Since the Coronavirus pandemic, our way of life has been drastically changed. This means parents have to balance life working from home with homeschooling their children – while this might be a stressful experience for some, others are seeing the fun side of the situation. `n Paar EVER-ouers is gevra om hul ervarings met ons te deel.
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The lockdown started on 27 March 2020. The kids were on holiday and everything was peaceful. Even though we couldn’t leave our home, things ticked along just nicely. Seeing the garbage disposal team was a highlight for us, and we would dress up in our finest as this was one of the only times we could legally walk out the front gate to take the bin out and if we were lucky we might even get a chance to say good morning to someone other than our family members. Having a 4-year-old preschooler and a 9-year-old in Grade 4 was no challenge as they could play all day and have fun, while mom and dad worked from home. Roll on week three of lockdown (homeschool edition) and the soundtrack of our lives went from calm and tranquil Enya to full-on heavy metal rock. The chaos that ensued was a complete 180-degree turn compared to the first two weeks of lockdown. I feel like I’ve grown as a father, a “tech-savvy” businessman and a Grade 4 pupil. From using Microsoft OneNote and learning about the water cycle, addition and subtraction methods and Nelson Mandela’s history. All of this has improved my small talk with my clients in dramatic fashion. As a takeout from this homeschool edition, I have never felt prouder to be part of the Eversdal Primary family, and I have never had more respect for the teachers of this fine school. Keep up the great work and thank you for all that you do. I can assure you all that after this lockdown period, you will never be taken for granted again. Kim Littler |
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“Home schooling” oftewel tuisonderrig is ‘n goeie voorbeeld van iets wat goed klink in teorie, maar wat nie so goed werk in praktyk nie, wel nie vir my of (sonder uitsondering) al die ander ouers waarmee ek op gereelde basis gesels nie. As kind van ‘n oud-onderwyser, het ek nog altyd die grootste respek vir opvoeders gehad omdat ek gesien het dis harde werk en lang ure agter die skerms, waarvan ouers nie altyd bewus is nie. Daardie respek het in die afgelope maand net toegeneem. Die manier waarop die leermateriaal deur Laerskool Eversdal aan elke Ever beskikbaar gestel word, getuig nie net van ure, dae en maande se harde werk agter die skerms nie, maar van jare se harde werk. Die verskeie kanale van kommunikasie is baie goed. Wat egter die heel beste is, is die toeganklikheid en bereidwilligheid van die opvoeders om te help waar hulle kan en vir elke Ever net die beste te gee. Met al hierdie hulpmiddels tot ‘n ouer se beskikking, waarom is “home schooling”dan nie net een groot fees tuis nie? Daar het in die afgelope paar weke baie vrae by my en die ander ouers ontstaan, soos:
Lank vergete is die vermoë om kinders vinnig wakker en aangetrek te kry in die oggende. Dit laat my dink daar is nie net analoog en digitale tyd nie, maar ook “covid tyd”. Om ten tyde van al hierdie uitdagings nog deur ‘n vol leerplan te werk, laat my dink dat opvoeders niks anders as “Super Heroes” is nie. Soos ek iewers gelees het “not all Super Heroes wear capes”. Janneke van Jaarsveld |
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The first real lesson we as parents have learned as a homeschool teacher during this lockdown is that the students lead the way. It is our responsibility as parents to educate and nurture our kids as education starts at home. We should applaud the parents who recognise that they – not someone else – must take responsibility in this difficult time we are facing. We are faced with many challenges daily however it has taught us more about how our kids function in their day to day education and maybe give us this time to understand where our kids need us the most. What Eversdal Primary has taught our kids is to be responsible and to show self-control with the technology of OneNote. This has been an amazing tool to assist our children with their day to day education, this is something our parents are still getting used to other than the old textbooks. We are very fortunate to be able to work on OneNote and communicate through Yammer. This opens up greater communication and learning through others by means of coaching, guiding and monitoring. The assistance of teachers and coaches has been amazing in keeping our children entertained, educated and fit at the same time. We as parents won’t know if our children’s work is correct but we have continuous feedback from the teachers. We are fortunate to have this communication! Sindy-Lee Botha |
