between mass, volume and density (liquids of differing viscosity experiment), acids and bases, the pH scale and indicators (testing the pH various household substances with different everyday indicators), acid and bases reactions (investigating neutralisation through titration), preparation, testing for and reactions of three gases, namely hydrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide (preparation of hydrogen gas and reaction with oxygen in pringles box experiment), preparation of oxygen (reaction with potassium chlorate experiment), burning of metals and non-metals in oxygen (experiment with carbon, steel wool and magnesium), testing the acidity or alkalinity of the solution (testing using litmus paper) and carbon dioxide testing. All chemistry activities were extracted from the natural sciences curriculum content and related directly with what teachers had to include in their chemistry lessons. Teachers expressed their impressions of the session in their reflections: The sessions were practically-based which is an area that I find difficulty teaching at my school. I liked that everyday substances were used which we could emulate in our classes. I really enjoyed the session. [Teacher] I was quite taken aback by the simplicity and ease with which these experiments are done. It gave me a new perspective of teaching chemistry. Inquiry-based teaching of chemistry is an approach I will definitely try out in my science class. [Teacher] I consider myself to be an experienced science teacher. It was good to be reminded of the practical approach to in-class teaching as opposed to doing the science experiments as an add-on to my normal science lessons. [Teacher] Teachers indicated that they enjoyed the training. Thank you for your assistance with the inquiry-based approach. It is important for our teachers to see how this is done first hand and to be hands-on with it as well. [Science Subject Advisor] This project was made possible by the partnership between Advancing Knowledge Non-Profit Company, Garden Cities Archway Foundation and Western Cape Education Department. Organisations and corporates that want to contribute to this initiative to empower and capacitate science teachers to build a critical mass of future STEM practitioners, are encouraged to make contact with the Director of AK NPC, Prof Shaheed Hartley (
Daily Mail
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
University students wanting to be teachers now required to complete 'woke' mandatory modules before they even step foot in a classroom
The NSW government now requires teachers to be certified in Aboriginal culture and anti-racism in order to work in schools. In the latest push to politicise education, a student studying to be a teacher at Australian Catholic University (ACU) told 2GB's Ben Fordham they need to complete a compulsory module on Aboriginal culture before their placement in a school. ' Woke ideologies are being forced onto students again. All they want is to study and graduate. They don't want to be treated like primary school kids or to endure a shame session about Australian history,' Fordham told listeners on Tuesday. It follows backlash earlier this year over a decree from Sydney 's Macquarie University that all students attend lessons which described non-Indigenous Australians as 'settlers' and 'guests' in their own country. While elsewhere across the state, James Cook University instructs physiotherapy students to learn about 'white privilege', and Charles Sturt University requires students to pay to do yet another course on Indigenous culture. The new training module is from the NSW Education Department and is compulsory for any student studying to be a teacher in NSW. An ACU spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia: 'The NSW Department of Education requires all pre-service teachers to complete a mandatory training module on Aboriginal Cultural Education. 'Students can graduate from ACU education courses without this, but can not teach in government schools in NSW unless they complete this mandatory training module.' The cultural module contains six parts including language, significant people and sites, impacts of past government policies, and the journey to reconciliation. 'All staff must complete the mandatory training, Aboriginal Cultural Education – Let's take the first step together... and training on the Anti-Racism Policy and their responsibility to actively challenge racism,' the department states. The department said the module would build students' capacity and responsibility to improve cultural safety for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. 'This training supports the department's partnership agreement with the Aboriginal Education Consultative Group to respectfully acknowledge and understand the importance and diversity of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, histories and cultures and see our work through a cultural lens,' it said. 'Many staff are also taking part in 'Connecting to Country' learning which provides deep insight into the myriad of social, cultural, historic, economic and political issues that continue to affect and concern Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities.' The University of Newcastle also requires students to complete the training, according to its online course information.
