Nova Pioneer uses innovative subjects such as robotics and coding in an effort to prepare its students for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Our mission is to develop the next generation of innovators and leaders for the African continent.

 

Preparing students for the future

In order to equip our students to lead and innovate in the future, we need to prepare them to work with future technologies. The World Economic Forum has forecast that the industrial economic model is shifting towards one that is both technology-driven and human-centered, which they have conceived as the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).

These 4IR technologies include artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles, advanced biotechnology, robotics, the Internet of Things, blockchain, speedy connectivity in the form of 5G and Wi-Fi 6, and 3D printing. Robotics and artificial intelligence are one of the keystone technologies for the future and no child will be equipped for tomorrow’s environment unless they have solid understanding of these concepts.

 

 

Computing, the foundation for robotics

Nova Pioneer brings a rigorous and innovative approach to education that focuses on developing everyone’s full potential. Our aim is to upskill students with coding and computational thinking, which are the foundation for robotics as well as the subject robotics itself.

Computational thinking enables our students to solve ambiguous and challenging problems – a crucial skill for a 4IR leader and innovator. It also helps develop skills like critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication. We use Robotics during weekly primary school lessons as part of our school’s Hallmark Programming curriculum. This helps in enhancing and deepening students’ understanding of subjects like science, literacy and numeracy.

 

 

 

Senior school students use robotics during Project Time as a prototyping option to make their inventions tangible, as well as in the science laboratory to make scientific measurements using the sensors with the kits. Students’ skills in robotics are measured with a combination of project rubrics, self/peer assessment, and anecdotal observations.

I firmly believe that a strong academic programme combined with 21 st century skills is required to equip our students for future success. We are delighted with the interest shown so far by our by our students in robotics and coding, which sets the tone for growing their expertise and understanding of these concepts.

Our Nova Pioneer campuses recently hosted a ‘Love your Mother Tongue’ event, aimed at observing and celebrating cultural diversity through various languages. Students were encouraged to speak their mother tongue and encourage their peers to do the same. 

 

Learning about our roots

Both schools recognise the importance for their learners to grow up knowing their individual identities, including appreciating and learning their mother tongues. This initiative not only encouraged students to share their languages but to also learn new languages. Celebrations unfolded at both campuses in the form of music, dance, poetry and storytelling by the Novaneers, their parents, as well as teachers. 

We know humans thrive by means of diversity incorporated with unique identities; the more we learn about each other and celebrate our uniqueness as well as richness, the stronger we become as a community. The sentiment expressed by our learners resoundingly was, “It was fun celebrating our mother tongue!” 

 

 

Sharing is caring

Our school strives to ensure that learners understand that most values, beliefs, and identities are embedded within the various languages. As a school, we hope to create many more opportunities to celebrate and embrace our diversity and part of it is ensuring that learners, parents, and teachers are equally enthusiastic about all our initiatives.

It is through our languages that we are able to share and transmit our experiences, our traditions and our knowledge and to share it confidently in an open platform strengthens not only one’s confidence in who they are but grants them an opportunity to be open-minded and considerate of others. Through such initiatives, Nova Pioneer hopes to impact its learners’ minds as well as their hearts.

 

 

Our Nova Pioneer students made their voices heard when they joined their peers from around the globe in a protest for climate change as part of The School Strike for Climate Change. This is in response to scientists around the world warning that we only have 25 years left to slow global warming down. 

 

Students take a stand

The School Strike for Climate is an international movement of school students who decided to take part in demonstrations to demand action to prevent further global warming and climate change. During our Friday morning assembly, our Nova Pioneer students were given the opportunity to stage their strike on campus. Students committed to participate in the The School Strike for Climate to show world leaders that they mean business and that climate change is a real crisis that deserves real solutions.

 

 

A memorandum for change

We invited Ward Councillor Isa Dos Santos to accept their Memorandum which included requests from local government to implement stricter penalties for those who negatively impact our environment. Our students would like to see a great improvement in our public transport system with hopes that it will result in fewer cars on the road as people will be willing to use public transportation. We also think that it should be compulsory for all schools to have school buses. Councillor Dos Santos agreed to take the list of requests made by the students and to hand it over to the Mayor of Joburg, Herman Mashaba.

 

 

Real change is affected by active citizens

Nova Pioneer fully supports our students participating in activities that will either ignite or help bring about change. We established Nova Pioneer because we believe education should prepare young people to create their future, not just work in it. Nova Pioneer is a launchpad where ambitious young Africans can begin to shape a better future for the continent and the world. The School Strike for Climate was an opportunity for Novaneers to become active citizens.

Nova Pioneer Paulshof learners and parents recently enjoyed a fun-filled sports day with a touch of throwback activities as teams were divided into four while parents and teachers cheered on the sidelines.

The learners took a break from academics recently as the school hosted a sports day, where learners were divided into four teams: Semenya, Makheba, Gordimer, and Tutu. With the theme of ‘flashbacks’, activities on the day were inspired by television programmes from the 80s.

The first challenge was the flat race for the Grade 1 learners. With the sun shining brightly on the day, team Tutu in red brought the crowd to life with their members displaying great pace and unity. Team Makheba also put up a good fight, obtaining seven points alongside team Tutu, followed by Gordimer with six, while Semenya only managed one point.

Learners also competed in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles challenge, Bouncing Bears and the Walk Together race, while parents and teachers cheered on the sidelines.

Teacher Caitlin van Duyn said, “A lot of planning went into this and it was very exciting to see how the learners responded to the throwback theme, and I think they enjoyed themselves.”

The final three activities of the day included a teachers’ race, forcing them out of their comfort zone for a short-distance race, where they were attached to a team member and racing to the finish line; a siblings’ race, where learners teamed up with their brothers or sisters; and a parents’ tug of war.

Our Nova Pioneer Ormonde campus was abuzz with excitement during our first ever hosted Spelling Bee Competition. The competition involved Grade Four up to Grade Six students and saw 15 students participate in the nail-biting finale. The participating students qualified after outclassing their classmates to book their spot in the top 15. 

 

An Epic Spell-down

During the Spelling Bee, contestants were asked to spell a broad selection of words with a varying degree of difficulty. Words like “distinguished”, “righteous”, “essential”, “humanities” and many more were drawn for learners to spell out in front of their peers, parents and teachers.

 

 

Buzzing with pride

The top three learners were Shiarah Sewsanker (first), Rayyaan Rayman (second) and Wania Amir (third). The winners will be entered into the South African National Spelling Bee.Teachers thanked learners for participating and every learner who took part got an accolade of participation.

 

Spelling competitions drive literacy levels

Spelling Bees not only provide a valuable educational experience for the participating learners, but also allow them to engage in healthy competition. Other benefits derived from this fun activity include team building, improved grammar, building a competitive spirit, increased knowledge of the origin of words, developing cognitive skills including the ability to handle pressure; and most importantly, these events help to boost a child’s confidence level as they gain self-assurance through learning to speak in public.

This story was first published by the Southern Courier