The cool kids on the block, Nyanga and Makhaza got their mascara and trendy threads out at winter school for a collaboation with Live Magazine.
Have a look here at a behind the scenes look at what happened when our stylish fashionistas got their hands on cameras and were let loose to scout locations around UCT for the perfect shot.
[Video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHk6_v0n02Y&feature=relmfu]
They have also uploaded some of the stories writed that week on the Live magazine mobile channel.
Huge thanks to Nkuli, Julia and the Live Magazine team for such awesome workshops!
Last year the Makhaza branch had an opportunity to pilot a project with Education without Borders (EwB) who aims to provide improved educational opportunities and facilities in disadvantaged regions of the world. The program focussed on Grade 8s in aid to work through and understand basic math principles that highlight the simplicity of mathematics and emphasises the critical importance of foundational skills while acknowledging the complicated challenges and circumstances of life, which many of IkamvaYouth learners are coping with.
With the phenomenal results achieved in 2011 that you can read about here, the program continued with our new cohort of grade 8s. Beginning in January thus far they have completed two of the books in the program, and during winter school made headways into the third book.
Thus far, of the 20 learners who started the program at the beginning of 2012 in total, 3 were excluded because of poor attendance, 1 dropped out and the rest have begun to show the results expected looking at last years group. The group is a complete mix from 6 different schools in Khayelitsha.
Class Assessment
We have held two internal assessment tests during the first two terms. The first assessment test held in term 1 was based on work covered by Book 1. The second assessment test held in term 2 was based on the work covered by Book 2. The results of learners for the first two tests are shown below.
The chart above shows clearly the increase in math ability achieved by 16 of 20 Grade 8’s who wrote the assessment tests in the first two terms. Some learners were still finding it difficult to catch up with others as they still struggle to understand the basic fundamentals, however there is quite an improvement judging from term one school results.
Comparison of average percentage in Internal assessments vs. School results
It is clear that almost all learners scored higher in the internal test than their school results, not only does this program cover the basic fundamentals in basic math literacy, through the peer to peer learning and an environment created while attending tutoring sessions at IkamvaYouth that these students excel in many of their other subjects, as well as with their self confidence when approaching problems that arise and the means to approach them.
Learner performance
The learners who have be attending regularly showed great improvement and the results are showing improved confidence and with increased attendance the better the results, there has also been significant peer-to-peer learning and problem solving collaboration.
While most students show increases in results there have been 5 standout students who have excelled showing significant results with the internal tests administered as well as excelling in their school results.
|
Learner
|
Results %
Book 1 Book 2 School avg
|
|
A
|
98
|
76
|
80
|
|
B
|
96
|
74
|
79
|
|
C
|
81
|
70
|
77
|
| D |
83
|
64
|
75
|
|
E
|
65
|
70
|
70
|
Looking at the past Grade 8 group currently in Grade 9: *
Since this is the second year implimenting this program with our Grade 8s, it is also interesting to look at the results of the grade 9s and to compare those who were part of initial grade 8 group versus new students in grade 9 who began this year at IkamvaYouth. To do this a test was administered with the following results:
Existing Ikamvanites scored an average of 23.6/60 on the test versus new Ikamvanites who scored an average of 19.9/60
This test is one, imperfect, snapshot of the mathematical competencies. It could be criticised for being “too hard” and including many problems not yet covered in the syllabus. However, a very basic conclusion can be drawn that the existing Ikamvanites scored better than the new Ikamvanites and attained a higher average as a group.
* Many thanks to Andrew Einhorn for administering the tests and providing these results
Well done Grade 8s keep it up!!
Special thanks to:
Cecil and Ruth Hershler -funding provided through Education Without Borders
‘Yes We Can’ math books writen by Dr Rahael Jalan
Nicholas Mei – Grade 8 tutor
Having begun in 2003 in Sinako High School in Khayelitsha, initiated by Joy Olivier and Makhosi Gogwana, IkamvaYouth now has 7 branches in 3 provinces across South Africa. Over these 9 years, we have touched the lives of thousands of learners, parents, teachers, tutors and staff.
#WhereAreTheyNow takes an indepth look at the lives of individuals whose lives have crossed with IkamvaYouth and the changes this brought about.
New faces join us every year and old faces make an appearance every now and then.
With this series of blogs and biographies, we introduce you to all those that believe we made a difference in their lives and those that return to be the difference. We also honour those who have helped IkamvaYouth grow and moved on to other pastures.
In our first interview, we take a look at the life of Buhlebakhe Ngongoma , a return tutor based at our Chesterville branch. He joined IY when it first begun in KZN in 2007 and is now preparing for his Board Exams while studying for his BCom Accounting at UKZN’s Pietermaritzburg Camp.
Take a look at the full biography here .
While all the Makhaza students enjoy the last week of their winter school holidays, taking a much needed break from the intense focused energy needed for winter school, the Western Cape matrics have given up their entire holiday to continue with tutoring, mentoring, exam preparation, and tertiary applications.
