Third Year B.Tech PUKKE Student-Teacher reflects on 10 days at Lebone

What is the impact of Lebone DNA on students? by Ontiretse MOTENE

With this reflective letter I aim to write a critical and evidence-based report on my 10 days of experience in Lebone since the start of the academic year 2014. My observation and daily experience will serve as evidence in my attempt to answer the research question at hand. In addition, I may make sincere and humble recommendations where relevant.  Lebone II College of the Royal Bafokeng is a pioneer school in dedication and commitment to provision of quality education. This can be deduced by observing systems that make Lebone function and these systems are what make the DNA of Lebone. According to a document that Mr Thomas made available to us in my previous visit to the school as a teacher intern, this DNA is a collective metaphor for the values of Lebone; the personality of Lebone; the essence of Lebone and many others.  This DNA was deliberately designed to inspire unique education, academic excellence and to produce well rounded human beings. However, this letter is subjective and focuses only on three aspects constituted in the DNA of Lebone which I have noted to be of significant impact on the Lebone students. These aspects are the environment; deliberate impact on students and the G.E.A.R. programme.

The environment I refer to in the context of this letter is rather the learning environment and includes the available facilities and educational resources that are found in Lebone. In the Design-Tech and EGD block where I spent most of my time the classrooms are fully furnished and the learning resources are in abundance. This has a positive impact on the learning process taking place because all the learners in the classroom receive drawing instruments. Therefore equal opportunities to learn are catered for. However I think it should be emphasised to the learners that these resources are to be used with care. Furthermore the physical environment of the school creates an ambience that inspires transparent education. As I looked at the design of most class rooms in the school I recognised that probably the glass-walls were purposefully designed to encourage transparency. This has an impact on learning, but this impact may be positive or negative on the learners. On one account I noticed that learners do not create a lot of movement and chaos in the classrooms when left unattended, this may be because they are aware that someone could be seeing them from outside the classroom while others may naturally be distracted by movement and noises from outside as the learner would keep looking outside due to any stimulus that reaches their sensory register. I asked a group of grade 9 learners what they think about the learning in the EGD classroom and a portion of the group showed concern about the occasional noise and movement created by deliveries and maintenance work motor vehicles.

What does deliberate impact mean? In my time here at Lebone I noticed that the culture and routine of how things are done is aimed at influencing certain changes that are aligned with the DNA of the school and I have seen this sort of trend on more than one account by different teachers. In the first day of school I had an opportunity to witness one such deliberate and positive influence by a teacher on the new grade 8 learners. This observation was interesting because the majority of the learners in that group are new students to Lebone. I was eager to see if there were any dynamic changes in the group influenced by the teacher or the older students of Lebone in that group. Yes I noticed the subtle things that happened such as the change in walking speed and greeting every one you see. The school also, I believe, sent the grade 8 learners on a camp to impact on their behaviour as student and the expectations on them towards the school. What is more profound that I learnt about Lebone is the ceremonies and events that do change and shape life and human experience.

I am sure that the newer staff to Lebone would agree that the holistic experience in Lebone causes a contagious impact that flows from teacher to teacher interactions and then to the learners.

Lebone is one of the schools that gives learners opportunities to explore their talents and interests and also develop skills through extra-curricular activities. A typical school day at Lebone starts at 7:30 to16:30, but unlike other local schools in the bafokeng area the extended school hours at Lebone allows the learners to participate in sports, cultural activities now termed “GEAR” programs and also the “CC” (consultation and consolidation) period which is the time reserved for catching up on school work. Similarly one may notice that these activities mentioned here above are ways to influence positive change in the development of the learners. I have not spent time in any of the “Gear” programs however during the day of signing up for the programs I wondered if the learners where well informed and deliberate in their choices and whether the senior students were choosing the programs that were somewhat complimentary to their academic subjects. Lastly, I think the consultation and consolidation period is a good strategy to give the learners the opportunity to take responsibility of their own learning. Conversely I noticed a few “lost molecules”, some learners are unsure of what is the purpose of this period and do not make the most of it. Could this period be monitored from time to time?

I would like to believe that I have answered the question: what is the impact of Lebone DNA on students? My findings point out that Lebone is a school of deliberate action. The impact of the Lebone DNA on students is positive and evident in learners and this is despite the minor “not so positive” things that I observed subjectively. Lastly, I have had the best experience yet and have enjoyed being part of Lebone for this brief period. As the saying here goes “Shine your light” I will certainly take away my experiences and inspire the world out there.