Minutes of EE Friends Meeting
Tygerberg Nature Reserve, 19 January 2011
Attendance
The meeting was very well attended with many people participating in their first EE Friends
meeting. For a list of participants see Appendix 1.
Please check your details and send any corrections / additions to Alice Ashwell
(alice@enviroeds.co.za) by Wednesday 26 January 2011.
Welcome
The meeting began with a ‘meet & greet’ activity, during which people shared aspects of their
work that they were particularly excited about.
Alice Ashwell coordinated the meeting and outlined its main purpose:
To review the main points and issues arising from a meeting between the WCED & education service
providers (EE & Museums) in December 2010, in order to identify opportunities and strategies to ensure
that the broader education community can give the best possible support to the education department
and schools during this period when the imperative is to improve the quality of teaching and learning
(notably literacy & numeracy), and to strengthen school management and governance.
The following people were thanked for their parts in organising the meeting:
• Esmay Swarts & team, City of Cape Town: Communication & refreshments
• Lindie Buirski, City of Cape Town: Funding the meeting
• Penny Glanville & staff, Tygerberg Nature Reserve: Hosting the meeting
• Carolé Olivier & Margaret Roestorf, SANCCOB: Compiling the EE Friends information &
calendar
• ALL OF US: Turning up and making it happen!
Carolé Olivier asked everyone to complete the service provider information form that had been
emailed to EE Friends thoroughly and accurately, keeping it in the original format, and to email
it to alice@enviroeds.co.za AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, so that your details can be included in the
document that will be compiled for the WCED and EE Friends.
New EE coordinator in the City of Cape Town
Natanya Dreyer was appointed in December 2010 to coordinate environmental education,
volunteers, communications and fundraising for the Biodiversity Management Branch of the City
of Cape Town. Natanya introduced herself and her portfolio.
Meeting feedback & workshop introduction
Alice Ashwell presented an overview of the main issues arising from the meeting between the
WCED and Environmental / Museum Educators on 10 December 2010. The minutes had been
widely circulated, so the presentation summarised only those issues requiring discussion.
1
After briefly outlining each issue, Alice proposed some questions to stimulate discussion and
generate ideas, and asked for volunteers to coordinate each of the discussion groups. Margaret
Roestorf (SANCCOB) proposed an additional question relating to funding, which was included.
For a summary of the issues and questions, see Appendix 2.
Workshop discussion groups
Gp
Topic
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Improving coordination with schools & EE providers
Enhancing curriculum support
Supporting literacy & numeracy
Working with learners after school
Supporting teacher professional development
School Governing Bodies & sustainable schools
Improving fundraising efforts
Coordinator / Presenter
Carolé Olivier, Andreas Groenewald
Sally Hey, Jerome September
Dawn Glover
Christa Stringer, Elzanne Burger
Wendy Hitchcock
Terry Corr
Margaret Roestorf
Workshop Feedback
1. Improving coordination
• The database of EE practitioners that is currently being developed will help people to know
which organisations are working in schools, and to encourage more effective partnerships (e.g.
combining strengths to develop better programmes).
• We also need to monitor which providers work in which schools, and which topics are covered
with which grades, etc.
• Use existing networks, find out who else works in your area, contact your WCED district office,
and link up with others.
• Promote programmes via the City of Cape Town’s EduNet: a web-based network of teachers
interested in the environment. Contact the coordinator Esmay Swarts:
esmay.swarts@capetown.gov.za
• Use the Share-Net Year of Special Days calendar to identify environmental days and develop
programmes together.
• Provide the WCED with a combined calendar of environmental events and request approval.
Make it available to EE Friends and schools (e.g. via EduNet and the WCED’s website).
• Invite teachers and district officials to your EE Centre for a teachers’ open day to make schools
more aware of available programmes.
• Find out from the WCED what the most effective way of communicating with schools is. Some
providers have to drive to schools to set up meetings with teachers and principals as faxing and
emailing are ineffective.
• Some providers find it effective to use an SMS subscription service to communicate directly with
teachers. Look for sponsorship to pay for this. Investigate using mxit and social networking
pages like FaceBook.
