Thinking Schools in a South African context. | Sonja Vandeleur | TEDxNorrkopingED

Summary

The speaker reflects on their experiences living in Kenya and South Africa, highlighting the stark contrasts between the two countries. They discuss the dangers of the 'single story' of Africa, emphasizing the continent's diversity beyond poverty and conflict. The talk delves into South Africa's socio-economic challenges, including inequality and education quality, and shares successful interventions in teaching critical thinking skills to improve academic outcomes. The speaker advocates for a shift in educational focus to enhance students' analytical and creative thinking, ultimately arguing that education is a crucial social investment.

Takeaways

• 🌍 The speaker has lived in two African countries, Kenya and South Africa, highlighting the diversity within the continent.
• 🗻 Born in Nari, Kenya, with Mount Kenya as a backdrop, the speaker emphasizes the beauty and significance of African landscapes.
• 🏙️ A comparison is made between the infrastructure of Johannesburg and the social complexities faced in Africa, including issues like xenophobia and gender-based violence.
• 📚 The speaker discusses the 'single story' of Africa, referencing Chimamanda Adichie's TED talk, to highlight the dangers of incomplete narratives and stereotypes.
• 🇿🇦 South Africa is described as a country of contrasts, with high inequality and socio-economic challenges, despite being the most unequal country in the world according to the World Bank.
• 🏘️ Issues such as lack of affordable housing, unemployment, and land ownership are cited as contributing factors to South Africa's inequality.
• 🏫 The script mentions educational successes and challenges in South Africa, including the expansion of no-fee schools and the need for improved teaching resources and quality.
• 🤔 The importance of critical thinking in education is underscored, with an example of how it has been successfully implemented in less-advantaged schools.
• 🗺️ Thinking Maps, developed by David Hyerle, are introduced as a tool to improve students' analytical and higher-order thinking skills.
• 📈 The intervention using Thinking Maps at Belleville Primary School resulted in a significant increase in pass rates for national exams.
• 🎓 The speaker's school in Johannesburg focuses on teaching girls 'how to think' through strategies like de Bono's Six Thinking Hats and the 16 habits of mind.

Q & A

Where was the speaker born and what is the significance of the location?

The speaker was born in a small town called Nario, in the central highland region of Kenya. The significance of the location is that it overlooks Mount Kenya, which is the second highest mountain in Africa.

Why did the speaker move to South Africa?

The script does not provide specific reasons for the speaker's move to South Africa, only that it happened when they were seven years old.

What realization did the speaker have during the flight from Nairobi to Johannesburg?

The speaker realized the stark differences between the two countries, noting the good infrastructure, excellent road system, and world-class airports in Johannesburg compared to the complex social issues they returned to in South Africa.

What is the 'single story' of Africa according to the speaker?

The 'single story' of Africa, as mentioned in the script, is a narrative that portrays Africa as a continent of poverty, destruction, and civil war, which the speaker argues is an incomplete and stereotypical view.

What does the speaker say about South Africa's level of inequality?

The speaker states that South Africa holds the ignominious position of being the most unequal country in the world, as per the World Bank.

What are some of the socio-economic challenges South Africa faces according to the script?

The script mentions several challenges including lack of affordable housing, high unemployment, issues with land and land ownership, and dissatisfaction with the slow pace of socio-economic change.

What is the role of Vijay Reddy in the context of the script?

Vijay Reddy is a special research scientist at the Human Sciences Research Council who has reviewed educational priorities in South Africa over the last 25 years and has commented on the successes and areas needing improvement in education.

What is the significance of 'thinking schools South Africa' in the script?

Thinking Schools South Africa is an organization that the speaker is involved with, which aims to develop and infuse thinking skills into teaching and learning through whole school implementation.

What is the purpose of 'thinking maps' as described in the script?

Thinking maps, as developed by David Hyerle, are used as an intervention tool in education to help students organize their thoughts, make their thinking visible, and engage in higher-order thinking processes.

How did the intervention using thinking maps impact the academic results at Belleville Primary School?

The intervention using thinking maps led to a significant improvement in systemic pass rates for national exams at grade 6 level, increasing from just over 50% in 2013 to over 70% in 2015, a rise of 20%.

What is the approach to teaching thinking skills at the girls' independent school in Johannesburg?

The approach involves explicit lessons in thinking from grade not to grade 10 every week, focusing on the 16 habits of mind as described by Arthur Costa and Bena Kallick, and teaching students how to think rather than what to think.

How do the students apply the concept of 'thinking with understanding and empathy' in their lessons?

The students apply this concept through a strategy called pause, paraphrase, and probe, which encourages them to listen with intent, repeat back what they've heard to ensure understanding, and then ask for clarification or engage further in the conversation.

What issue did the grade eights research and discuss in the script?

The grade eights researched and discussed the issue of xenophobia in South Africa, making suggestions on what can be done to address it going forward.

What is the purpose of using de Bono's thinking hats in the script?

De Bono's thinking hats are used to structure conversations and thinking processes, allowing students to explore different aspects of a topic, such as facts, emotions, and solutions, in a systematic and comprehensive way.

What reflective task did the students undertake after their discussions on xenophobia?

The students undertook a reflective task from Harvard University's visible thinking strategies to consider how their thinking might have changed from before they started the task to after completing it, helping them consolidate their understandings and beliefs.