Primary Schools Hold Special Fair

CHANDAPIWA BAPUTAKI
Staff Writer | Monday July 13, 2009 00:00

The fair, which is held annually, sees the students exhibiting their artifacts in whatever they are good at, including extra curricular activities. According to the coordinator of the event, who is also the head teacher at Serungwana Primary School in Thamaga, there are different mental operations associated with intelligence. She explained that these are linguistic (poet, writers), musical talent, logical-mathematical and science genius, spatial (architects and engineers) Bodily kinesthetic (athletes and dancers) interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligence.

Edith Tirelo explained further that this means that there are many opportunities and chances in life for every child to rise to the ranks of the masters in whatever they might be excelling in whether it is dancing, singing or acting.  'If encouraged and given a chance, many of the school dropouts will not be wasted,' she said.

She stated that those in charge of planning and implementing the curriculum must expand the vision beyond intellectual and academic pursuits without creating soft subjects or watered down curriculum. Tirelo said that teachers must nurture all types of intelligence and all types of excellence that contribute to the worth of an individual and society. 'We must be guided by reason and balance and consider the versatility of our children. We need to be aware of their multiple strength and abilities and their multiple ways of thinking and abilities,' she said. One of the teachers involved at the fair, Sally Motlogelwa, who is a senior teacher (practical subjects) at Lesirane Primary School, said that the idea is to catch the children's talents when they are still at a tender age. 'We want to nurture them from an early age so that if they fail in their work academically they can still survive on their other talents,' she said.