Ndiphile Gule of Dancing Pencils and UmSinsi Press is happy to have training from Mabusi Kgwete on updating the dancingpencils.co.za website. In the photograph the are recording the recent Dancing Pencils Book Lauch with photographs and short articles
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Organizied by Mthoko Lembethe and with the kind permission of Mr Padayachee, the Principal of Reunion Secondary School, Felicity Keats Morrison ran a right brain training for 60 learners and their English teacher on Tuesday 6th of May.
The cherry on the top was the presence of Themba Mthethwa, an ex-offender from Westville Men’s Maximum Security prison, who has published short stories because of his right brain training in the prisons. He also has his first book in isiZulu which we are hoping to launch at the South African Book Fair in Cape Town in June.
The learners had 3 right brain sessions of writing to Vivialdi music. Two learners had a chance to read out what they had written. The one young lady with a poem got a thunderous round of applause from her peers.
She will be interviewed on radio on Friday, together with Mthokozisi Lembethe, Felicity Keats Morrison and Themba Mthethwa.
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Khulekani Mbanjwa
A wonderful achievement for Westville Medium B Maximum Security Men’s Prison is that Khulekani Mbanjwa was trained as a right brain Mentor by Felicity Keats on Tuesday 9th of March.
That means that right brain writing lessons will be ongoing in the Men’s Prison. Khulekani says it is likely that the men will get several writing sessions a week! They will learn to write atmosphere, character and short stories. They have a deadline for the middle of May to get their stories ready to send to UmSinsi for publication later this year.
The Prison is equipped with CD player, the correct music, pens and unlined paper- and a Mentor to train them! All sponsored by Felicity Keats who thoroughly enjoyed her time last year in training inmates in short story, poetry and novel writing … all using the right brain!
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In the photo, Muzu Sibanyoni (left) and Nhlanhla Dlamini (right) explore their right brains!
A KZN Department of Education Special Meeting for Youth Development specialists held in Durban for all 12 districts established that they ALL would like training in right brain writing as it is being proved that educational standards improve in districts where these trainings have taken place.
UThekula District already has the lead with a trained Master Mentor in Thembi Njoko.
On Thursday and Friday 5 and 6 of December Mr Muzu Church Sibanyoni from Zululand District and Mr Nhlanhla Dlamini from Ukhanyakude District started their Master Mentor Training at Felicity’ Keats home office. Both have had positive reports for their districts after trainings separately held last year at Magudu Lodge in Pongola for learners and teachers.
The ball is in the court of the remaining districts who will venture into their right brains with Felicity who will train them all at no charge.
Improved educational standards are our priority!
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Learners in a high school in the Valley of a Thousand Hills were given the first rule of unlocking the right brain – ten minutes of non-stop writing!
This is the first step towards the writing of poetry and of a short story, all done in the 2 hour right brain training. During their two hour workshop, they learnt to write poetry and short stories.
Some of their writing may be put into an anthology of stories for their school.
The training was facilitated by Thembi Njoko, Senior Education Specialist, Youth Development, from uThekkula District.
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On Friday 20th September, Felicity of Dancing Pencils was given a full two and a half hour slot to introduce to Early Childhood Development Practitioners a concept of non violence in schools combined with creativity and whole brain development.
The ECD project also wishes to incorporate Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Ubuntu so Felicity began by reading a small child’s story with principles of caring for others before oneself
The training of Early Childhood Practitioners is the work of New Beginnings Organisation for Development with offices in Chatsworth. 15 student teachers came from various schools, local and outlying. They readily fell into the training that included the creativity of the right brain and after the usual right brain story writing method, all wrote and illustrated stories which they can take back to their classes and read to the children.
Children readily believe if someone else has written a book by hand and illustrated it, that they can do the same! It is growing this belief system in children that develops creativity, self esteem and self confidence.
All enjoyed the experience and the magic of the right brain! In this way, creativity and whole brain learning, with an emphasis on reading and writing, spreads!
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