Phuthi Ragophala - YouTube

 

Phuthi Ragophala - YouTube

Pula-Madibogo Primaty School

 

Pula-Madibogo Primaty School

Bulldog Reader Blog: bridging books, lessons and technology

Bulldog Reader Blog: bridging books, lessons and technology Search Main menu Skip to primary content Skip to secondary content   Contact Form  Book Trailers  Mrs. Hembree’s Book Trailers  Student Book Trailers  Writing Comments  Books to Africa Post navigation ← Previous Next → What dog is in Sovenga? Posted on June 26, 2014 by Mrs. Hembree Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on emailShare on printMore Sharing Services Where is Dogzilla? I think the book Dogzilla is in Sovenga, South Africa! Yes, the hilarious book by Dav Pilkey was one of the books we sent to Mrs. Phuti Ragophala at Pula Madibogo Primary School, in the Limpopo Province. One of the boys read the book Dogzilla to me on Skype last night. Dav Pilkey, who wrote Dogzilla, is also the author of the Captain Underpants series. His books have been making children laugh for years! Last evening at 11:15 pm, I skyped with Phuti, two of her teachers, Mohlake and Molepo, plus a classroom of students! They were so excited about the boxes of books we sent that they wanted to talk to us live on Skype. Here is are some photos from their classroom during our Skype visit. Four or five of the students read portions of one of their favorite books. Just being able to read aloud on Skype was a huge motivation to practice reading for these children. We are calling this project “TechnoReading!” In South Africa, the teachers call their students by a different term.They call the children learners. I like that word better than students. It just seems to say what we all do – we LEARN! I hope to Skype again this summer and then once school starts we will arrange for a call and a time when our students can participate. We will have to write a sing a song for our friends. They sent me a video on Facebook, but unfortunately I can’t figure out how to download it and post it on the blog. If we get the technology worked out, I will post it here. The teachers have already asked for more books! I was sad to say that we have to wait until we raise more money for postage in the fall. Now I can’t wait for school to start again. Look at all the books on this cart that are waiting for new homes. Even Jett, Mrs.Daly’s dog helped out when she came up to the library to add to our book donation cart. Are you wondering where this school is located and where some of these books will go in the fall? Here is the general area where the school is located in South Africa. In case you were wondering also, how I could know someone 10,000 miles away from our school, I have the answer. Mrs. Ragophala and I met in March at the Microsoft Global Forum in Barcelona, Spain. We started talking about our projects, and she was very interested to hear that we send books to schools in South Africa. Before you know it, we added another school to our Books to Africa project! She was selected to attend for her project “Planting seeds” Changing lives! This project is about the different stages on how food is produced, technological tools that were used to enhance teaching and learning & how the lesson impacted learners and community members. She has been teaching for 27 years at Pula Madibogo Primary School, of which nine years being a principal. I hope you are as motivated to read as the students at Pula Madibogo Primary School. Who has already read 5 books this summer? Let me a comment and let me know! Happy Reading! Mrs. Hembree You might also like: Acrostics for our Bobcat Friends Merry Christmas from All of Us to You! Kindergarten Library Fun Linkwithin This entry was posted in Barcelona 2014, Blogging Buddies, Books to Africa, Expert Educator, Library News, Skyping by Mrs. Hembree. Bookmark the permalink. 0 THOUGHTS ON “WHAT DOG IS IN SOVENGA?” 1. Phuti Ragophala on June 28, 2014 at 6:52 am said: Your comment is awaiting moderation. Oh my God! Thank you so much Julie. The blog you created is so inspiring and it will encourage my colleques and learners to be more engaged in Techno reading project. I really love it. cheers! Reply ↓ Leave a Reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Name *

Report on the Microsoft in Education Global Forum by Star news paper

Report on the Microsoft in Education Global Forum

Barcelona: 11 – 14 March 2014

The Microsoft in Education Global Forum recognizes and celebrates the achievements of educators who are preparing students for life in the 21st century. Each year, the Microsoft in Education Global Forum brings together participants from the Microsoft Innovative Educators Program and the Microsoft Innovative Schools Program for an energetic, collaborative conference. This year the Global Forum took place in Barcelona, Spain between 11 and 14 March 2014. The Forum was attended by 260+ Microsoft Expert Educators; 150+ Governmental Education Leaders; 300+ Top School Leaders from 75 countries including fourteen delegates from South Africa and Lesotho.

