The possible psychological effect of the South African education system on the educators of today

Tanja de Vos, March 2023

Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich on Pexels.com

There have been several issues plaguing the South African education system, such as inequality, underfunding, a lack of training for teachers, and high dropout rates, among others. Educators who work in underprivileged communities often suffer from issues such as these, which can have a significant psychological effect on them. Among the psychological effects that could occur are the following:

Due to a lack of financial support and resources and the high demands of the job, educators working in underfunded and under-resourced schools may become burned out and dissatisfied with their jobs due to the lack of resources and support available to them.

There is a possibility that educators may experience elevated levels of stress and anxiety due to systemic issues such as poverty, lack of basic needs, and low educational performance among their students, which can negatively impact their ability to be successful teachers.

There are many reasons teachers may develop low morale and low motivation because they work under poor conditions. We do not recognize them for their efforts fairly and equitably.

Mental health disruptions: Teachers may become depressed because of prominent levels of stress and anxiety caused by their working conditions, which may lead to mental health problems, such as depression.

The lack of trust that teachers have in the education system and the cynicism that teachers have towards their ability to make a positive impact on the lives of their students may lead them to lose faith in the system and become cynical about what they can do. This is due to systemic issues such as corruption and inequality.

There is a lack of opportunities for educators to gain professional development: Some educators may feel that because of poor teacher training and a lack of professional development opportunities, they lack the necessary qualifications and training to effectively instruct their students.

Educators should take note that these psychological effects may differ depending on the individual educator. This is based on the specific circumstances in which they find themselves because of their job. For those who wish to mitigate these psychological effects and aspire to provide educators with the support and opportunities they require to succeed, it is essential to address the issues facing the South African education system, such as inequality, underfunding, and poor teacher training.

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3 things to keep in mind when Starting with TpT

Teachers Pay Teachers (TpT) is a marketplace for original educator created content. This includes clip art, classroom decor, instructional resources and more. Man was I excited when I realized I could actually sell my resources to other educators! And that there are materials out there that I can buy so I don’t have to reinvent the wheel.

It has been a long process to get to this point where I have my store. SO let me guide you through my struggle so you don’t have to repeat my mistakes.

Photo by Julia M Cameron on Pexels.com

1. Download the TpT sellers app

In Play-store search for TpT seller and download to your mobile devices. I have it on my mobile phone as it is easy to manage. Initially choose the FREE Basic Membership just to get used to the layout and options, but as soon as possible move over to the Premium Membership. Trust me, there is lot more you can do and you will have higher payout rates. Keep in mind that you will need a PayPal account to link to the app. Here in South Africa, it only took me two years to sort that part out :()

2. Personalize your store

There are a few elements that is important to have in your store. First your Branding is important.

1. Your store name
2. Your store logo
3. Create a banner for the store (See my very fist banner below)
4. Create a side banner
5. Have a terms of use page ready

3. Create quality products

You need to decide on your niche as soon as possible. This might not be so easy as sometimes our interest change, or you might find that a product that is not related to your niche sells better than the rest, opening up new possibilities.

I, like most sellers, use PowerPoint to design my products. It is fast and easy and extremely versatile. Some benefits of using PPT to create content is the ability to move elements around on the pages, duplicating pages to increase consistency in the look, the variety of fonts, backgrounds… I cant even go through the whole list. Files can be saved as gif’s, png’s, jpeg’s; you can even make videos. Other programs to use include Microsoft Publisher and Adobe Illustrator/Photoshop.

But more important than the medium you use, is the content you provide. Think about what you use and would use in your classroom. Quality is important. Another consideration is copyright. Do not use another content creator’s work and sell it as your own. Seriously! what kind of person does that? For your own protection add copyright information to your pages as small print at the top or bottom – you can even include a link to your product.

Create quality covers that will stand out and is brand specific. A professional cover will definitely draw more attention and increase your chances of selling.

Activate!

Upload! Keep in mind your first upload must be a free product so buyers gets a feel for your content. From there keep uploading.

Become active and join TpT Seller’s forums. Here you will get a lot of advice from experienced seller. But please abide by a forum’s guidelines.

Was this article helpful in your journey to success. Please feel free to leave a comment below.

3 Helpful things when Branding your Business

“Products are made in a factory but brands are created in the mind” – Walter Landor

A brand is a name, design or symbol that identifies a company or individual. People relate to brands based on the values they associate with it. When I started out I had so much fun figuring out what my brand would be. Here is three points that I found to be important.

1. Visual Identity

When you think of products you like, you will immediately form a picture in your mind that relates to it. This is what you need to keep in mind when forming your own brand.

