Our Novaneers have once more shown us what it means to take charge of their own learning. The closing of schools did not mean books had to be shut for our students at Nova Pioneer, Ormonde. They carried our reading culture home as they continued to prepare for the South African Literacy Association reading competition which, for the first time, took place remotely.

 

National Winners

 

Despite the challenges brought by the pandemic, our students submitted videos of themselves reading their favourite books for the English Home Language prepared reading competition. Four of our students entered Reitumetse Mosikare and Lesedi Mosebo who both received a B symbol, Zahra Chalwe an A+ and Tshedza Sithagu an A++ in the provincial round. We wish to congratulate all these learners for their dedication to reading. 

Of these students, two proceeded to represent Nova Pioneer at the National Final Round. Zahra Chalwe contested in the English Home Language prepared reading grade 5 division. She was awarded 4th place after confidently reading from her book titled Wonder by R.J Palacio. Tshedza Sithagu who competed in the grade 6 division was awarded 3rd place after she had displayed her love of reading when she read from Horse for Angel.

 

“We Love Reading”

 

Tshedza Sithagu (Grade 6 student) expressed that she is beyond grateful for this opportunity. “Thank you for this award. I love reading and writing these are very close to my heart. I am excited and thankful for being recognised for my reading.”

This is what Zahra Chalwe (Grade 5 student) had to say, “Participating in the national rounds makes me feel proud, happy, nervous and excited. This is very big for me and, I know it will be hard and challenging but if I practice and try my best I know I will make it.”

At Nova Pioneer, we foster the culture of reading by allowing learners to choose the reading materials they wish to engage with. Furthermore, we provide platforms such as reading clubs to foster the love of reading outside of the classroom.

Written by Khensani Mabona – Resident Teacher at our Ormonde Campus. 

Michaela Kruger, our Grade 00 teacher at our North Riding campus, speaks to her continued learning through COVID-19.  

 

How do you get 4-5 year olds to practice social distancing?

 

In our class this term we first began by explaining social distancing to our students. Distance is a challenging concept for students to understand as they are still learning spatial awareness. We started by explaining to students the importance of only touching their own items as well as being responsible for their own bodies. When students arrived at school, we explained how they could create their own imaginary bubbles by swinging their arms around their bodies.

This was explained as their safe space and only they were allowed to be in their safe space. We allowed them to hold hula hoops around them in order for them to see the correct distancing as well as practise what it felt like to stand a certain distance away from their peers. We placed tape markings on the floor in our classroom and outside our classroom in order to make social distancing a more practical and understandable activity to practise. Students would stand on the tape markings and practise creating their imaginary bubbles around them.

 

How is your day structured now, is it the same routine?

 

Our daily structure is very similar to how it was before lockdown. We still include morning ring, academic rotations, PE, phonics, read alouds, outdoor play and nap time. The only thing that has slightly changed in our class is the fact that students no longer stand up and move for each academic rotation. Students remain at their tables and they are given the work to complete at their table. Every student has their own allocated space as well as their own stationery. Items are no longer shared amongst our students. Outdoor play has also changed as our sandpits and jungle gyms have been closed off. We have created fun social distancing games for students to play during this time as we feel gross motor and outdoor play is an important part of the day for all students.

 

What health and safety measures are observed?

 

Our teachers work extremely hard to ensure that no students are unsupervised. Teachers are always present and rigorously monitoring students and their behaviours. It is easy for students to pull down their masks or forget about social distancing as this is a new way of life, it is sometimes hard for us as adults to remember the rules of social distancing. Teachers monitor students during bathroom breaks, inside and outside the classroom as well as during dismissal and arrival. Desks and items that are used during the day are sanitized every 20 minutes and our classrooms are fully disinfected at the end of every day. Students have learnt to sanitize their hands during every interval as well as when they have sneezed or coughed (which they confidently do into their elbow).

 

Are you using just your classroom space or other spaces too?

 

We have only been using our classroom space and an allocated outdoor area. There are no longer shared spaces such as the studio area, jungle gyms, sandpit and mud kitchen.

 

 What protective gear do teachers and students wear?

 

Students and teachers have been wearing masks. Some of our students have been wearing face shields but they often find this hard as it fogs up and they are unable to see.

 

What is something that would’ve been normal for you to do before that you can’t do anymore?

 

It has been very challenging for teachers and students to remove physical touch. Pre-primary students are very affectionate and love to give hugs and receive them. We also used to have a class handshake and a greeting routine which involved students picking either a hug, a high five, a fist pump or a wave. This had to be removed from the day in order to follow all the rules and regulations. Students at this age are learning to express their emotions through words but gestures are often used while they learn to explain their emotions correctly but during this time students have had to adjust and learn a new approach by expressing their emotions from a distance. We included the COVID cuddle as a new approach to hugging. Playing with their peers and working in groups is also an important part of their development, with this being removed we’ve had to try and think of new ways to teach and grow these skills.

 

How do you explain the new normal to kids? What do they understand about it?