The South African and Lesotho delegation was made up of the following Innovative School representatives:
• Sue Redelinghuys and Nina Adams represented St Cyprians – a Class of 2014 World Tour School
• Paul Cassar and Jaqueline Truter represented Eunice High School  – a Class of 2014 World Tour School
• Ann Owgan and Lyneth Crighton represented Brescia House School – a Class of 2014 Mentor School
The school leaders, ICT coordinators and teachers who participated in this track enjoyed learning more about the innovative teaching practices deployed at the various schools. We were especially proud of Paul Cassar who this year was asked to serve as a mentor to other schools participating in the program for the first time. We believe that Paul’s experiences at Eunice are an example of how much can be achieved at a public African school when there is a committed leader at the helm, supported by passionate staff. An exciting component of this track was the Pitch Competition where schools were invited to pitch their idea for using ICT to enhance education to a panel with a view of possibly being awarded funding to make their dream a reality.
The following teachers were each invited to present their projects in the Innovative Teacher Track. To make it to the Global Forum these teachers uploaded a Learning Activity and Innovative Educator Application to the Partners in Learning Network and their projects were judged to be among the best of those submitted by teachers in the Middle East and Africa region:
• Tlali Mabusane of Matikoe High School in Lesotho presented his project entitled “Sustainable Crop Production: Going Green” (http://www.pil-network.com/profile/details/91f6d8d1-6d2b-4fef-a1e2-5a940a8ae36d). In this project, Mabusane’s learners used a variety of ICT tools to study and share ideas for sustainable crop production. Group members played different roles as they collected, analyzed and presented data and made use of a variety of communication methods including a blog and Facebook to collaborate

 

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• Phuti Ragophala, Principal of Pula Madibogo Primary School in Limpopo presented her project on “Planting Seeds! Changing Lives!” (http://www.pil-network.com/profile/details/63f0b1ec-f857-445e-aa0e-c7aff9c42a1e). The goal of this project was for learners to gain life skills and indigenous knowledge that they could use to ensure food security both in their community now and in the future.