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As ek nog enigsins gewonder het of ek ‘n potensiële kandidaat vir ‘’homeschooling’’ is, dan is die skrif nou finaal aan die muur … ek is dit beslis nie! Ek het voorwaar nuwe waardering vir die daaglikse taak van ‘n onderwyser. Hoewel my kinders reeds oud genoeg is om heeltemal op hul eie te werk, sou hul dit beslis nie kon doen sonder die struktuur wat geskep word deur die duidelike leiding, aanlyn-lesse, aktiwiteite en terugvoer van ons onderwysers nie. Die moeite en liefde waarmee hul gehelp en ondersteun word, is duidelik tasbaar in die ekstra myl wat gestap word en maak my ‘’homeschool’’-ervaring as ouer beslis baie makliker en meer positief. Ek besef in hierdie tyd vir die eerste keer werklik die positiewe impak van die stelsels wat die skool alreeds ‘n tyd gelede in plek gesit het. Ek is dus diep dankbaar vir die voorreg om deel te wees van die EVER-span en koester die pasella-tyd wat ek nou met my kinders ‘’by die skool’’ kan spandeer. Marine Odendaal |
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I have two children in the Foundation Phase and one in the Intermediate Phase. Homeschooling them during this unprecedented time has proceeded with minor hiccups as the school has made the learning plan and modules accessible to both parents and learners. The videos from the teachers are very clear and it covers everything listed on the weekly planning. The relevant teacher also encourages us to e-mail them should we experience difficulty. OneNote and Yammer are used as effective learning apps, especially for the Intermediate Phase. The teacher is always willing to help and we have all the resources available, which makes the entire process seamless. I also appreciate the fact that the principal and teachers emphasise that parents and children alike should not stress and spend too much time on schoolwork, but to have a good balance between work and play. It is very comforting to know that the principal and teachers have the best interest of the learners (and parents) at heart, especially during these challenging and uncertain times. We are very privileged to have all the learning aids, especially the online tools to our avail, to assist our kids. Rachelle Ruthford |
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I just want to thank all the teachers for making online homeschooling such a nice and fun experience for both parents and little-schoolers. After two weeks of homeschooling we are still on track, ticking off and completing tasks on a daily basis as we move between subjects working and playing. I soon came to only one conclusion! “I was born to do this”. You all should have fun, take it easy, be safe and see you on the other side soon. Theuns Goosen |
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Die idee van “homeschooling” het my nog altyd laat wonder hoe dit sou wees om my eie spruite hier by die huis te onderrig. Min het ons geweet 2020 gaan die jaar wees waar ons gaan uitvind! Toe die skool begin inligting uitstuur oor die reëlings rondom tuisonderrig was ek natuurlik baie entosiasties om weg te spring! Sommer aan die begin het ek besluit ons gaan nie roosters en skedules uitwerk nie. Ons gaan almal opstaan as ons uitgerus is en genoeg geslaap het, ons gaan almal saam ontbyt eet en dan sal ons begin met die dag se werk – kinders meestal in hulle pajamas (dit hou sommer die wasgoed ook minder)! Oor die algemeen is ek ‘n lysie en skedule tipe mens, maar ek geniet nog hierdie baie ontspanne, “nêrens om te gaan”, rustige tyd te veel om nou al weer roosters teen ons mure te hê! Ons rus as ek sien die aandag is nie nou meer by die werk nie, vat ‘n breuk en dan kom hulle weer met nuwe lus vir die werk terug. Waarheen jaag ons dan nou? Solank daar elke dag gewerk word en die werk soos op die beplanning van die skool betyds klaar is, is ons doel bereik. Met al die skool se beplanning, video’s en kommunikasie kon hulle dit waarlik nie makliker gemaak het vir ons ouers en kinders nie. Dit is regtig so indrukwekkend om te sien hoe die personeel aan elke fasset aandag gee – Kuns, Evergym en Everjam! Laerskool Eversdal staan uit bo ander skole oor hulle so goed gebalanseerd is in alles wat hulle aanbied (sport, kultuur, akademie) èn tegnologies vêr gevorderd is bo meeste ander skole. Tydens hierdie tydperk van tuisonderrig kan ons ouers ook nou eerstehands die voordele van hierdie tegnologiese voorsprong ervaar wat deel is van ons kinders se daaglikse onderrig! Op die stadium is ek glad nie bekommerd oor datums wanneer die skool weer oopmaak nie aangesien ek weet ons kinders raak glad nie agter met hulle jaar se werk nie. Ek geniet dit om die inhoud van die week se werk saam met die kinders deur te werk en so direk by hulle onderrig betrokke te wees. Om te sien watter vakke hulle met meer entosiasme as ander aanpak, hoe hulle vrae beantwoord en die tyd saam met hulle te spandeer. In ‘n gesin van 5 met 3 kinders wat baie uiteenlopende belangstellings en aktiwiteite het, het ons oor die algemeen min vrye tyd. Hierdie tydperk van “stilstand” gaan ons onwaarskynlik weer in ons leeftyd beleef. Dit is ‘n tydperk van saamwees, rus en “re-group” wat ons moet koester voor ons weer die kalenders, programme en horlosies moet uitruk! Antolette van Deventer |
