As per usual we had a bumper day planned using a large scale learning strategy. Like last year we also used the learner volunteers to "man" our fun learning stations and assist the teachers to get on top of new mobile skills and brush up on some of the old skills. This reversal of roles went down well and a lot of fun was had by all. This year we were also joined by volunteer NARYSEC youth who will be assisting the #ict4red schools and teachers in the coming years as part of a learnership programme from the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDLR) who were also present on the day.
On the Friday before we did a briefing with all the volunteers and prepared the school for the onslaught of happy teachers. We also used this opportunity to make sure that the learners and volunteers are ready for their stations and how to get their groove on! We all got our groove on!
Our host school, Get Ahead College in Queenstown went out of their way to make sure that we feel welcome. They even pitched a marquee, organised a DJ and sound equipment and had lively African carnival music set the mood. Our teachers arrived from early on Saturday, ready to rumble and dressed in their carnival paraphernalia. They were not in the least put out by the trying weather conditions and spend the morning happily going from station to station collecting their stickers and stamps after completing the learning and fun tasks at every station.
At each of the stations the teachers had to do something and learn something. Some of the learning clues were hidden in QR codes. At the Rugani carrot station they had to figure our what a "cold chain" is and compete for the prizes of who can eat the most carrots in half a minute. The most pieces of carrots eaten in half a minute was 13 with an average of 4. Each of the teachers walked away with at least 1 packet of juicy sweet carrots.
As it was a tablet fun day, the teachers had to use their tablets at every station, either to take photos or videos, make collages, set their timers, read QR codes or demonstrate some of the skills learned during the course so far.
Learners from our Cofimvaba schools decided to do a flash mob at the carnival and did impromptu entrepreneurial stalls to showcase their worthy projects. The teachers were very appreciative and proud of their efforts!The day culminated in a fun prize giving ceremony where we celebrated our success. Nobody went away empty handed. We want to thank our sponsors who so generously donated prizes. Our teachers felt valued and special!!
Rugani carrots sponsored carrot flash drives, shirts, pencil cases and 300 bags of carrots. Afrihost sponsored a cell phone. Vodacom sponsored home TV internet, calculators and pencil cases, as well as Madiba T-shirts making sure that all the learners went away with something as well. Benita Williams and Associates sponsored fun mignion speakers and mp3 players. Google sponsored caps and T-shirts. Schoolnet sponsored cameras. Thank you to all our sponsors for helping to make the day such a success. Jaribaaaaaa!!
A twitter storify tweet summary can be found here: https://storify.com/Leacock_Fdn/tablet-fun-day-at-get-ahead-college
All our fun day photos can be found here: http://goo.gl/nIi7f9
