Learn spelling through play
As teachers and parents, drilling spelling words to get children to buy in or engage can be like pulling teeth. Let’s face it – it’s…
Category: Classroom Ideas
Motivating learners to take charge of their own learning
School reports have not changed much since my own schooling years in the 1960s. They continue to be ‘log positions’ in the race to the…
Interventions and revision for young learners
Looking back at recent years, this year has started off better than expected. Until recently, we haven’t been able to see our learners as often…
BIC® Stationery is rewarding engagement and community in the teaching profession
The idea that teaching is one of the most challenging professions is not lost on anyone, let alone BIC® Stationery, a brand in continuous awe…
Mindfulness for kids
I sometimes get asked if mindfulness is only for children who suffer from anxiety, or only for children who struggle to sit still and concentrate,…
The benefit of puzzles in the classroom and beyond
My father was an avid newspaper reader, so newspapers were a permanent fixture in our home. As a young girl of about 10 years old,…
How COVID is affecting school attendance in South Africa: piecing together the puzzle
Debra Lynne Shepherd, Stellenbosch University Estimating how many learners have dropped out of school as a consequence of the COVID pandemic is an issue governments…
Supporting learners who struggle with reading and spelling
A little more than 13 years ago, I created My Klaskamer – a free blog where I could share ideas to help parents and teachers…
How to talk about race in the classroom
Discussing race in class is difficult. Such conversations are never easy. This has been exacerbated with the fear and anxiety of being judged, or in…
The story of an African children’s book that explains the science of skin colour
Nina G. Jablonski, Penn State Skin We Are In is a landmark South African book for children (and grown-ups) on the subject of skin colour.…