Computer Literacy
by Sinethemba Luthango
The holiday programme was a great experience, and I enjoyed from the beginning to the end. As a Computer Literacy teacher, I enjoyed my classes. The work that I have done with my learners was very effective because most of the learners enjoyed my classes as well as learned and benefited from them. The only thing that was a dilemma was time because we did not have enough time to cover everything I wish we could. We did, however, cover much the basics. Provided more time in the future, I believe we will do much better and succeed even more with our learners in the area of Computer Literacy.
The computer classes should be offered to all our learners because Computer Literacy is vital and necessary for all of them. Giving them the opportunity to learn computer skills is a great step to open doors for them in real life because they need these experiences in order to be successful socially, personally, academically, and professionally in life. For me, I enjoy my work as a Computer Literacy teacher, and I believe that I am making a difference to our learners’ lives. I will still continue doing what I love, and that is being a Computer Literacy teacher.
Learners from IkamvaYouth Nyanga recently had the opportunity to visit various locations around Cape Town. The first stop was the Iziko Museum where the students viewed and learned about the artwork in the gallery. They then went to the Iziko Annexe where art work created by learners from schools around Cape Town is on display and were given a basic lesson in art. Then using basic materials such as cardboard, markers, crayons, and paint, the learners created their own pieces of art. Many of their creations touched on peace, happiness, and unity. The next destination was Kirstenbosch gardens where the students learned about the ecology and biodiversity of South Africa. Although the rain prevented the learners from experiencing the beautiful gardens, they enjoyed learning about the different South African biomes and the process of photosynthesis. We also viewed and studied several specimens of plants. The last stop was the Two Oceans Aquarium on the Waterfront. The Nyanga learners were able to view a vast array of aquatic life including penguins, frogs, sharks, and the poisonous puffer fish. They all enjoyed learning about each of the animals and watching them in their respective environment. Overall, the learners and the volunteers alike had a wonderful time on these excursions and would like to thank each of the venues for their generous hospitality.
Two Oceans Aquarium: http://www.aquarium.co.za/
Iziko Museum: http://www.iziko.org.za/sam/
Kirstenbosch Gardens: http://www.sanbi.org/frames/kirstfram.htm
This year’s winter school was a success! We had 55 Nyanga learners and 23 Ikanyezi learners join us for two weeks at the University of the Western Cape.
Inkanyezi Learners
During the morning sessions, the programme offered learners the chance to get extra tutoring on subjects they were having a difficult time with. We were fortunate to have anywhere from 7 to 15 tutors a day to help all the learners.
After lunch the learners had a great opportunity to participate in a wide variety of workshops that were focused on educating and the learners on different things outside of their school subjects. We had everything from Acting to Team Skills Workshops. Workshops included: Art, Drumming, Acting, Team Skills, South African History, Point of View Improv and Drug Awareness
Learners show us their moves during the drumming workshop
In the Point of View workshop learners had the great opportunity to learn more about sexual health and stigma’s associated with HIV by using innovative activities that engaged the learners and made them more comfortable to share their thoughts.
Molly Blank came in to show the learners her new documentary film all about the xenophobic attacks that happened in South Africa in 2008. The learners watched the film and were able to have a question and answer session with the director herself afterwards. See some of their responses here.
Some learners who showed interest participated in a photography workshop which allowed the learners to take home cameras to take shots of the world cup mania in their area.
Sive Bushla, 11th grade ‘Big Vuvuzela’
New Start was also kind enough to come in to offer testing and counsel any learner or volunteer in the programme who wanted to get tested.
One of the opportunities the learners really enjoyed was the access to the computer labs that were made available to them for the whole of the programme. The learners were able to learn the key elements of Microsoft Word and Excel, how to send attachments in emails and basic computer literacy issues. They were really happy to be able to work on their typing skills as well.
We had a number of sponsors that made planning the programme much easier. PicknPay gave us enough to buy everything we needed for tea and snack breaks while Red Hot Catering & Events provided the lunches for all learners and volunteers at a convenient cost. Fedics sponsored one day’s lunches for all involved in the programme. And of course, UWC offered the space to make all of this possible.
Learners, for the most part, only had good things to say about the programme. There were some ideas that would make next year’s programme better. Mostly, learners wanted to see more tutoring subjects available. We would have loved to see this too, but unfortunately we didn’t have enough tutors comfortable teaching all the subjects. Hopefully next year, that’ll be different!
IkamvaYouth is a non-profit organization based in from Khayelitsha, Nyanga and Masiphumelele in the Western Cape, Ivory Park in Gauteng, the greater Cato Manor area and Molweni in KwaZulu-Natal. IkamvaYouth is a for-youth, by-youth leadership organization that focuses on self-empowerment of its students in grades 9-12. We volunteers are community members who are either international university students or past IkamvaYouth graduates who believe in making a change. We believe that students are the masters of their own futures and successes and only by challenging and supporting each one of them to believe in their own strengths and skills. By doing so, we believe that students will be better equipped with the proper skills for education as well as the job market. We not only focus on educational initiatives but also on social and civic initiatives. Our success is marked by the number of students who graduate from high school and progress to either university or success in the job market.
In the Western Cape, IkamvaYouth is hosting its annual Talent Show & Photography Exhibition in Makhaza.
