Grocott's Mail
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Wednesday, June 18
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Grocott's Mail
    • NEWS
      • Courts & Crime
      • Features
      • Politics
      • People
      • Health & Well-being
    • SPORT
      • News
      • Results
      • Sports Diary
      • Club Contacts
      • Columns
      • Sport Galleries
      • Sport Videos
    • OPINION
      • Election Connection
      • Makana Voices
      • Deur ‘n Gekleurde Bril
      • Newtown… Old Eyes
      • Incisive View
      • Your Say
    • ARTSLIFE
      • Cue
        • Cue Archives
      • Makana Sharp!
      • Visual Art
      • Literature
      • Food
      • Festivals
      • Community Arts
      • Going Places
    • OUR TOWN
      • What’s on
      • Spiritual
      • Emergency & Well-being
      • Covid-19
      • Safety
      • Civic
      • Municipality
      • Weather
      • Properties
        • Grahamstown Properties
      • Your Town, Our Town
    • OUTSIDE
      • Enviro News
      • Gardening
      • Farming
      • Science
      • Conservation
      • Motoring
      • Pets/Animals
    • ECONOMIX
      • Business News
      • Entrepreneurship
      • Personal Finance
    • EDUCATION
      • Education NEWS
      • Education OUR TOWN
      • Education INFO
    • EDITORIAL
    Grocott's Mail
    You are at:Home»Uncategorized»How can after-school clubs support learning?
    Uncategorized

    How can after-school clubs support learning?

    Grocott's MailBy Grocott's MailJanuary 8, 2014No Comments3 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

    As part of our work in the South African Numeracy Chair (Sanc) Project at Rhodes University, we have introduced after school mathematics clubs for Grade 2 to 4 learners across a range of schools.

    As part of our work in the South African Numeracy Chair (Sanc) Project at Rhodes University, we have introduced after school mathematics clubs for Grade 2 to 4 learners across a range of schools.

    Since our first pilot club in 2011 we have established or supported the establishment of 10 clubs across 8 schools in Grahamstown and the surrounding areas.

    Local and national interest in our clubs is growing rapidly and we have run various teacher workshops on how to start and run clubs.

    NGOs and after-care centres are also interested in using our model for after school and extension programmes.

    We have freely downloadable booklets and materials for starting clubs on our website to support anyone who wishes to start and run a club.

    After school mathematics clubs provide rich learning opportunities for both learners and facilitators as they are free from curriculum and daily classroom pressures (such as assessment, large classes and moving learners at the same pace).

    Our research in clubs to date suggests that clubs are successful in enabling learning across mathematics with a focus on conceptual understanding, procedural fluency and positive mathematics attitudes.

    We use a lot of dice, card and other games in the clubs as these encourage interaction and having fun.

    The clubs are supportive communities where learners are encouraged to make sense of their mathematics by talking, arguing, explaining and asking questions about mathematics.

    Learners work as individuals, in pairs and alongside club mentors.

    There is very little ‘whole group teaching’.

    We also emphasise building mathematical confidence and we believe that mistakes are opportunities to learn and grow our brains.

    After school clubs aim to help learners think about and enjoy mathematics.

    The clubs are voluntary and take place during out-of-school time.

    The learners are expected to be active and engaged and club rules may differ from in-school time rules.

    Clubs seem to work best when there are smaller groups of learners — perhaps between 10 and 15 and a mix of levels. A club can focus on:
    • Maths recovery / remediation
    • Extending and challenging beyond potential
    • Individualised attention
    • Strengthening mathematical dispositions, confidence and trajectories

    If you are interested in starting a club, please visit our website at http://www.ru.ac.za/sanc/mathsclubs/startingyourownclub/ or contact Debbie on d.stott@ru.ac.za / 046 603 7358.

    Our website also has links to other useful articles and research that we base our club work on.

    See http://www.ru.ac.za/sanc/numeracyresources/otherresources/index.html andhttp://www.ru.ac.za/sanc/numeracyresources/mathslinks/index.html.

    Previous ArticleMilestone for African independent church
    Next Article Book review: Keep that lunchbox interesting!
    Grocott's Mail

      Comments are closed.

      Code of Ethics and Conduct
      GROCOTT’S SUBSCRIPTION
      RMR
      Listen to RMR


      Humans of Makhanda

      Humans of Makhanda

      Weather    |     About     |     Advertise     |     Subscribe     |     Contact     |     Support Grocott’s Mail

      © 2025 Maintained by School of Journalism & Media Studies.

      Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.