2. Enhancing curriculum support
• Some teachers need help to recognise and teach about environmental topics and issues in the
curriculum. EE officers must be familiar with the environmental content of the curriculum in
order to effectively support teaching and learning.
• While many teachers struggle with environmental content in the curriculum, EE centres and
programmes tend to specialize in certain areas, e.g. ecology; plant knowledge; water issues;
climate change, and are therefore able to support the educators in these sections of the
curriculum.
2
•
•
•
•
•
•
A great advantage of environmental field trips is that teachers and learners are exposed to the
‘real thing’ rather than just encountering concepts in a text book; experiential learning enhances
understanding of the curriculum.
Programmes offered during school hours must be curriculum linked. Curriculum links (topics and
grades) must be included in promotional materials so that the curriculum relevance of
programmes is clear to teachers and the WCED.
Programmes (e.g. fieldwork activities, worksheets) should ideally be integrated into the learning
programme at school. How could your programmes and materials be taken further at school, e.g.
incorporated into learners’ workbooks and assignments, and assessed – even in learning areas
that were not covered on the field trip?
When planning to attend EE programmes, educators should ideally integrate the lesson they
attend (e.g. the fieldwork activities, worksheets) into the learning going on at school. They
should ask how the programme and materials could be taken further at school, e.g.
incorporated into learners’ workbooks and assignments, and assessed – even in learning areas
that were not covered on the field trip – e.g. writing thank-you letters to the education officer
who gave their lesson.
Lessons should be based on the Active Learning Framework (enquiry, investigation, reporting &
action) ensuring the development of learning programmes that are active, not passive. EE
should encourage learning in, about and for the environment.
We could develop an evaluation rubric (tick-boxes) to help EE officers evaluate their
programmes.
3. Supporting literacy & numeracy
• Our programmes already support literacy and numeracy development – but we do need to
formalise this by showing teachers how our programmes support these aspects of the
curriculum. For example, many children write Thank You letters to centres they visit – this could
be encouraged as a formal language activity.
• Schools are going to be working from a ‘Blue Box’ (Foundations for Learning) that will outline
when teachers will be expected to cover particular aspects of the curriculum. Education officers
must get hold of these guidelines and adapt their programmes and materials accordingly.
• Liaise with curriculum advisors to ensure that programmes are in line with the WCED’s learning
approaches (e.g. theories of literacy development) and curriculum guidelines.
• Develop grade-specific learning programmes that specifically draw on curriculum outcomes in
Literacy and Numeracy, as well as engaging learners in experiential environmental learning.
• Once programmes and materials are aligned with the curriculum / blue box, these could be
compiled into resource packs for teachers, including for example lesson and activity outlines,
worksheets, memoranda, assessment tasks and rubrics. These activities could then count
towards learners’ class marks.
• Resource packs could be promoted at teacher meetings, principal conferences, etc.
• Investigate using more stories in EE programmes.
• Attend formal WCED curriculum training.
4. Working with learners after school
• Advantages:
not limited to the curriculum – can be responsive and flexible;
can add value to the curriculum informally
can develop a range of skills that children won’t learn at school;
can assist with homework, and help children who don’t have help at home;
involve young people in constructive after-hours activities;
can work with smaller groups of learners and help them to develop genuine interests, passion
and buy-in
can expose small groups of learners to many different sites;
can provide high-quality programmes to small groups;
3
improve social cohesion and community support
•
Turning constraints around:
(NB: We need legal advice on issues relating to insurance and liability, especially if service
providers are charging fees for after-school activities. With this as caveat, here are some
suggestions:)
getting parents to assist with transport can be easier than working through schools (in affluent
areas only)
parents can give permission and sign indemnity forms; schools can be kept informed;
schools may be concerned that afternoon activities will interfere with homework, but there are
many opportunities to discuss school topics informally
to reduce costs, work with schools in the immediate vicinity of your venue.
•
Concerns:
Will those who book to attend after school programmes actually turn up?