 

Most of our students had amazing explanations given to them by their parents at home. We started term two by doing a science experiment where you place water in a bowl and grind pepper on top. You then dip your finger into the water and the pepper flakes stick to your finger. You then place soap on your finger and place it in the water again. The pepper flakes seem to run away from your finger. We explained that the pepper flakes are like germs, if you have clean hands they won’t come near you.

We went on to speak about COVID and how is COVID spread. Students understood that germs can make you sick just like COVID and if we keep our hands clean it will help us to stay healthy. We then went on to ask: do you think if someone is sick and they cough or sneeze on you that you could get sick? With some thought, many students said yes. We asked: so how can we protect ourselves and others from not getting sick? They responded with many answers such as, stay home if you are sick, wash your hands more, wear a mask and cough or sneeze into your elbow. We asked students to wear their masks to our online lessons. We also asked students to show us how they would cough or sneeze. Students were taught how to wash their hands correctly while they count to 20. Our students grasped these concepts extremely well and were able to practise at home before schools reopened.

The excitement has been mounting as we finally welcomed back our learners onto campus. It is important to note however that even though teaching and learning have resumed on campus, we are continuing to teach on our online platform in order to cater to our parents and students who have opted for online learning.  

 

Preserving our culture

 

In the midst of washing our hands, sanitising and keeping the distance we are intentional about preserving our culture of community. We have, therefore, created opportunities for interactions between the learners who are back on campus and the learners at home. This is achieved through our live sessions which take place twice a week. Through these,  the learners at home get the opportunity to connect with the learners on campus through Google Hangouts. 

 

Feelings of anxiety exist

 

As a result of the COVID-19 lockdown, social restrictions and school closures – feelings of anxiety exist. To cater for these, we have developed a Social and Emotional Learning programme for all students – those who are back on campus and at home. Where teachers, together with our Dean of Students and Psychologist, offer lessons as well as emotional support for feelings associated with COVID-19.

Research published on 14 January 2020 in Frontiers in Psychology states that students need to spend as little as 10 minutes in a natural setting to feel happier and experience reduced anxiety levels. With this in mind, we have planned our lessons in ways which will be of greater benefit to the holistic being of our students. Our grade 6 students at Nova Pioneer, Ormonde have had their English lessons outdoors in our first week back on campus. This allowed them to draw inspiration from their surroundings for their nature poems.

 

Reggio inspired pedagogy

 

Reggio Emilia identifies a third teacher for students, in addition to teachers and parents – the environment. With the understanding that students have spent their school holidays in lockdown, we do not want them to feel boxed by keeping them in the classroom all the time. We thus make use of our Reggio inspired pedagogy which encourages student interactions with nature to establish connections with the natural environment.

Thank you to our management team, teachers and learning design team, who have worked tirelessly to ensure that the various needs of all students are met.

Connect with us on all of our social media platforms for updates on how we continue to provide the best educational experiences for Novaneers even during these uncertain times.

Novaneers made history when they came together to compete in the first InterNOVA Sports Day!

We recently saw our Nova Pioneer Paulshof campus host the inaugural InterNOVA Sports day that brought Nova Pioneer Students from our Grade 1 and 2 classes from across our network of schools in Gauteng to compete in this exciting event.

Watching the buses arrive with excited athletes from Midrand, North Riding and Ormonde was a sight to behold, and another momentous occasion for Nova Pioneer as we brought together our students in the spirit of #GreaterTogether and further realise our vision.

As the young Novaneers hopped off the buses, and ran onto the field, a Paulshof student was overheard saying, “They have the same shirts as us – they must be Nova Pioneers too!” Such is the culture of a #GreaterTogether organisation!

This spirit ensued throughout the day as war cries from each school reverberated across the campus. Many exciting events including athletics, basketball and soccer matches were run smoothly throughout the morning, thanks to our energetic coaches from Fielding Dreams and the different campuses

We look forward to enjoying the same spirit for the rest of our Grades soon. All are welcome to come and join us at Nova Pioneer Paulshof to enjoy the Novaneer spirit! Stay tuned to our blog for more updates.

 

As we look forward to a new year, a lot of us may already have set our new year’s resolutions. For parents however, the question is, “have you taken time to set academic goals with your child?” If your answer is no, or not yet, then now may be the right time for you to start Academic Goal Setting with your little ones.

In my experience as an educator, I have come across many parents who want to get actively involved in their children’s education but, more than often, do not know where to start or the best way to do so. I continue to advise parents to focus on collaborative goal setting with their children. Nova Pioneer believes this is a great way to contribute to their children’s educational success. 

 

Setting Growth Goals

In the previous year, my learners and I set ‘Growth Goals’ together. This was after we had a conversation about understanding our Always Growing culture principle. They took the lead and wrote down their academic growth goals. These were hung up the wall to serve as a constant reminder of what they were working towards.

Each term, we took some time to reflect and track how far we were to reaching our goals. This was important as it allowed the learners a chance to celebrate their achievements and also note down some growth areas. 

Academic Goal Setting should not be treated like New Year’s Resolutions – set once and never looked at again. It should be an ongoing process which requires tracking and reflection so that learners are constantly aware of the expectations they have set for themselves.

