I had just started exploring the possibility of getting involved in a community project in support of children when I was invited by Cathy Gush and Anneliese Maritz from the Lebone Centre to attend a workshop designed to do just that.
I had just started exploring the possibility of getting involved in a community project in support of children when I was invited by Cathy Gush and Anneliese Maritz from the Lebone Centre to attend a workshop designed to do just that.
The workshop facilitator, Bridget Comfrie from WordWorks made perfect sense, recognising the parent as being the child’s first teacher and promoted a fun, practical approach to learning.
Teachers who attended the workshop were trained to facilitate a series of seven workshops for parents, where teachers and parents would aim to form a partnership in support of the child’s learning.
Parents would be encouraged to build on positive practices which were working for them, as well as consider and adopt new and creative ways of developing a culture of learning in the home.
I worked alongside pre-school teacher Margaret Speckman, from the Little Red Dragon school at the Lebone Centre. We offered parents the option of afternoon and evening weekly workshop sessions. O
nce we all settled down, the sessions became very interactive and it was a privilege for us to witness parents recognising valuable existing practices and brainstorming new and innovative ways of encouraging and stimulating their children at home.
Parents reported back enthusiastically on homework projects and were often quite animated as they participated in interactive storytelling and games, to the absolute delight of the other parents in the group.
I was humbled to learn that one of the parents walked several kilometres to attend these weekly sessions. There was definitely a sense that these workshops added value to the lives of those who chose to attend, not only for their children, but also as encouragement and stimulation for themselves.
The highlight was the graduation ceremony, where parents displayed their beautifully illustrated journals detailing their learning, as well as games and books they had produced over the preceding weeks. This very special occasion was attended by Dr Barbara Matthews, Chairperson of the ICDC, Anneliese Maritz, Manager of the Lebone Centre and Cathy Gush, Project Manager.
Parents were congratulated for choosing to make this investment in the lives of their children.