Date: Saturday, 3 July 2010
Time: 9:00 – 13:00
Location: Desmond Tutu Hall (next to Nazeema Isaacs Library)
Makhaza, Khayelitsha
Cnr Lansdowne and Cekeca Rds
Today Molly Blank screened her powerful film Where Do I Stand? At the Nyanga branch’s winter school at UWC.
“When xenophobic attacks broke out across South Africa in May 2008, many found themselves caught off guard, shocked by violence that felt like a violation of the principles of their newly democratic nation. In the midst of this violence, many young people, clad in the bright greens and maroons of their school uniforms, looted neighborhood shops while some of their classmates, refugees themselves, fled to safer ground. Some youth tried to find a way to help, but still more stood by, watching from their windows or on television. Where Do I Stand? captures the optimistic voices of youth trying to make sense of what they experienced and the choices they made during the violence…” (wheredoistandfilm.com).
Ikamvanites were very moved and thought-provoked after the screening, and shared their ideas and opinions with Molly. Branch coordinator Nombuyiselo Dziba urged the learners to stand up in their communities, as although they are young, they are priveleged with the education they’re receiving, and can lead their communities to think differently.
Zandile Zoya, a grade 11 learner, wrote an on-the-spot poem during the few minutes learners were given to reflect in silence once the film had ended. Watch her read her poem, “What’s the Point?”:
[youtube]kietiAX_zko[/youtube]
Three grade 11 ikamvanites shared their views on xenophobia, and suggest that the film is screened on SABC1 to prevent further outbreaks which many communities are threatening for post-world cup:
[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOXN89u1Hj8]
“Where do I stand?” will be screened and discussed at all five winter schools.
IkamvaYouth’s annual winter schools launched on Monday 14th June 2010. Amidst much flag-waving and vuvuzela blowing, ikamvanites (IkamvaYouth’s inspiring learners and volunteers) are closing the gap created by an unequal education system in crisis.
Over 500 learners from some of South Africa’s most disadvantaged areas – Khayelitsha, Masiphumelele and Nyanga (in the Western Cape), Ebony/Ivory Park (in Gauteng) and Molweni and the greater Cato Manor area (in KZN) – are spending 2-weeks getting the grades, information and support they need to access tertiary education and employment. Joining them are over 100 volunteer tutors, mentors and workshop facilitators. IkamvaYouth’s volunteers are mostly university students (many of them former IkamvaYouth learners), as well as international volunteers (from Brazil, USA, France and England) and subject specific professionals. Some winter schools could really do with more tutors (the more tutors, the better the tutor:learner ratio; Ikamva aims for a 5:1 ratio, but is not reaching this target at all the winter schools.
IkamvaYouth is holding five holiday programmes, hosted by 3 universities – University of the Wetsern Cape (UWC), TSiBA, and Durban University of Technology (DUT) – the Masiphumelele library and the Siyakhula Centre in Ebony Park. All have generously availed their facilities and support free of charge. Very Ayoba!
“IkamvaYouth is a by-youth, for-youth innovative grassroots response to South Africa’s education crisis. The Ikamvanites give us hope and make us feel inspired and proud,” says IkamvaYouth chairperson Leigh Meinert.
The schedules are packed with small-group tutoring sessions and up to six different workshops occurring at each winter school simultaneously. During the mornings, the focus is intensive academic intervention which is critical for improving learner achievement. Tutors work with learners in small groups, and provide real-time feedback in response to areas of difficulty identified through mock exams and testing. The afternoons are filled with a range of enriching workshops and excursions. This year, ikamvanites are engaging in computer literacy classes, science pracs and workshops on a range topics including leadership developoment, HIV-awareness, creative writing, photography, debating, yoga and numerous other interesting activities such as online video conferences with Brazilian youth (the next hosts for the World Cup 2014). Learners will go on excursions to interesting places including Kirstenbosch Gardens and the Sci Bono centre. They will attend and participate in talent shows, photography exhibitions and soccer matches.
More impressive than the scope and quality of programme delivery are IkamvaYouth’s results. In a country where the far majority of learners achieve far below grade level, IkamvaYouth’s matric pass rate has been between 87% and 100% each year since 2005. More than 70% of the last two matric groups gained access to tertiary education (compared to the township average of around 5%).
“South Africa’s education challenges are not insurmountable”, says IkamvaYouth co-founder Joy Olivier. “The world has watched us build world-class stadiums, and I’m hoping it will continue watching as we ensure our schools have libraries, science labs and windows.” While the World Cup highlights South Africa’s extreme inequality and contradictions, it is also bringing people together. It’s reminding us that amazing things happen here, of our unity and the fact that we can make a massive, consistent noise with vuvuzelas. We’re not only hosting the world, we’re developing the people who are going to make it a better place.
To get a sense of the vibe, watch this short film made at last year’s winter school in Gauteng:
[youtube]V9LPb6Qw2M8[/youtube]
To be a part of this life-changing experience, contact the coordinator of the branch closest to you. To see what’s happening there, download the schedules for:
Final_Schedule_2010_Makhaza_at_Tsiba.pdf
Masiphumelele_winter_school_schedule.pdf
NyangaWinterSchoolUWC_2010.pdf
Cato Manor winter school held at DUT
IY_Gauteng_Winter_School_Holiday_Programme_June_2010.pdf
Lloyd Lungu