The curriculum provides a useful framework to structure programmes during school – how will
after-school programmes be structured?
Teachers may not be available to assist with groups (supervision, discipline)
It is much more difficult, time consuming and expensive to contact individuals attending a
voluntary after-school programme than to work through a teacher to arrange a class outing
Funders are less likely to support programmes that benefit small numbers of youth than the
large classes that attend during school time (fewer participants mean that the cost per learner is
generally much higher)
Field trips during school time are more structured and controlled, numbers are predictable,
security of the group is better, and teachers are available to assist with discipline and evaluate
the programme.
Learners have such demanding school, homework and sport schedules, so will find it difficult to
fit in an extra afternoon programme.
•
Success stories:
City of Cape Town’s YES Drama Week: Fully sponsored Saturday workshops were oversubscribed
Holiday clubs: paid for by parents or sponsors
Table Mountain National Park Junior Rangers: enables you to get to know individuals
ZEEP camps (Zeekoeivlei Nature Reserve): many camps rely on private funding as youth cannot
afford to pay
Two Oceans Aquarium Junior / Young Biologists courses: in-depth marine ecology holiday
programmes
5. Supporting teacher professional development
• The Primary Science Project (PSP) has much experience in integrating environmental themes
into a wide range of subjects, including science and language
• Every subject has environmental content / opportunities – because environmental issues
comprise social, political, economic and natural components
• An important aspect to consider when developing environmental modules is to distinguish
between ‘needs’ and ‘wants’
• Teachers need to be aware of global environmental issues and programmes, e.g. the Millennium
Development Goals. A module could be developed translating these programmes into practical
learning activities.
• It is important to acknowledge what teachers already know and are doing when helping them to
adapt and develop environmental learning programmes.
4
•
•
When developing environmental modules that could be included in a WCED in-service course,
you will need a good understanding of the overall programme so that the environmental
module can be well integrated into the whole course.
Environmental issues can become overwhelmingly negative, so it is important to balance
information about issues with enjoyable, positive activities. Within the creative subjects (Arts
and Languages) there is a great deal of scope for teachers to respond to what is good and
beautiful in the world, and to express themselves creatively.
6. School Governing Bodies (SGBs) & sustainable schools
• The EcoSchools programme is an established whole-school environmental programme that
environmental initiatives in schools can dovetail with; however it focuses mostly on learning
opportunities in the curriculum and involves mainly teachers and learners. An initial audit is
conducted, but there is relatively little involvement of school management and governance
structures thereafter.
• The City of Cape Town has already piloted two sustainable management projects in schools and
demonstrated the cost savings associated with retrofitting and better use of resources (water,
energy, waste & biodiversity). These pilot programmes should inform future projects.
• The cost-savings associated with sustainable management should be promoted to principals and
SGBs.
• Opportunities exist for environmental organisations / companies to partner with schools and to
provide training as well as improve infrastructure.
• A wider range of stakeholders should be involved in auditing the school (e.g. parents, SGBs,
teaching and non-teaching staff, learners) to identify wasteful practices, develop sustainability
indicators, and implement a sustainability plan.
• Existing resources that can be drawn on include:
Eco-Schools handbook: school environmental policy development framework
City of Cape Town’s teaching materials, e.g. Green audit toolkit + LSMs
Green companies: could be approached to demonstrate technologies at an expo
7. Improving fundraising efforts
• A fundraising forum could be established to share fundraising ideas amongst organisations with
EE programmes, and to investigate training opportunities (e.g. writing funding proposals)
• Organisations could work together to develop collaborative projects that might attract more
substantial funding.
• The EE Friends database that is being developed will enhance coordination between people
involved in fundraising in this sector. Organisations could be grouped according to their
environmental focus, and possibly seek funding for collaborative projects within a particular
sub-sector.
