The first in a series of workshops to be given by Blaq Pearl (Janine van Rooi) and colleagues in Mitchell’s Plain. These workshops will be held in cooperation with community organization NEAD.
A long-standing dream has always been to take the experience CBN has gained through workshops, package that in toolboxes full of exciting ideas, and send books out into the world of children who don’t read. On 24 February 2017, it began!
Janine and guest presenter Chenal Kock sent the following report of a highly successful day.
Venue: Freedom Park Community Hall, Tafelsig, Mitchell’s Plain
Time: 9.30 – 1.30
Children: 22 children between 8 and 14
Theme: Books and stories using the CBN Red Toolbox kit.
Programme:
– Reading to the group
– Welcome and introduction
– Name Stickers and checking of permission forms
– Reading games (we rotated the groups, enabling all the children to experience all the games)
– Eddie & Mervyn puppet and acting activity ( for children to also experience how to create using their imagination) led by Chenal Kock
Quiet reading in between
Workshop Report (Blaq Pearl)
We followed the suggested programme as closely as possible, implementing the reading games and activities. A professional guest (Chenal) added value to the theme and expanded the experience of the children.
The results:
The content, theme and activities was well received. The children came to the workshop eager. Throughout they felt free to share with us their struggle to read and love for reading. They asked for help when necessary during activities.
They were mostly demanding and in need of attention and support. The books being both English and Afrikaans was helpful with regards to them relating to the language as well as the stories.
They’ve learnt to look at reading differently through the activities and approach we take. It stimulates them on various levels, such as personal reading development, attention required and appreciation, their creativity at how to read and create stories. So the possibilities to learn is available. They also learned to work in groups, where they automatically often helped each other (peer support) and challenged themselves to be open to learn, to be more compassionate.
Chenal added:
The results were effective. It was at the same time very diverse but with the emphasis on the importance of reading. The books that the participants engaged with were at the same time relatable, it was bilingual (which related to their home-language or spoken/written language), the participants participated willingly, the games that were provided were related to storytelling, it furthermore allowed the participants to engage with different sides of their reading (creativity: drawing of images, creative writing, team-building, personal reading time, listening skills and analytical thinking ).
Google link to pictures of the workshop:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1J-BqW4fLn1kNxK1tbx7_7wcLUoagcrVM
This workshop was held in association with NEAD in Tafelsig community in Mitchell’s Plain (website not yet available).
NEAD COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT NPC – Now Empowering Achievable Dreams – is a registered nonprofit organization that has been designed specifically to uplift Tafelsig and the surrounding communities in the Cape Flats. We aim to work in a holistic way; incorporating individuals from all walks of life and by doing so empower the community as a whole. NEAD facilitates self-belief by encouraging constructive behaviour with positive reward.
