MBOMBELA – An academic support convenor and teacher at Penryn College wants to change how the process of teaching and learning is conducted.
Ms Nicola Joubert believes peer tutoring plays an effective role in the journey of acquiring knowledge. She is expanding the concept to other schools around Mbombela.
Peer tutoring was introduced at the college in 2011 while it was preparing for the year-end examinations. Since then the school has reaped the fruits of the programme. Joubert will present the concept to Hoërskool Nelspruit soon.
“A few groups of scholars decided to undergo peer-tutoring training – not only to help their schoolmates, but also to empower themselves,” she said.
According to Joubert the academic potential of the learners is diverse at secondary school level and the college realised the need to develop a tool to help those who were battling.
Today the programme is a dynamic tool at Penryn and according to Joubert, tutors get involved for a variety of reasons. “Some scholars use peer tutors to explain a particular portion of work or to help them catch up when they have been away, while others help their tutees over a longer period of time.”
She added that some even go as far as helping with organisational issues and study skills. For Rachel Bedingham, who matriculated in 2015, her motivation to get involved was simple – she wanted to help others.
According to her, and others – like Sihle Siwele – she found that explaining schoolwork to her peers helped her to understand the work much better.
Another pupil, Kgmotoso Dube, who completed the reading-programme sessions in 2013, said she felt that she had gained valuable organisational and teaching skills while helping Joubert coordinate the LectorSA programme last year.
The programme is used to enhance tutors’ comprehension skills by means of an online reading programme and it does not cost a cent. Joubert applauded the tutors and said she would not have been able to help as many learners as she had done, without the support of her peer tutors.
