THE DEVELOPER

Her teaching years

Nalize teached at Hoërskool FH Odendaal (Pretoria); Hoërskool Rob Ferreira (Witrivier); Laerskool Soutpansberg (Louis Trichardt) (among others) and she even checked in at the Grade 1s at the CVO school. It is here she developed a love for small group teaching.

“It is unbelievable to discover how much more you can achieve in a small group than in a normal class situation with 23 and more pupils. You don’t work less, but you make a bigger difference.” – Nalize Boshoff, programme developer

At the distinctive schools she taught Mathematics and Afrikaans and when she taught foundation phase (Gr1-3) at primary schools she developed a love for that, too. Nalize also has experience in tertiary education. For 2 years she lectured Education students at the Makhado College of Education and the experience of adult training comes in handy these days when she trains the tutors and franchisees of ChumS with SumS.

The path of individual- and small group education versus teaching

In the normal classroom situation at a school (with often quite a few more than 23 pupils per class) the teacher is often confronted with knowing that you can’t get to each and every child in your class. You focus on the mainstream, while knowing that your bright kids are getting bored and your struggling students are falling behind despite your best efforts to differentiate.

“In our small groups at ChumS (max 10) teaching becomes really satisfying and it makes sense. Here, individual attention and meaningful contact sessions and building self-esteem becomes a reality and you experience that you can make a true difference.” – Nalize Boshoff, programme developer

From where the love for enrichment?

Nalize homeschooled her own children for 3 years. In preparation of this she qualified herself by doing a much research as she could, on a variety of teaching materials she had available. Among others, she is qualified to start a KenWeb school, her 3 children used an American teaching programme TCE’s materials and was enrolled in a South African homeschooling programme named Moria for 5 years, she had a look at Breinlyn and she utilised every handbook and aid programme she could find for maximum stimulation of her kids. This included Clever, PAL books from CNA, MR Publishers’s editions, Ken en Verstaan, Wiskunde Plus, Kagiso maths publications, Moderne Basiese Wiskunde, Wiskunde vir die Klaskamer, Pac Maths, Wiskunde is Pret, and more.

Her own kids went back to school after homeschooling and excelled – Henri boasts with 98% for matric Mathematics, Rudolph with 92% and Lynette with seldom below 90% and 9 matric distinctions – 3 of which was for Mathematics.

Nalize helped many other homeschooling moms with extra Maths classes for homeschoolers. She learned quickly that with Mathematics, Americans are 2 years ahead of the South African norm – the stuff South African kids learn in Gr7 Mathematics, would have been taught in Gr5 already with an American teaching programme such as TCE. Nalize is convinced that there is no reason why our kids can’t learn at the same pace – there’s nothing lacking in their potential, but they aren’t necessarily stimulated on the same level. All kids can flourish with extra Maths stimulation – we OWE it to them.

“Especially in the primary school phase pupils have a strong need to be CHALLENGED and stimulated, or else they lose interest in the subject that can open so many doors for them. A child who falls in love with Mathematics and its patterns and order, should be exposed to it in a way that interests him, not frustrates or consuses him.” – Nalize Boshoff, programme developer