• Possible issue / initiative clusters:
Red – Climate Change: Earth Hour, renewable energy, indicator species, fire & flood
Blue – Marine: Whale show, SANCCOB, Two Oceans Aquarium, Save Our Seas, City of Cape Town,
rocky shore ecology
Green – Terrestrial: Permaculture, tree-planting, Arbor Week, indigenous gardens, SANBI,
SANParks, CapeNature, City of Cape Town, tree planting play
Orange – Pollution: Waste management, recycling, composting, plastic, WasteWise programme
Brown – Heritage: Museums, social issues, HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, teenage pregnancy,
conflict resolution
General discussion
• Weston Barwise advised that EE practitioners should develop memoranda to the worksheets
they give learners, and give these to the teachers so that they can assess work done on field
trips back at school. These memos will also help to build teacher confidence in relation to the
content of the field trip.
5
•
Wendy Hitchcock suggested that environmental organisations investigate work-shadow
opportunities for senior high school learners. Organisations can work with programmes like
Take a Girl Child to Work and should also let the WCED know which organisations are willing to
host learners. EE Friends can compile a list of interested organisations and make it available to
the WCED.
(Note: This is one of the fields in the service provider questionnaire that has been circulated –
please fill in this aspect if you would like to assist.)
EE Friends meetings, 2011
Mtg
Date
Venue
2
3
4
20 April 2011
20 July 2011
To be confirmed (?Nov)
Centre for Conservation Education
SANCCOB
Jungle Theatre Company – enviro play and bring & share party
Esmay Swarts emphasised that although the City of Cape Town supports the EE Friends by
coordinating e-mails, the EE Friends is its members, NOT the City of Cape Town. She encouraged
everyone to participate actively, to take initiative and to contribute agenda items for
forthcoming meetings.
16h00 Conclusion / Follow-up meeting with WCED
The meeting ended at 4 pm.
Since the meeting, the WCED has informed us of the date of the next meeting with Ms Penny
Vinjevold. We have requested an agenda, and will circulate it as soon as it arrives.
Date: 02 February 2011
Time: 15:30-16:30
Venue: Grand Central Building, 9th floor, SG Boardroom
RSVP: Alice Ashwell – alice@enviroeds.co.za – by Friday 28 January 2011
Minutes: Alice Ashwell, EnviroEds, 20/01/11
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Appendix 1: EE Friends Meeting – Attendance List
Tygerberg Nature Reserve  19 January 2011
Name
Company
Email
Contact number
Akho Myataza
Bracken Nature Reserve
-
079 851 8395
Alice Ashwell
EnviroEds
alice@enviroeds.co.za
082 720 7444
Andreas Groenewald
Helderberg Nature Reserve
mweec@telkomsa.net
Antoni Bongolethu
Dept Water Affairs
AntoniB@dwa.gov.za
Ashton Mouton
Bracken Nature Reserve
Amouton081@gmail.co.za
Bood Carver
SEED
bood@seed.org.za
Bronwen Foster
Rondevlei Nature Reserve
Bronwen.foster@capetown.gov.za
Carolé Olivier
SANCCOB
carole@sanccob.co.za
021 557 6155
Catherine Snel
SAMA
kurator@taalmuseum.co.za
021 872 3441
Christa Stringer
SANParks
christast@sanparks.org
082 443 7717
Dawn Glover
Cheetah Outreach
cheetah@intekom.co.za
082 872 4007
Desiree Timmet
StatsSA
desireet@statssa.gov.za
082 803 9354
Dorette du Plessis
Centre for Invasion Biology, US
dorette@sun.ac.za
083 300 6278
083 712 4784
7
Elizabeth Bowes
Paarl Museum
paarlmuseum@telkomsa.net
Elaine Ontong
Dept Water Affairs
ontonge@dwa.gov.za
