episode iii of the “ranking, ooking, over the...

IN THIS ISSUE

Episode III page 1-3 ______

Star Awards page 4 ______

Weekly Planner page 5 ______

Sport News page 6 ______

Family Fun Day page 7 ______

School Communicator page 8 ______

Our hearts are red page 9 ______

Parents’ Association page 11 ______

EPISODE III of the “CRANKING*, COOKING*, OVER THE FALLS*, SURFBOARDS, WETSUITS, A HEADACHE AND EDUCATION!” Saga. For those parents and pupils who missed Episode I and Episode II, what follows is a brief synopsis of what I wrote about! In Episode I (29 January 2014) I wrote about ‘the power we possess as educators’ and I went on to say that ‘education will always be evolving and renewing itself. New ideas will be preached; new technology will come along; there will always be a NEW SOMETHING … a NEW WOW in education. But what will always remain constant is the teacher’. In Episode II (27 August 2014) I compared students to swells (waves) and that ‘students spend 15 years wandering and drifting from P1 (Grade 000 / 3 year olds) to Matric (18 year olds). As the swell (students) moves from grade to grade, the students come in to contact with different teachers and as a result, different waves - or should I say different learning experiences take place …’ (Please drop me an email if you would like a copy of the articles). So we arrive at Episode III. At 05:30 on Sunday morning my teenager unceremoniously pulled me from my slumber! You got to be kidding, I thought to myself and was about to launch in to a very strong verbal rebuke, when I remembered that I had promised my teenager that we would hit Strand Beach and search for the perfect wave with an underwater camera! That is when the thumping in my head started (again – see Episode I)! My teenager was amped* and bok* for the session. He proceeded to tell me that it would be high tide and the waves

would be cooking, cranking* and dumping* – an awesome* morning to take a few pics! We left for the beach at 05:45 in our Jammie* and were totally stoked* (well one of us was)!

3 0 M A Y 2 0 1 2 3 0 M A Y 2 0 1 2 3 0 M A Y 2 0 1 2

2 8 J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5

Somerset College Preparatory Newsletter 28 January 2015

For over an hour we were consistently bombarded with wave after wave. Shots were taken, we ducked and dived under the wave and got ready to take another shot of the next wave. On and on it went. The waves never seemed to end. Yes, we would hit a lull (no waves), but then the swell returned and the ducking continued. Consistently bombarding us over and over and at times we lost our bearings as the rip took us down the beach.

Well what has this to do with education you might be wondering? Our crack of dawn experiment reminded me that as teachers we are consistently being bombarded with new philosophies; new methods; new ideas; new text books; new improved curriculum – the list is endless like the waves which pounded us as we ducked and dived trying to capture the perfect wave! Sometimes as teachers it feels as if we are being pulled in all directions and are so busy trying to duck and dive and adapt that we forget about the Three Rs! I am not referring here to the foundations of basic education programme within schools: reading, writing and arithmetic (I am still

confused by referring to these skills as the Three Rs – as two of the words do not even start with an ‘R’ … ha ha)! So what are the Three Rs that teachers need to keep close to heart? ‘R’ Number One: RELEVANCE Simply put - great teachers make learning relevant. They have the ability to connect the learning material to the pupil’s everyday life. ‘R’ Number Two: RIGOR Rigor is allowing the pupils to learn through encouraging creativity and critical thinking and not just sitting and being fed information. Failure is also part of the process. Great teachers are able to tackle the needs of all pupils in the class by challenging and stretching the pupils beyond their ability. ‘R’ Number Three: RELATIONSHIPS In my previous Surfing Episodes (newsletter articles) I have made reference to the fact that learning is enhanced when the relationship between teacher and pupil is a positive one.


Education is in a constant flux of change and our challenge as teachers and educators is not to allow the educational waves of change to distract us from the Three Rs! Not an easy task to say the least. Trying to capture the perfect wave on our underwater camera also proved challenging. However, after an hour or so my teenager was stoked* with his photos, three of which are included in the article and old man Bevan was stoked* to head towards Woolies for the perfect Cappuccino! Oh, and my headache was a thing of the past. Regards

Mr Warren Bevan DEPUTY HEAD The information listed above is based upon an article written by Bill Powers (Principal of Cherokee Middle School in Springfield, Missouri.) http://gazette.teachers.net/gazette/wordpress/bill-powers/the-3-rs-4-success/ For those parents who are not familiar with the various surfing terms: Amped: Full of energy. Usually induced by adrenalin, feeling wired or high on fear, either before paddling into a huge ocean Awesome: Incredible. Used as another word for sheer quality and size of wave. ‘That wave at Strand was awesome man!’ Bok: Keen, ‘Bok for a wave’ Cooking: Good surf. Nothing to do with preparing food. When the surf is cooking, then its ‘firing’ or its ‘pumping’. In other words the surf is big, clean has excellent shape and there are plenty of waves in the set. If someone ‘cooks’, they are good at surfing. Cranking: good surf Jammie: Car. ‘You have a kief jammie, bru!’ Over the falls: The classic surf wipe-out, when the lip of a wave sucks you over and you take a trip into air, followed by a double impact (wave and water) and several cycles in a salty washing machine. Stoked: Totally amped up, revved up.