• Cheryl Douglas of Bishops and the Teaching Biology Project NGO in the Western Cape presented her project entitled “Human Impact on the Environment” (http://www.pil-network.com/profile/details/4a4a50ef-2737-46cb-bd6b-63b96b95a496).  This project involved running a mini conference to introduce 50 teachers to a new section of the curriculum; pairing learners from 12 schools to go on field trips to investigate human impact in various sites in the City of Cape Town; and then creating videos to share findings. At the gala awards evening Cheryl was awarded a prize for being the second runner up in the “Educator as Change Agent and Innovator Category”. 
 All members of the South Africa and Lesotho delegation agreed that the Global Forum was a once in a lifetime opportunity to network with teachers from around the world, to see cutting edge projects and to be inspired by keynote speeches and the technology showcase. An activity that was especially enjoyed by teachers in the group was getting to work in teams of five or six teachers from around the world to produce a project that would address one of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals as part of a 24 hour Learn-a-Thon. Cheryl Douglas was part of a group that came up with an exciting way of collaborating to address the issue of Poverty which received the “Runner-Up Learn-a-Thon Prize” at the gala awards evening. For all though, the real prize was the opportunity to build relationships with teachers from around the world whilst working on a shared challenge. We look forward to seeing some of the exciting ideas that were generated here being implemented.
For this Global Forum there were one hundred judges, including the following three judges from South Africa:
• Philip Mnisi – Director: South African Department of Basic Education
• Brian Schreuder - Director-General: Curriculum & Assessment Management: Western Cape Department of Education
• Megan Rademeyer – Programmes Manager of SchoolNet SA
The judges participated in a Judging Workshop to familiarise themselves with the judging rubric and process for judging as part of the Forum. In addition to reviewing the Learning Activities that were assigned to them on the Partners in Learning Network, judges interviewed each of the teachers that they had been assigned to ask them in-depth questions about their projects. When they weren’t judging projects, the judges were part of the Education Leaders Briefing. This session gave delegates an opportunity to network with key leaders in the field of ICT in Education from a range of countries and to share their experiences.
Also in the South African delegation was Angela Schaerer – Academic Programme Manager for Microsoft South Africa who kept the team together and Theo Garrun – Editor of The Star Workplace who will be covering this conference in the press.
All members of the South African and Lesotho delegation were grateful to Microsoft for the opportunity to attend the Forum – a professional highlight for many in the group. The group was also grateful to SchoolNet SA for making their travel arrangements and assisting in getting their entries ready for judging. Teachers who are interested in being part of the next Microsoft in Education Global Forum should sign up as members of the Microsoft Partners in Learning Network (www.pil-network.com) to find out more details about the next Forum when these are released.
 For more information on Cheryl Douglas’s award winning “Human Impact on the Environment” project please see the detailed overview below:
In her project, Cheryl worked City Of Cape Town to introduce teachers to a new section of the Gr 11 Biology curriculum: Human Impact on the Environment by running a one day mini conference for 50 teachers to explain the new content which looks at human impact on water quality and availability, loss of biodiversity, waste management, food security and atmosphere and climate change. Teachers from 12 schools chose to become involved in a pilot project where their students could research real world issue and come up with recommendations. Schools were partnered and each pair of schools (involving 3-6 students per school) were taken on a different outing to places including a landfill site, urban farm, activities along an urban river, and a nature reserve in the middle of the city. Schools were shown how to share their finding using Skydrive and Facebook groups with the aim of presenting their findings in a video. Schools were encouraged to meet in their groups and to use social media to communicate. Many elected to go on additional field trips to learn more about their topic. At the 2nd Saturday afternoon workshop they were encouraged to write a script, plan a storyboard and name their photos logically and shown how to use Moviemaker. They then went away, made their video and at 3rd workshop finalised their videos and uploaded it onto YouTube at our school as many of the students and schools do not have Internet access. The videos were put onto the Youtube BiologyZA playlist ( please subscribe) and onto a webiste (http://learning.bishops.org.za/humanimpact/) and this were shared via listserves and social media to Biology teachers community in SA and via the South African Institute of International Affairs to a more global platform. Groups presented their videos and answered questions about their understanding of the problem and feasible solutions to over 100 parents, teachers and representatives of the City of Cape Town. All students involved went on a one day leadership training day where they looked at systems thinking, worked on an urban farm and in completely mixed groups from all the schools took part in a 'Masterchef challenge" where they made healthy organic sandwiches! The project ran over 6 months.
Megan Rademeyer
Programmes Manager
SchoolNet SA – 14 March 2014

 

Phuti Ragophala in Barcelona during Global forum by Microsoft, presenting my IT project. A life changing forum.

 

www.pulamadibogoprimary.co.za

 

 

 

 

Report from global conference in Barcelona March 2014

REPORT FROM BARCELONA

Hi  Colleques

Phuti  Ragophala’s Short report about the  trip to Barcelona in Spain to present  IT project  after selected to be amongst the 250 Microsoft Expert Educator (out of more that 29,000 entries from  more that 150 countries.)

Date 9^th to 16^th March 2014

Microsoft came up with a programme whereby educators are encouraged to plan and design learning activities using project based learning approach  whereby curriculum is incorporated with the IT tools: (That is driving education using the IT tools more that a chalk and a chalkboard.) The activities were guided by a rubric that guide the educators  to indicate how the 21^st centaury skills like( communication ,creativity, problem solving, knowledge  and skills acquirement, collaboration and critical thinking)  were used during the lessons and activities  and how learners were assessed using information technology tools and the kind of  activities that learners designed  that will end up  solving a problem(learners as solution seekers)

My project called PLANTING SEED! CHANGING LIVES! proved to be amongst the best and made me  stood out as a visionary leader who is paving the way for her peers  and learners by using technological tools effectively for better learning and teaching. That’s what made me fly to Barcelona to represent South Africa in Microsoft  Global conference. From South Africa we were only two  accompanied by Microsoft SA and departmental representative nationally

Coming from a very small rural school ,Pula Madibogo primary, in Limpopo Mankweng circuit, ,competing internationally in IT projects, made me believe that  service that is accompanied by passion love and empathy  is priceless.

