3.3 Teacher Development Courses and Workshops in Mathematics Problem Solving (Aimed at Grades 1 – 11)

Years: 2016; 2017; 2018; 2019

Purpose: The aim of this programme was to improve the teaching of Mathematics Problem Solving for Grade 1 – Grade 11 learners.

Detail: A key way to improving learners mathematics is through ensuring they become better problem solvers.  However, to do this we need to empower our educators to become better teachers with improved techniques.  This program does exactly that.  These programs were run across very provinces and in person programs which was aimed at various grade teachers from Grade 1 – Grade 11.

Impact:

• In 2016, 4 full day workshops were held in Durban. 193 educators; subject advisors and officials from the MST unit attended. The feedback was very positive.
• In 2017 we covered more than 120 educators in the Billy Nair Circuit. We did another 100 educators in the iLembe district.
• In 2018 we completed 4 teacher development mathematics problem solving courses for educators from the historically disadvantaged areas. We covered 220 educators from the Umlazi Circuit.
• In 2019 we did 170 educators in the UGU district.
• Over 633 teachers have participated in these programmes.
• This has resulted in an additional 10 000 students participating in the Mathematics Olympiads.