Elzanne Burger
Helderberg Nature Reserve
hnr.eec@telkomsa.net
Elzette Krynauw
Blaauwberg Conservation Area
elzette.krynauw@capetown.gov.za
Esmay Swarts
ERMD, City of CT
Esmay.swarts@capetown.gov.za
Farha Ally
CTEET
zeep@telkomsa.net
076 699 5052
Florence Gamanie
Department of Water Affairs
GamanieF@dwa.gov.za
082 901 8554
Francois van Tonder
Harmony Flats Nature Reserve
harmonyflatsnr@capetown.gov.za
Hin Wah Li
Project 90x2030
hinwah@90x2030.org.za
079 275 0497
Ivy Kinnear
EERU, UWC
ikinnear@uwc.ac.za
082 202 3490
Janine September
Taalmuseum
vakkundige@taalmuseum.co.za
Jerome September
Wolfgat Nature Reserve
Jerome.September@capetown.gov.za
083 749 1073
Kay Kilian
Cape Windjammers
kaykilian@yahoo.co.uk
079 078 3591
Leanne McKrill
Working on Fire
media.ct@wofire.co.za
082 474 7127
Lindie Buirski
ERMD, City of Cape Town
Lindie.buirski@capetown.gov.za
084 629 9305
Lorraine Tanner
Jungle Theatre Company
Michaels@jungletheatre.co.za
072 103 0661
083 661 1607
073 146 9057
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Margaret Roestorf
SANCCOB
marketing@sanccob.co.za
082 495 6339
Mark Arendse
Zandvlei Nature Reserve
markclivearendse@capetown.gov.za
082 301 5206
Mark van Rensburg
Centre for Conservation Education
mark@cce.wcape.school.za
076 371 4056
Mary Possa
Cheetah Outreach
cheetah@intekom.co.za
078 635 7133
Matthew Dowling
Cape Leopard Trust
Matthew.dowling19@gmail.com
Michael Jonas
Dept of Cultural Affairs & Sport
mjjjonas@pgwc.gov.za
Mlindazwe (Sydney)
Gxakuma
ERMD, City of CT
Naadhira Khan
Working on Fire
media.overberg@wofire.co.za
074 233 3184
Natanya.Dreyer
Biodiversity Management CCT
Natanya.Dreyer@capetown.gov.za
076 810 4620
Penelope Cheney
SANParks
penelopeC@sanparks.org
084 823 0752
Phindi Nzizi
Dept Water Affairs
phindimzizi@gmail.com
072 479 5675
Rifqah Johnson
Rietvlei Nature Reserve
Rifqah.Johnson@capetown.gov.za
072 247 8101
Russell Stevens
Two Oceans Aquarium
Russell.stevens@aquarium.co.za
082 336 6361
Sally Hey
SANBI
S.Hey@sanbi.org.za
082 296 0161
Sara Muhl
SAEP
wanderingmuhl@gmail.com
Sheraine van Wyk
Overstrand Conservation Foundation
overbergplumbing@telkomsa.net
083 484 0202
9
Skye Marks
Kenilworth Racecourse
Conservation Area
conservation@goldcircle.co.za
073 189 3720
Stacy-Anne Michaels
Edith Stephens Wetland Park
Stacy-anne.michaels@capetown.gov.za
082 622 0473
Terry Corr
Afri Oceans
Terry.corr2010@gmail.com
084 680 1354
Thando Abrahams
Witzands Aquifer NR
Thando.abrahams@capetown.gov.za
076 390 5303
Theo Oldjohn
SEED
theo@seed.org.za
084 663 3231
Theresa Hendricks
DWA Working for Water
hendrit@dwa.gov.za
084 204 8113
Velile Maxwell (Max)
Dingaan
ERMD, City of Cape Town
Wendy Hitchcock
EcoActivities
Hitchcock@mweb.co.za
084 681 4385
Weston Barwise
SANCCOB
education@sanccob.co.za
075 571 8173
Ziyanda Ncoko
Dept Water Affairs
ncokoz@dwa.gov.za
021 950 7199
021 487 2130
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Appendix 2:
Issues & Questions for discussion
Issue 1: Improving coordination of service providers in schools
Environmental organisations offer valuable support to schools, e.g. curriculum
implementation and school grounds development. However, in some schools there
is inadequate screening and selection of programmes by the school management
team, and poor coordination between service providers involved in these particular
schools. In a few cases schools are ‘over-supplied’ with projects. The WCED is
concerned that this may be detracting from teaching time and conceptual
development.