Definitions taken from: “Surfing in South Africa” by Steve Pike; published in 2001.

http://gazette.teachers.net/gazette/wordpress/bill-powers/the-3-rs-4-success/


S T A R S Grade 1 – Stars Megan Hutton, Emma Bresler and Jacqui Dippenaar Jayden Martin for always giving of his absolute best.

Yaaseen Adonis for his caring and helpful nature in the classroom.

Maea Schoeman for her good manners.

ChaeWon Hong for her neat handwriting.

Taryn Coenraad and Carter Arnott for their excellent handwriting.

Corne Bruwer and Letizia Biolcati Rinaldi for settling so well into their new school.

Yara Singh for her excellent effort in handwriting lessons and for correct letter formation.

Tristan Brooks for being such a helpful and well-mannered member of our class.

Jessica du Toit for being such a helpful member of the class.

Grade 2 – Stars

Jade Davies, Megan Stander and Michelle Bosch

Michael Davoren for settling in so well at Somerset College.

Seth Garewel for settling in so well at Somerset College.

Alne Goosen for having an improved attitude towards school and being friendly.

Preston Lee for being such a happy and positive class member.

Christian de Villiers for trying his best to write as neatly as possible.

Adam du Toit for his superb listening skills in the classroom.

Zac Clulow for writing such interesting holiday news.

Engela Whittle for starting Grade 2 as a Maths whizz!

Daniel von der Heyden for being a real “number cruncher”.

Siana Beckman for beautiful, expressive reading.

Joshoea Fox for settling down so well in his new school.

Lila Viljoen for her beautifully neat work.


WEEKLY PLANNER

PLEASE NOTE!!!

School will close at 12:30 on Wednesday, the 4th of February due to Inter Schools Athletics. Please see Resources/Sport-Athletics for more Information.


Sports News Please note: For all sport communication, including sick notes, please contact Alwyn Brink as Sports Director: [email protected] For Physical Education for the girls, contact Kirsty de Kock: [email protected] For Physical Education for the boys, contact Hilton Toro: [email protected] Athletics

Please take note that the team has now been finalized and is up on the notice board and on the communicator.

Early Morning Athletics Relay Team practice is compulsory for all the relay teams (U7 to U14) at 06:30 on Thursday the 29th of January and Tuesday the 4th of February. It is imperative that the entire team practices together. Therefore if a child does not attend, the reserve will take their place in the relay.

Week 3 Wednesday, 28 January • Junior Tennis Squad Tennis Courts 17:15-18:15 Thursday, 29 January • Senior Swimming Squad 15:15-16:00 • Inter Schools Athletics Squad Relay Teams U7 to U14 06:30-07:15 Week 4 Monday, 2 February • Grade 6 Boys Indoor Hockey vs De Hoop Somerset College 17:00 • Grade 7 Boys Indoor Hockey vs De Hoop Somerset College 17:30 • Grade 6 Girls Astro Hockey vs Beaumont Somerset House 17:00 • Grade 7 Girls Astro Hockey vs Beaumont Somerset House 17:30 Tuesday, 3 February • Senior Tennis Squad Tennis Courts 17:15-18:45 • Junior Swimming Squad Pool 14:00-15:15 • Inter Schools Athletics Squad Relay Teams U7 to U14 06:30-07:15 • U13B Cricket vs Beaumont Beaumont 14:30 • U13C Cricket vs De Hoop Somerset College 14:30 • U11B Cricket vs Beaumont Somerset College 14:30 • U11C vs De Hoop De Hoop 14:30 Wednesday, 4 February • Junior Tennis Squad Cancelled • Inter Schools Athletics Meeting Selected Athletes Bridge House 14:30-18:30 Thursday, 5 February • Senior Swimming Squad Cancelled • Athletics Circuit Trials Selected Athletes HHH 14:00 Friday, 6 February • Athletics Circuit Trials Selected Athletes Beaumont 14:00

mailto:[email protected]




FAMILY FUN DAY – 8 February

Please note that entries for this Family Fun Day close on Tuesday, 3 February 2015.


Our hearts are red – 27 March


PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION

R8 FRIDAY FOOD SALES @ 12H30

SWIMMING TOWELS

Please order your swimming towels from Sarah Fitzgerald. You may contact Sarah on 072 846 6905 / [email protected] All towels are SNAG PROOF BATH SHEET SIZE. These towels come with a pocket (25cm x 15cm) big enough to hold your child's goggles, cap, sunblock, lip-ice or cell phone.

Price: R200-00

EFT BANKING DETAILS:

Prep Parents’ Association Nedbank: Current Account

Account Number: 1060 155532 Branch: Somerset West

Reference: Towel & Name/Surname

PLEASE SEND PROOF OF PAYMENT TO: [email protected]


episode iii of the “ranking*, ooking*, over the...

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episode iii of the “ranking, ooking, over the...