Thirty-seven teachers from 20 schools attended an astronomy training session at Portia Primary School last Wednesday.
It was the third of four intermediate- and senior-phase natural science training sessions held by Advancing Knowledge, a non-profit company, in collaboration with Garden Cities Archway Foundation and the Western Cape Education Department.
Professor Shaheed Hartley, from Advancing Knowledge, said the teachers took part in hands-on activities that they could run in their own classrooms.
Senior curriculum planner for natural science grades 4 to 9, Suanne Rampou, said the sessions focused on using laboratory equipment that could help pupils develop a range of skills, including observation, running experiments, data collection and analysis.
The lessons encouraged scientific curiosity and critical thinking, made science relevant and exciting and developed fine motor skills, she said.
The principal of the Lansdowne school, Kevin Velensky, said the school’s science lab, which was launched in 2018, was of great benefit to both pupils and teachers (“New science lab for Lansdowne school,” Athlone News, September 5, 2018).
“Teachers and pupils are both enjoying the science room. It is very different from being in the normal classroom. It is important to have this at our school to give pupils more opportunities, which will get them high school and tertiary ready as well. Exposure to knowledge and technology is important for our pupils. We would love it if all schools could have something like this,” he said.