After a decade of dropping mathematics from its school curriculum, Lavender Hill High school has officially re-introduced the subject to learners with the aim to grow and foster the passion for the subject and to create “equal opportunities” for learners.
Principal Fuad Viljoen says he aims to have Lavender Hill High become a “mathematics school” and it starts with taking the first step.
“In the past, they dropped certain subjects and one of the subjects they dropped was mathematics in around 2013.
“What happens at most schools is that from Grade 10 to Grade 12 they encourage learners to rather do math literacy in order for them to pass at a matric level. However, what we started in 2021 with the Grade 8’s is we partnered with Reflective Learning, a computer-based programme to firstly assess a learner’s level of mathematics.”
According to Viljoen, the programme assesses learners’ competency levels and allows them to complete modules and units until they are up to speed with their Grades.
“Reflective Learning is a programme that is computer-based, so the learner will do a baseline test on the computer and the computer would assess at which Grade level the learner is.
“Once a learner takes the baseline test the computer may assess them, for example maybe they are at Grade 5 mathematics level. That programme will then take the learner back to Grade 5 math where there will be different units and modules to complete to get them up to Grade 8 and Grade 9 level again.”
He added that Grade 8’s started with the Reflective Learning programme in 2021 where around 60 learners indicated they were interested in doing mathematics at the FET level (Grade 10 to 12).
“The 60 moved to Grade 9 in 2022 and now in 2023, we have our first Math class of 41 learners. So, we know that we have a bumpy ride ahead of us, mathematics is not easy because learners need to work hard in that particular subject.”
“Last year, some of the learners entered the Wynberg Boys High Math Olympiad and came in at 18th place out of 80 schools,” says Viljoen.
“We want to become a mathematics school but we know that we can’t just rush into it. So, we are laying the proper foundation. We started with Effective Learning, now the Grade 10’s are doing pure math as a class.”
Math teacher Fargah Majiet says it is challenging for pupils to learn something new, especially if they do not have a good foundation in mathematics.
“Our learners at times come from primary school without the necessary foundation and because of the nature of the community that we are in our learners were not as privileged to work from home during covid.
“Due to covid, our learners have a backlog which is quite challenging because that gap also needs to be closed.”
She adds that the main aim of implementing mathematics at the school was to ensure learners are given equal opportunities.
“The aim is to give all our learners an equal opportunity to become a doctor, an engineer and the same as any other learners at other schools. We want them to strive to be just as successful.”
Majiet says she wants learners to not only reach Grade 12 but to also enjoy the subject.
“My goal as a teacher is to just get this group of learners to Grade 12 successfully. And success for me means that all learners in the class are satisfied with choosing math and happy with their results. My ultimate goal is to not only teach them math but to prepare them for life after school.”
