Teaching and learning with passion:
My historical reality and passion
-DULCIE M. NELL-
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“Learn to Read henceforth Read to Learn” "Reading is the Cornerstone of Education and Life"
From the Author:
I, the Author:
I, the Author:
I, Dulcie M. Nell trained then taught from 1962 to 2005. I am qualified and especially specialised since 1986 to teach the Junior Primary before 1994, then the Foundation Phase after 1994 and beyond, holding the required certificates and diplomas. I also hold certificates of intermittent in-service training throughout my teaching career to improve the quality of teaching and learning. I am currently retired.
The purpose of this book is to enlighten the younger and older teachers as well as all those in other educational capacities and beyond, about my teaching and learning experiences and how it positively and negatively affected the parents, children and I.
-DULCIE M. NELL-
Dear Reader
Some thoughts to share with you the Reader from me the Author.
Throughout my teaching and learning career I discovered that reading with Love and Passion developed Comprehension which in turn ignited critical and creative thoughts. Also,during my teaching career I acutely became aware that it is imperative that children then in the Junior Primary, presently in the Foundation Phase must progress from the Concrete to the Semi-Concrete to the Abstract. I advise you to first read the Book Marker both sides, then the book.
I encourage you to help children, four years and older in your home, and then maybe share this information with your neighbour and those in your immediate area. If you can read to them, with them until they are able to read independently, it may trigger a Love and Passion to want to read.
Be Blessed.
Dulcie M. Nell.
Preface:
Preface:
My vision for this book is to awaken a reading passion and compassion within you the reader, and in so doing passing it on to children, thus invigorating their love for reading and at the same time enhancing hindsight, insight and foresight within comprehension.
All the facts that are compiled in this book are based on my teaching and learning of Sub A, Sub B, Std. one, and then changed to Grade R, Grade 1, Grade 2 and Grade 3. I hope that reading this book will benefit all those teachers from the youngest to the oldest, males and females, parents and all others regardless of their positions in life. My intention is to create an awareness of how my teaching and learning progressed from apartheid to democracy and its effects on myself, the parents and the children I taught. I hope that all persons reading this book will become aware of the teaching and learning reality versus my perspective of two vastly different education systems, first Apartheid then Democracy.
I hope by reading this book you the readers will imagine yourselves in my position in the classroom considering the way forward. Will the content outlined in this book be an inspiration of doing things better, and in doing so support teaching and learning more truthfully and righteously?
Some of the facts, ideas and suggestions relayed in this book happened in the apartheid as well as the democratic years, or in one or the other. These are the facts of my training and teaching experience in the Western Cape, South Africa in the last 33 years of the apartheid era from 1 January 1964 to 1993, and then in the democratic era from 1994 to 28 February 2005. The same subjects and concepts were dealt with in different and similar ways in Apartheid in the Junior Primary, and in the Foundation Phase in Democracy.
Throughout my teaching years before 1994 I taught Junior Primary Sub A, Sub B and Std1. Then after 1994 until my retirement in 2005 I taught the Foundation Phase Gr.R, Gr. 1, Gr.2 and Gr.3. Listening to a conversation, I heard a statement by an anonymous source “Education is the most precious wealth that cannot be eradicated from any person’s life”. It had a profound effect on me and since then resonated with me during the latter years of my teaching career. I then realised that the education I have is my wealth and can never be taken away from me. Henceforth I also with cognition realised that the qualifications I achieved to teach from Grade R and upwards should similarly be passed on so that the children I teach would also achieve their qualifications in their own capacities, so that their education will be their precious wealth which nobody can remove from their lives. Being mindful of such a revelation only increased my will to do justice to such a noble profession.
I also from another anonymous source became aware of another fact. I had learnt that teaching and learning is a natural gift and should be expressed in the classroom with passion, compassion, love and with an attitude of wanting to serve. I then understood why I could and still cannot get tired of teaching and learning. I also realised why I could not get myself to join a union, and at their command leave my classroom during teaching and learning time, to go on the streets to protest for a better salary. Such facts revealed the inherent teaching and learning gift within me.
Acknowledgements:
Acknowledgements:
I thank God for His love, mercy and grace in strengthening my faith and hope to serve children in education.
I also thank:
Denise Kruger who was a representative of READ, for her persuasion and motivation to write this book after observing a group reading lesson I taught.
Jean Baxen was the subject manager of the Foundation Phase at Parkwood Primary. Her infinite support and guidance deepened my love and passion for teaching. I continually regard her as my role model.
Porcia, and Rupert my children as well as Liam and Toni my grandchildren for the caring family they are.
My past fellow student teachers of St. Augustine Teacher Training College, Angelene Engel, Gwen George Engelbrecht, the late Johanna Van Graan and Mercia Adams who refreshed my memory with information needed for this book.
Dinah Simpson, Heather Nicholas, Margie Van Wyk, Juleiga Haywood, the late Elvira Brittow, Gwen Solomon and Dorothy Ontong who were my Foundation Phase colleagues at Parkwood Primary for their support when I was the Head of Department (HOD), by sharing ideas, suggestions and criticisms.
My retired colleagues, the late Dot Arendze, Mavis Van Wyk and Elaine Myburgh and Val Carr, in supporting me during my teaching career and retirement.
Mr. Phillips a retired principal, with whom I worked as acting deputy principal at Parkwood Primary. It was a privilege to have worked with him.
Jacky Kindo who I was mentoring to strengthen her teaching position in the classroom, and who unknowingly inspired me with her contributions to rise above the challenges.
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