VID_20151115_141450
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New Beginnings is an Early Childhood Development is an academy for training of practitioners that has been in existence for 23 years. Patsy Pillay, their Director, was proud to launch their very first anthology of stories for practitioners to read to small children. This took place on Saturday 13th at the SABC Hall 1 in Durban.
In her talk, Patsy told the audience there are 20 000 creches or pre-primaries in South Africa, most of whom have no books with stories for small children. “Our Stories for Young Children” which is the title of their anthology, has been beautifully illustrated in colour by Gill Nicholson. The stories follow a theme of Social Justice, and through the stories, small children can learn about other cultures, about kindness, helpfulness, gender equality and understand positive values.
Patsy brought on stage a team of three student teachers to bring to life three of the stories. Patsy’s favourite is called “Our Hero, Tata Mandela” which helps children to understand, in simple language, how our democracy was formed.
Patsy would like to find sponsorship for a big run of the books so that she can GIVE every crèche a copy of this book.
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This highly inspirational novel is about a small boy whose father deserts them. The mother, a domestic worker, has to care for her three children on her very small wages. But the hero grows up to become a soccer champion and a teacher. He meets a young lady with whom he falls in love. She becomes a student at his school but because of his success in life in many fields, jealousy causes him a great deal of trouble.
He wins through it and even gets to meet with his aging father but tragedy strikes. This is a novel that in interesting from beginning to end.
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The club members were interviewed on a youth programme called Teen Zone on Ligwalagwala FM (the number one radio station in Mpumalanga) about the club’s newly published book titled YES which was published by Umsinsi Press last month. Their Mentor is Zithini Dlamini.
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Sunday Times photographer was intrigued with the way the Parkvale Primary Dancing Pencils Writing Club members just got out their books and started writing on their Jolly Roger Ferry trip outing …
Their Mentor Veena Gangaram, (also in the photo), encouraged them to write about their feelings as the ferry boat “rocked and rolled.” Felicity Keats Morrison (the founder) was present with a tape recorder of Vivaldi, but above the roar of the engines and the sound of the wind and rain, it wasn’t easy to hear the music!
It was a typical October day when one gets ALL seasons in one morning. There were hugely heavy squalls of rain, and strong icy winds. The bay looked like the sea, it was so full of white waves and was very choppy. The children got wet in the rain, they dried out in the wind, and they laughed and loved it all. And they wrote! Some of these writings will be in their next year’s Anthology of Stories.
Parkvale Primary have been in existence for 12 years. Their current Principal, Ms Mpungose, is enthusiastic about the success that belonging to the Dancing Pencils Writing Club at her school, brings to individual learners.
Veena Gangaram who is a maths teacher, says that right brain understanding helps with maths. Veena has increased the percentage in ANA tests from 27% to 51% and is proud of her achievements! A feature article on this writing club and their mentor, Veena Gangaram, will appear in the Sunday Times extra newspaper shortly.
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This is the oldest of the writing clubs, having started their first published work in 2012. It is mentored by Mrs Veena Gangaram, a teacher of 32 years standing who has a committed club of 65 children at her marginally disadvantaged school in Newlands West, Durban..
Although the club launched their book a few days previously, they had an enthusiastic representation that included the presence of the Principal, Ms Mpungose.
Their anthology, called It’s our Choice Again, has a wide variety of stories. These include romantic stories, soothing stories and also crime and violence. This is definitely a book that will extend the minds of those who read it!
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This club’s development is due to the passion of General Kikine who motivated Felicity to train 50 learners and educators in February of this year.
A motivated group of young people have produced deeply felt poetry. We anticipate that the club will blossom and look forward to future publications from the muses at work.
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This new club, mentored and motivated by the Principal, Dr Msomi, is the result of right brain trainings done in the Uthukela District at the invitation of Thembi Joko in September of last year.
The club gave the audience extra enjoyment in the rhythmic performance that they gave us, prior to reading parts of their new work.
We do congratulate Dr Msomi and his writers. We know the club will grow in strength.
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