There is a variety of aspects you should consider when developing your brand such as:

1.1 Colors

For myself I chose red and green as my colors. The reason for this is that I love nature and green is a natural color that calms me. I chose red because my maiden name refers to red; it brought in a link to my past.

Consider your favorite colors. Ask around what color people link you with the most. Your friends and family already associate them with you; you feel most comfortable using them and on the long term you wont risk getting tired of them.

Use color psychology to match your identity.

1.2 Logo

I once again used my name as inspiration here. My family name by marriage refers to a fox. So I used a little red fox as part of my logo. As you can see, to me family is important and they serve as my inspiration.

Keep your logo simple and relevant. Make it unique to you and memorable.

1.3 Typography and imagery

Be consistent in your use of fonts. Pick two fonts that complement each other. There are a variety of sites that can help you here.

In my case I like bright visuals, so in my products I use brightly colored graphics that I design myself. For you it might have to be pastel images. My sister-in-law uses ice-cream and cupcake colors. Whatever it is, be sure to use it wisely across all your branded platforms.

2. Vision and Mission

What drives you? Where are you going with this? To be successful you are going to have to generate a lot of online activity through content publishing, product creation and social media visibility. You wont get clients if you don’t. So having a vision and a mission becomes extremely important.

Start with your vision. Where do you want your business to be 1 year from now, 5 years, 10 years? What field are you in, who are your competitors? Now describe what success will look like for you. Set a S.M.A.R.T. goal to get there. Your vision is a timed outcome and can change once you have reached your goal.

Your mission should not change however. Your mission describes what your business does and how or why you are unique in your field of expertise.

Along with your vision and mission comes your personal brand statement. For myself :”I am an educator at heart with a passion for teaching” sums me up in a nutshell.

3. Constancy

In a multichannel marketing world it is actually very difficult to keep your brand the same across all platforms. But being consistent can make the difference between gaining or losing a customer.

By exposing your customers to the same core message, brand elements and visuals you solidify your brand recognition.

Well that is how I started. Did you find the information on branding helpful? Leave a comment below. I’d love to know what you think.

Remember to share this post.

The best curriculum for the secondary education in South Africa

Tanja de Vos, March 2023

As with any educational system, some specific needs and aims need to be met to create the ideal curriculum for secondary education in South Africa. In designing a secondary curriculum, we should consider several key elements to make it effective:

This is a strong recommendation to ensure that the curriculum is designed to prepare students for the job market of the 21st century. This is to give them the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the increasingly competitive global economy of the 21st century.

To help students develop the ability to analyse and solve complex problems, the curriculum should place a strong emphasis on critical thinking and problem-solving, so that they can develop the ability to think critically and solve problems from different angles.

There should be a focus on inclusiveness and representation when creating the curriculum so that it can reflect the diversity of cultures, backgrounds, and perspectives of South African students.

As far as academic and vocational education is concerned, the curriculum should be designed to provide a balance between academic and vocational education. This is to ensure that students can pursue higher education or training and apprenticeships in the future.

Technology integration: To ensure that the curriculum meets the needs of students in a world that is becoming increasingly digital, it should integrate technology and digital literacy.

For all students to achieve success, a curriculum that is flexible and adaptable to students’ differing needs and styles of learning should be available.

Considering both monitoring and evaluation, the curriculum should be regularly monitored and evaluated. This is to ensure that it is meeting the intended goals and that any adjustments are needed.

Educators, students, parents, and industry experts should all participate in the development of the curriculum before they release it. This is to ensure that it meets the needs of the community at large. This involves involving key stakeholders, such as educators, students, parents, and industry experts.

The creation of the most effective secondary education curriculum for South Africa will require sustained effort and commitment from the government, educators, the private sector, as well as the communities of the country, working together to ensure that the curriculum is relevant and inclusive and provides students with the skills and knowledge needed for success in the 21st century.

The possible psychological effect of the South African education system on the youth of today

Tanja de Vos, March 2023

It is no secret that the South African education system has been plagued with issues such as inequality, underfunding, a lack of quality teacher training, and high dropout rates, among other things. As a result of these issues, the youth of today, particularly the youth of disadvantaged communities, can suffer from significant psychological effects because of these experiences. The following are some examples of possible psychological effects that might occur:

There is a risk of students experiencing low self-esteem and self-worth when they attend underfunded and under-resourced schools, because of the lack of opportunities and support available to them in those schools.

There may be a lack of motivation and engagement among students when they don’t see the relevance of their education in terms of their prospects or their lives, because of which they may perform poorly in the educational process.

The stress and anxiety that students may experience because of poverty and a lack of basic needs can negatively affect their ability to learn and succeed in school. Students may experience elevated levels of stress and anxiety because of their socioeconomic situation.