What  I learned from the conference is that learning has changed. The old methods of teaching and learning  used in the 19^th centaury  are longer used. We are in the 21^st centaury where learners learn by creating knowledge and not by absorbing it.

From the conference, I  earned my school a stage to conduct research on “how to fight poverty  using education” where 20 learners will lead the process of researching using the IT tools.   My country is grouped with USA, Mexico, El Salvador and China. The five  schools from the five countries will collaborate, communicate and share ideas about poverty in their respective environments. After  six months learners from each country will  report  to each other on skype, UTube,Power point, Movie maker or any other IT tool that can convey the message.  Learners  have started and they are  very excited to learn that they will be  interacting  with people from inside and outside their country  to acquire more learning and IT skills.

Secondly I have educators action plan where im expected  to  share the IT skills acquired from the conference  and assist 150 educators  to register in Partners in Learning Forum with Microsoft so that they are also able to drive teaching and leaning with Technology.

Challenges: Our school  have limited  IT resources  that cannot cater many  educators as such training is not possible now . We believe that one day a good Samaritan will come to our rescue and donate a lively computer laboratory building where every body will gain access for better education of our learners.

Im encouraged by Nikos Katzansakis , a Greek philosopher, who said: Ideal educators are those who use themselves as bridges and invite their students to cross. Then having facilitated their crossing, they joyfully collapse and encourage them to build bridges of their own”

Thank you

Phuti ragophala

 

 

 

 

AWARDS BESTOWED ON ME SINCE 2005 to date.

The following  are the  awards bestowed on Phuti Ragophala  since becoming the school principal:

2006:Tracy Malatji Woman of Excellence award winner in education category

2007:Provincial National Teaching Awards Champion in Excellence in Primary School Leadership. Won R12,5 00 which was Used to develop the educators

2007:National Finalist in National Teaching Award in Primary school leadership

2008 SABC 2 Shoprite Checkers woman of the year finalist in education category

2008Premier Excellence Service Awards winner. Won R150 000 which was used to put fence in the school.

2008CPSI 2nd runner up

2009Woman in Science award  winner and wonR50,000 scholarship and a book was published based on my IKS work in schools

2009Early Child development national winner trophy ,certificate

 2011:Stars in Education Awards. Won R10 000 and a trophy which was used to empower support staff members and R20,000 sponsorship for my scholarship

2011: ISPA  Award. Won two laptops, blackberryphones   and attending conference in Durban  in 2012

2011 special award by national  Minister Roy Padayache  and CPSI for selfless leadership and innovative  ideas shown in public administration

2012 Won the title of South African of the year 2012 by ETV and SACE for making radical change in the department of education(redefining what a primary  school is)

2013 Titled Microsoft Expert educator by Microsoft in Washington(see promotional kit page 12 and 13) I will be flying to Barcelona to attend Global forum in IT to share and harvest more ideas for my province and country. First oversee flight! dreams came true!!!!!

 

 

 

 

My ideas about  ideal surface classroom for the future

 

This is a video I designed to explain that E- tablets system  has transformed the four wall classroom that we use as space for teaching and learning into anything.
With electronic gadgets we do not need ideal surface classroom. We only need passion, love of work, empathy ,gadgets and skills. I have given examples using four different space that can be used.

1. Under the tree
2. In Jail
3. On sickbed
4.Rural and impoverished  families/backgrounds and many more. There is no limitation to education if we talk about using electronic gadgets. Distance is not a barrier. The gadgets tools can be used to bridge the gap between the elite and the poor learners. Refer to C.S Lewis "The task of the modern educators is not to cut down jungles but to irrigate the deserts" Its time to irrigates deserts to germinate seeds that are planted there.
Play the movie and enjoy the melody
Cheers
Phuti Ragophala(Principal from South Africa)

I think in future