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The aim of education is the knowledge, not of facts, but of values. (W.R. Inge - Dean of St. Pauls)





April Value

HAPPINESS & KINDNESS
Happiness naturally comes with pure and selfless actions.


  
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INTERSEN PHASE NEWSLETTER 1                                                            31 January 2011


Dear Intersen Phase Parents

Welcome back to the start of the new year. I would like to take this opportunity to highlight a few areas of focus.

HOMEWORK 
The South African school day is quite short in comparison to other countries, and homework is therefore a vital extension to your child's academic advancement.


Teachers set the homework with the expectation that it is completed, as the lesson that follows is usually a progression from that homework. Unfortunately, it becomes impossible to continue with the planned lesson if 25% of the class have not completed it' and Teachers are having to regularly alter their teaching schedules in order to wait for learners to complete homework. While we definitely do not want you to do the homework for your children, we do require that you monitor not only that it is done, but also the manner in which it is done. Just completing the homework in order to fill the page is not sufficient, there must be careful thought and effort applied.

Many parents are concerned because the children do not write down their homework and the parent is therefore unable to monitor it. Try to have a serious discussion with your child. Point out that by the time the child has reached the Intersen Phase, he or she is expected to take responsibility for his or her own learning. It is therefore up to him or her to be diligent about ensuring that he or she knows what the homework expectation is, and notes it fully in the homework diary. Encourage your child to view the homework diary as a full daily diary, wherein he or she records all information relevant to the expectations.


Homework that is given on a Monday, for example, but may only be due by the Friday, should therefore be recorded on the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday as well, so that it is not "forgotten". In this way you can teach your child to time manage, by doing a portion of the homework each day to ensure completion by the due date. The workload is then spread and your child will not have hours of homework on one day, and none the next.

Most importantly, sign the homework in acknowledgement that it has been monitored and write a note if there is a query about it. It is not enough to ask your child if the homework has been done and accept that it has, without checking that it is complete. Explain to your child that you trust him or her to be responsible and that telling you that the homework is complete when it is not is lying, and lying leads to punishment.

You will note on the Extramural Timetable that there is a Detention class on Fridays. Any learner who does not complete homework during the week will automatically be put into the Detention class on the Friday. Detention class takes precedence over sport, therefore your child will have to attend Detention and forego any other Extramural activity he or she may have on that Friday. If your child has a fixed transport arrangement, you will have to reorganize on the Friday if he or she has Detention, as this will not be accepted as an excuse. Finally, impress on your child that homework is ultimately his or her responsibility, not yours or the Teachers'.


UNIFORM

All learners should be wearing the correct summer uniform. Please ensure that your child has all the items needed, as per the Uniform List. This is available in the Office if you do not have one. The Dry-Mac must be the regulation school colour, not royal blue. ALL clothing must be clearly and permanently marked.

COMMUNICATION

For queries regarding a particular subject, please contact the teacher concerned directly.

For information regarding general registration class activities, please contact your child's registration teacher.

If you are not successful in your queries, please contact the Head of Department, Mrs Kotwal.

For simple queries, requests, absentee notes and information, please use the Homework Diary.

If you wish to send a note to a teacher regarding your dissatisfaction, please do so in a sealed letter or via the e-mail. It breaks down relations between the parent, child and teacher if 'open' letters are sent via your child.


STUDYING

At Saxonwold we employ the Outcomes Based Education methodology. However, this does not mean that all work is group work or that it is done in class only. Children must be encouraged to study and learn their work. We find that children do not have a study ethic; when asked to learn for a test, they simply read the work and regard that as studying. Children need to actively sit and study for tests.


GENERAL

I have attached a table with the Teachers' names and e-mail addresses for your information. This also details which subjects and classes are taught.


I feel sure that this term will be a more disciplined and positive one if we all pursue the same goal; the education of the children. We are partners in this process.


Yours sincerely


MRS C.L.KOTWAL

DEPUTY PRINCIPAL / HEAD OF DEPARTMENT