board meeting

Last week we had a board meeting with the teachers…just a coffee/tea and cake get together. During Term One we had lunch with the board…getting to know you—see the school, see what the teachers are doing, becoming more approachable on both sides. It went so well we decided to repeat (on a smaller scale as lunch was big). So we came together with cake and coffee. It started with Willeke taking us outside for an icebreaker…line up, shoulder-to-shoulder and repeat what the first person does. We went on a bear hunt. Where is the bear? There is the bear. First pointing with the left arm, then the right and then bent down…then she wanted to push us over but we weren’t actually shoulder-to-shoulder so we didn’t all fall but we did laugh a lot.
Back inside for refreshments and discussion. The question was memories from primary school—specifics or overall feelings. It sounded like everyone had memories of very strict/mean teachers but they see the feeling behind the strictness…wanting something better for the child…but the punishments were harsh…but then these are all people who have since succeeded and see the importance of education and many of them work in education still. Punishments from sweeping around, kneeling and being pulled by the ears, digging latrine pits (in primary school!)…but still an overall positive feeling…
They were then asked what makes a good teacher—honesty (kids take what their teachers say as true even over parents), caring, openness with kids and parents. And whether they think that they can come to the teachers with concerns and if their kids can come to them with concerns even about their teachers. Different from when they were growing up as parents sided with teachers almost across the board…it was a good meeting.