On your mark, get ready, go for Science Expo

Teachers braced the chilly weather and attended the science expo workshop at the former Dr W B Rubusana College of Education in Mdantsane on Saturday, July 22, 2006.

The Mdantsane Maths, Science and Technology Development Association (MDAMSTEDA) workshop was attended by 32 educators.

Angela Stotts, a teacher and an author, facilitated. She told teacher not to despair as it has taken her over 15 years to be an expert on this field that saw her produce national finalists and international representatives.
“You will soon get huge responses. I started with three children, but I now get over 100 entrants from my school,” she said.

Siyabulela Matshayana, the MDAMSTEDA Chairperson and ASESA Programmes Coordinator encouraged participants to start in earnest with their learners.
“The Association of Science Educators in South Africa (ASESA) is going to hold her first ever Science Expo and Maths Olympiad during September school holidays,” Matshayana said. He told the participants of the embarrassing situation that only Sandisiwe High School in Mdantsane has submitted its entry form from the disadvantaged communities so far for this year’s Eskom Science Expo for Young Scientists.

This is a follow-up workshop from the one held by Noreen Burton in December 2005 and by Mzukisi Ncanywa in March.

Stott’s facilitation was based on her book “Investigation”. Her book is available for learners at R35 and the teachers’ guide is R70, from Agape Bookshop.
“It has helped me to produce learners like Siyabonga Cele who will represent South Africa in Mexico this year with his project ‘How does density affect yield?’. Cele was not even on my list. His commitment, perseverance and dedication, and his clear understanding of the requirements made me to change my mind,” she said.

Sonjani Ncumisa who teaches Physics and Biology at Mzomhle High School was impressed. “I have always thought that the science expo was for clever students, but the fact that learners like Cele who are regarded as mediocre are doing so well, is encouraging,” she said. Her only disappointment is the poor presentations by learners from disadvantaged schools. “They are hand-written and dull, and I think that it is where our learners lose marks as compared to ex-model C learners who present colourful, exciting posters and material”.

Mzukisi Ncanywa, a David Mama High School teacher blamed teachers on hindering the progress of learners.
“Learners have the ability. Ignorance by teachers of the closing dates result in late submissions or missing the deadlines,” he said. Ncanywa also blamed teachers for failing to prompt learners timeously to submit their projects for review. He hopes that this workshop’s clear guidelines will help teachers to assist their learners throughout the stages of project development. David Mama featured on national finals of the Eskom Science Expo for Young Scientists on several occasions,

Noluthando Rusi of Siyavuya S P School was also glad to be part of the workshop. For her, it is a good cross-over from the social sciences.
“MDAMSTEDA is making the teaching of Maths, Science and Technology (MST) easy and fun. I have been teaching history all along, but now I am able to teach technology, thanks to these kinds of workshops,” she said. Rusi believes that teachers who still ignore MDASTEDA and ASESA are missing a lot.

Nomphelo Faku from Philani S P School is more concerned about the foundation phase teachers who are left in the cold by MDAMSTEDA and the government. To her, the Revised National Curriculum Statements (RNCS) covers grade R-12. She insists that ASESA should have specific workshops for these educators.
“They need to know, understand and be able to teach basic concepts clearly. As for now, they teach MST in ‘passing’ and that is very worrying,” she said.

MDAMSTEDA continues to make strides in that her workshops are making inroads in rural areas and are reaching schools in areas like Ncera, Mooiplaas and Qhuru.