Students who experience prominent levels of stress and anxiety may suffer from mental health issues such as depression. This can affect their ability to learn and succeed in school because of stress and anxiety.

Students can develop a lack of trust in the education system and become cynical about their chances of succeeding. This is because of systemic problems such as corruption and inequality, which have led them to lose trust in the system.

Because of poor educational outcomes and a lack of opportunities, students may develop low aspirations for their future. We may not motivate them to pursue higher education or career opportunities in the future due to a lack of opportunities and poor educational outcomes.

It is imperative to keep in mind that these psychological effects may vary from one student to another, according to their individual circumstances. This is due to the situation they are facing now. Several issues remain unresolved in the South African education system, such as inequality, underfunding, and poor teacher training. These issues need to be addressed as well as providing students with the support and opportunities they need to succeed in school.

How to overcome corruption in the South African schooling system

Tanja de Vos, March 2023

It is widely acknowledged that corruption in South African education refers to the misuse or embezzlement of funds and resources intended for the education system by corrupt officials. It is possible to commit acts of corruption in a variety of ways, such as misallocation of funds, fraud, and nepotism, for example. When such corruption occurs, it can have a significant negative impact on the education system, resulting in inadequate resources and poor educational outcomes for our students as a result.

It is possible to overcome corruption in the education system by taking several steps, including the following:

School funding allocation and use should be transparent and accountable through measures such as regular audits and financial reporting, to ensure transparency and accountability.

The government should establish and implement a whistleblower protection program, to promote and protect those individuals who come forward with information about corruption within the education system. They should also report it to the authorities.

To deter and punish those who engage in corrupt practices, governments need to implement and enforce anti-corruption policies and laws, including laws to deter and punish those who engage in corrupt practices.

There is a need for government officials to provide education on corruption. This is to educate the public on the negative effects of corruption and how to identify and report corruption in the future.

As for independent oversight, the government should create a body that is independent of the ministry of education. This body should oversee the allocation and use of education funds to make sure that they are used appropriately and efficiently.

Participation of the private sector: Governments should encourage private sector participation in education through partnerships and initiatives because private sector entities can provide additional resources and funding, which can help supplement government funding and decrease corruption opportunities, which means they are able to contribute to the education system.

Ensure that there is civil society involvement in education: The Government should encourage the involvement of civil society in education through initiatives such as parent-teacher associations, to ensure that the education system is able to respond to the needs of the communities it serves.

Undoubtedly, addressing corruption in South African education is a matter of sustained effort and commitment. This requires the collaboration of government, educators, the private sector, civil society, and the communities to be successful. To ensure that education funds are allocated and used transparent, accountable, and ethically. In addition, we must work together to promote a culture of integrity and zero tolerance for corruption.

How to overcome curriculum issues in the South African school system

Tanja de Vos, February 2023

Curriculum issues in the South African education system refer to criticisms of the current curriculum. These criticisms are inaccurately preparing students for the 21st-century job market, as well as not providing a balanced education. For example, this could include issues such as the lack of relevance to students, the lack of emphasis on critical thinking and problem-solving, a lack of representation of groups and cultures, among many others.

The educational system faces several curriculum issues that can be overcome through a variety of measures, including:

To identify areas that need to be improved and to make necessary changes to the current curriculum, the government should conduct a review of the current curriculum. The curriculum could be updated to include 21st-century skills, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and digital literacy, as part of the process of updating.

Bringing in student input: The government should involve students in the process of re-evaluating and reforming the curriculum to ensure that it is relevant to them and engaging to them during the process.

The government should ensure that the curriculum is inclusive and that it represents the diverse cultures, backgrounds, and perspectives of South African students. This is done by making sure that the curriculum is both inclusive and representative.

For teachers to be able to effectively teach the updated curriculum, it is essential that they receive professional development opportunities. This is to ensure that they have the required knowledge and skills.

Developing a flexible curriculum is an imperative step that governments need to take to ensure that all students have access to a curriculum that is flexible. This will enable them to adapt to their different learning styles and needs.

Collaboration between the government and the private sector can improve the quality of the curriculum. This will ensure it aligns with the needs of the job market in an effective manner. The government can do this by working with private sector institutions, such as universities and industry experts.

It is critical that the government monitors and evaluates the implementation of the curriculum. This will ensure that the intended goals are being met. In addition, they can make changes, as necessary.

There is no doubt that addressing curriculum issues in South African education will require sustained efforts and commitment from the government, educators, the private sector, and communities. These stakeholders will have to work together to develop an effective curriculum that prepares students for the 21st century and provides a balanced education.