Q: What systems / competences (in schools and amongst service providers) will help
to optimise the effectiveness of the educational support that service providers offer
to schools?
Issue 2: Enhancing the quality of curriculum support
Many environmental service providers have aligned their programmes with the
national curriculum, and offer high quality lessons for schools. But how do we know
when we are “doing a good job”? What do we, our employers, schools and the
education department consider to be indicators of excellent curriculum-based
learning opportunities? Penny Vinjevold offered to invite EE providers to attend
CAPS training in 2011. She also said that the WCED planned to evaluate the quality
of service provider programmes in 2011/12.
Q1:
If the WCED were to limit the number of school outings undertaken by
classes in a year, what would make schools select YOUR programme?
Q2:
What criteria could service providers use to evaluate the quality of
educational programmes they offer?
Issue 3: Enhancing literacy & numeracy through EE
The WCED sees development of literacy and numeracy skills as a major priority. In
the current ‘back to basics’ climate the department is less supportive of initiatives
they perceive to be ‘extras’ like environmental education. However, there is an
opportunity for EE providers to show that their programmes are developing
foundational competences at the same time as enhancing environmental literacy.
Q1:
What opportunities exist to develop skills of reading, writing and calculating
through EE?
Q2:
In addition to these basic skills, what other foundational competences
should educational programmes be developing (teachers & learners)?
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Issue 4: Working with learners after school
The WCED wants to maximise classroom-based teaching and learning time. Service
providers were asked to investigate after-school activities with learners, e.g.
afternoon, weekend and holiday programmes. Various service providers would like
to work with learners after school, but have a number of concerns
Q1:
What are the advantages of working with learners school?
Q2:
Why do service providers tend to work with learners during school hours
rather than during afternoons, weekends and holidays?
Q3:
What excellent examples of after-school programmes exist?
Q4.
How do these programmes overcome logistical, financial and safety
challenges?
Issue 5: Providing environmental modules within teacher courses
The WCED did not view a dedicated EE course for in-service teachers at their Cape
Teaching & Learning Institute (CTLI) as a priority & cancelled it in 2010. However, Ms
Vinjevold recognises that the environment is a theme throughout the curriculum,
and acknowledges that some teachers need to improve their understanding of
environmental topics & issues. She suggested that service providers could present
environmental modules as part of subject-focused teacher professional
development workshops offered by the WCED at the CTLI
Q1:
What are the advantages of presenting environmental modules within
subject-oriented -service courses run by the WCED?
Q2:
What would you include in an environmental module for teachers if you
were invited to present session at one of the WCED’s in-service courses?
Consider general course design principles and/or a specific scenario (e.g. a particular
topic, subject and grade / phase).
Issue 6: Developing sustainable schools with School Governing Bodies
In addition to working with teachers to strengthen environmental learning in the
curriculum, service providers can help School Governing Bodies and School
Management Teams to reduce the school’s environmental impacts and running
costs, and to beautify school grounds. Ms Vinjevold suggested that service providers
might give presentations on sustainable management of schools at the next
Principals’ conference.
Q1:
What are the advantages of environmental service working with school
management and governance structures?
Q2:
If you were invited to address the next Principals’, what could you / your
organisation offer to help schools run more sustainably?
Q3:
What elements (e.g. resources, systems, processes) you include in a
sustainable school management plan?
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Issue 7: Funding
Fundraising partnerships could benefit EE friends in a number of ways, namely by
combining our programmes we would be in a better position to comply with the
WCED request to limit the number of visits within school hours; our approach to
funders would be stronger and result in more funds flowing into education; it would
result in more comprehensive programmes, which would enhance the experience
for learners and teachers . By adding colour-coded category groups to the EE
Friends data list, EE friends, teachers and the WCED will easily be able to spot likeminded programmes and make connections.
Q1.
How might your organization benefit if you partnered with other
organizations within the EE Friends circle when approaching donors?
Q2.
If the data base colour-coded activities (e.g. blue – marine, green –
terrestrial, brown – heritage, orange – pollution, red – climate change
categories), what would be your organisation’s primary colour?
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