 

How do I set goals with my child?

It is a good idea to have conversations around how they picture their future then introduce goal-setting to them as a building block towards their desired future.  A great way of setting goals is through the use of the SMART mnemonic. SMART stands for:

S – Specific

M – Measurable

A – Attainable

R – Relevant

T – Time-bound

For example, instead of having “to pass grade 4” as a goal, it is more powerful to use the SMART goal “To achieve more than 70% in each subject at the end of term 1.”

 

How will my child benefit from goal setting?

Academic Goal Setting will not only pave the way for academic success, but it also has other great benefits for learners. Research has uncovered many key aspects of goal setting theory and its link to success (Kleingeld, et al, 2011). Setting goals is linked to self-confidence, motivation, and autonomy (Locke & Lathan, 2006). 

 

Here are more benefits:

Active engagement: The goals are set by the students themselves. Therefore, they work actively towards achieving them. This means they place more effort in their studies to ensure they accomplish the goal.

Accomplishment: Celebrating the small successes is a great part of goal-setting as it motivates the learners to achieve more. These accomplishments contribute to increased self-confidence. 

Awareness of strengths and weaknesses: Goal setting allows students to be aware of their potential. They discover their strengths and weaknesses which allow them to set more attainable goals in the future. Furthermore, they can aim higher and advance their learning. 

Collaborative goal-setting, therefore, increases parental involvement, broadens students’ thinking and provides a map for the school year.

Here’s a free reflection template to use as a goal tracker with your child.

Written by Khensani Mabona – a resident teacher at Ormonde Primary 

Nova Pioneer students launch drive to collect 2000 sanitary pads drive under the tag #TowelsForGirls.The drive is aimed at supplying sanitary pads to girls from Thabo-Ntsako Secondary School in Thokoza. The drive began on 8 March 2019 and will end on 5 April*. 

 

It’s all for a good cause

Nova Pioneer student, Lesedi Mnguni, says they want to live in a world where girls never have to miss school because of their period.

Masego Solomons, a fellow #TowelsForGirls teammate says that she and the other members of the founding team are passionate about helping girls their age.

“Having your period is a natural process that is unfortunately inevitable,” she says, “It doesn’t seem fair that girls have to miss out on their education because of this.”

Raising awareness on Periods

Nova Pioneer will also conduct talks related to sanitation and health care during assembly. The students are calling on all Nova Pioneer parents, students and community to help reach their 2000 pack mark. Anyone who wishes to contribute can drop off their sanitary pad packets at the Ormonde based Secondary School or any of the other Nova Pioneer campuses around Johannesburg.

Nova Pioneer has campuses in Ormonde, Boksburg, Paulshof, North Riding and Midrand. Weekly updates focused on the students’ drive to collect pads will be posted on the various Nova Pioneer social media accounts.

 

UPDATE

*The #TowelsForGirls drive ended with the girls collected more than 1500 packs of sanitary pads and they were delivered to Thabo-Ntsako Secondary School in Thokoza. The story was first published in the Southern Courier Read more…

Grade 11 Nova Pioneer Ormonde student, Lesedi Mnguni (16), was chosen as Allan Gray Entrepreneurship Challenge Top 20 Finalist (AGEC2018).

 

PRESS RELEASE: The Allan Gray Entrepreneurial Challenge (AGEC), organised and facilitated by Mr Anthony Selley, is a competition that encourages learning about entrepreneurship for high school learners in Grades 8 to 12 in South Africa.

The challenge seeks to inspire learners on how to influence change in their community, their country and the world. Learners were required to complete weekly micro-challenges that further exposed them to a variety of entrepreneurial skills, which were then applied to real-world scenarios. 

Lesedi’s mentor and business studies and accounting teacher at Nova Pioneer, Samson Mwaghore, explained how Lesedi and her peers were encouraged to bring and share their creative and innovative ideas in and outside of the classroom.

 

“We invest heavily in the future of our students by offering a real entrepreneurial environment in our classroom experience.”

 

The use of the unique, inquiry-based learning approach that encourages students to ask “why” instead of telling them the “what”, allows them to develop their own thinking through exploration, investigation and collaboration,” he said.

During weeks one to three, learners began their entrepreneurial journey by exploring local challenges and opportunities in the areas of social entrepreneurship, transportation and healthcare. In weeks four to six, the competition shifted focus to global themes of climate change, artificial intelligence and blockchain technology. The final event wrapped-up six weeks of inter-school and inter-pupil participation across the country.

According to Anthony Selley, AGEC’s head of Gameplay, entry participation doubled for the 2018 season, from 4,000 in 2017 to more than 8,000 in 2018. In addition, more than 600 schools across the country participated in this year’s challenge. The challenges are designed to engage participants to act and think like entrepreneurs and rewards those who finish among the top performers.

Lesedi was awarded with AGEC2018 certificate for being a Top 20 finalist. The school is proud of Lesedi and all Novaneer participants for the efforts they put in during the competition.