This week sees intensive academic writing and bursary application writing workshops being run by Rose and Francisca, two volunteers from Stanford university, as well as each matric filling out at least 5 application forms for tertiary. It’s only Wednesday and so far everyone has applied for UCT, TSiBA, UWC, CPUT, Northlink and a few for Stellenbosch University. All this interspersed with tutoring, tutoring and more tutoring (with the odd test thrown in..)
Big up matrics!! The end is nearly in sight, by giving up your holiday for this last gasp of intensive tutoring and mentoring it’s setting yourself up for a spectacular finish at the end of the year!
There are only a few days left, if you are interested in tutoring or mentoring the matrics, please email liesel@ikamvayouth.org, alternatively call Zukile on 021 362 6799
Winter school snuck up on us this year, and not in an unassuming king of way, kind of when a loud bang goes off next to you when you least expecting it kind of way Yes… just like that!
160 learners, 40 tutors, 3 busses and loads of enthusiasm, excitement and passion charged their way down the N2 to UCT Middle Campus for 10 days of learning, discovering and fun.
It’s hard to believe what we work so hard to plan for months before all ends seemingly faster than when it began! And with SO many amazing workshops, challenging tutoring times and passion from all the volunteers and learners it’s hard to give an overview of what happened this year, but I’ll try!
– Grade 11 and 12 chemistry workshops in the UCT Chemistry Labs – facilitated by Thobela Bixa, check out his incredible achievement here
– Tutoring for all the grades working through past exam papers and Answer Series books. With over 40 volunteers we achieved a ratio today of 1:4 learners per tutor! Talk about an intense time!
– PSH (Peers in Sexual Health) ran self-awareness workshops, while Sunstep got involved making alarms and facilitating other experiments with physics students.
– Rose, a volunteer from Stanford is working this week on a photography workshop, while other students got involved in deep debate.
– Andreas and his team from ERM, and Matthew from Cape Leopard Trust made sure the students got to grips with our environment, learning about how to make their immediate environment more sustainable, going for walks in Tokai forest finding a few wild animals along the way..
– Capitec ran some financial literacy training workshops, have a read about how they went here
– Nadia ran a very creative workshop where learners molded their own pots from clay (a little messy, a LOT of fun)
– Nkuli and the guys from Live Magazine were back this year for some photo shoot action, as well as creating content for their YouTube channel
– South African Astronomical Observatory ran workshops about what’s happening in our solar system, while the week ended off with Joy from UCT Wellness Centre putting our students through their dramatic paces presenting various health issues
Not to forget while this is all happening the Grade 11 & 12 students all ran through Operation Fikelela, a computer literacy program, while tutors set projects, homework and feedback sessions for all the grades.
Tuesday (26 June) in the first week also marked the one-year anniversary of the passing of Mphumzi Klaas, our friend, our confidant and a huge part of the Makhaza branch. We began the very emotional day with a very moving memorial service with a few people speaking, a video being show and most poignantly the choir singing moving the room to fresh tears as if one year ago was yesterday. And while the Ikamvanites once again balance grieving and all the madness that winter school brings, they did this instead of with incredible sadness and heavy hearts, but with a spirit of tenacity and perseverance they threw themselves into tutoring and workshops, with a renewed commitment to making this the best winter school possible, to show that through adversity and sadness, good can come, that people when united can make the impossible happen.
WOW! With so much happening, the biggest winter school IY has ever had finished with bang, and almost as fast as it arrived it was all over, classrooms packed up and cleaned, busses full to bursting on a day with some of the biggest downpour Cape Town has seen this winter, I can only begin to think of all the fun and excitement we can expect next year! Only after a loooooooooooong rest though…
A huge Huge HUUUUUGE thanks to ALL the workshop facilitators, tutors and learners – Your passion, commitment, excitement and leadership shown over these two weeks make this one of the best winter schools ever! Also to Lolita, Deidre and all that UCT for availing the space to us, BIG UP!!!
Activities at the Makhaza winter school are in full swing, with one of the Wednesday and Thursday morning sessions being financial literacy training presented by Capitec Bank to all the pupils. During these sessions, learners had the opportunity to share their career ambitions, and more specifically where they saw themselves in the next 10 years and what they hoped to save up for. Groups included pupils who hope to become financial risk managers, business owners, world travellers and computer scientists, to name but a few. When it came to the items they’ll be saving for, undoubtedly top of the list was a home for mom and flashy cars for themselves.
The Capitec Bank team then ran through the elements required to achieve those objectives, highlighting a key to saving is one’s ability to differentiate between what qualifies as a need and a want. The pupils shared some of their thoughts and understandings on the matter and it was determined that everyone’s needs and wants are different. For example, many of the pupils shared their views on the importance of education but whether education qualifies as a need or a want was a contested issue.
Other topics covered were drawing up a budget, making the commitment to stick to that budget and save, and opening a Global One savings account with Capitec Bank to manage that process. The session closed off with a Q & A where a few goodies were handed out.
Thanks Megan and your team!!
Lloyd Lungu