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NAME AND SURNAME: NATALIE MDONGA

STUDENT NUMBER: 209028025

COURSE: MAJOR INTERGRATED PROJECT (STW AND CTD)

TITLE OF PROJECT: SUCCESSFUL MULTI-GRADE OR SMALL RURAL

SCHOOLS

HAND OUT DATE: 12 AUGUST 2011

DUE DATE: 17 OCTOBER 2011

LECTURERS: JOLANDA DE VILLIERS AND HERMIE VOULGERELIS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

I would like to give acknowledgement to the following people/bodies that have assisted me with gaining information and direction for this project at hand.

My lecturers Jolanda and Hermie for posting links and information on our Facebook group with regards to our project. They also provide us with Earth Works journals. Thank you.

As previously I thank the librarians at the Central Library in Cape Town. The links they provided gave me direction to start this project. Thank you.

Natalie Mdonga

Cape Town, October 2011.

SUMMARY:

This academic paper attempts to identify, show, explain analysis and learn the aspects of a successful multi-grade or small rural school. It pays much attention to the background of the project, the teaching methodology of each school and how the architecture contributed to it, it analysis why the school is described as successful and what alternatives there are for the classroom situation in each school which we are all familiar with.

The paper is based on student observation by means of researching on various multi-grade and rural schools. It is an academic observation of the overall design and process of each school.

CONTENT PAGE:

CONTENTS: PAGE NUMBER:

Acknowledgements 2

Summary 3

Content Page 4-5

1. Declaration 6

2. Terms of Reference 7

3. Methodology/ Procedures 8

4. Introduction 9

5. Vele Secondary School 10 - 12

- Background of the project

- Teaching methodology of the school and how the architecture is contributing to this

- Why the school is described as successful

- What alternatives there are for the classroom situation we are all familiar with?

6. Joshua Adventist Multi-grade School 13-14

- Background of the project

- Teaching methodology of the school and how the architecture is contributing to this

- Why the school is described as successful

- What alternatives there are for the classroom situation we are all familiar with?

7. El Porvenir Kindergarten 15-16

- Background of the project

- Teaching methodology of the school and how the architecture is contributing to this

- Why the school is described as successful

- What alternatives there are for the classroom situation we are all familiar with?

8. Conclusion 17

9. Reference 18

DECLARATION:

I declare that this academic paper is the original work of the author (Natalie Mdonga). All information directly or obtained from other sources has been fully acknowledged.

SIGNATURE: N.N. Mdonga

DATE: 17 October 2011

TERMS OF REFERENCE:

This is an academic paper which is part of a design build MIP project which will be taking place at St.Micheals Primary. This paper forms part of an academic research for 2011 for the Construction and Detailing 2 and Studio Work 2 subjects in the Architectural Technology course. The project was headed out on the 12th of August 2011 with the final submission on the 17th of October 2011.

The task at hand requires identifying three successful multi-grade or small rural schools and analysis of each project in an academic manner according to the given subheadings. These analyses will in the end, by means of recorded in writing address the contributions architecture to the teaching methodology, the success of each school and alternatives the schools added.

The report should contain explanatory writing and detailing. The inclusion of images is merely a visual of the final design of each project. One needs to include personal observations and entice comments.

METHODOLOGY/PROCEDURES:

Information for this project has been partially gathered by means of internet researching of successful multi-grade or small rural schools. Internet searching was done on Google and Google Scholar which linked me to various websites.

Other means include reading up of a sustainable architectural journal called: Earth Works. I also followed various links posted by lecturers online. These links displayed the vastness and motives of such projects across the world.

INTRODUCTION:

Multi-grade Schools which can be defined as school with classes that are mixed in age and ability can be a cost-effective means of raising student achievement and expanding access to education in poor countries.

Rural schools found in remote and sparsely populated environments where learners are not exposed to urban areas. An environment characteristic of a rural area would be by inaccessibility, poor infrastructure, poverty, lack of resources, lack of skills and knowledge, lack of community involvement and more.

One of the problems, it that date on multi-grade and rural teachers and schools do not appear to be collected systematically, therefore no real reflections and planning can be done in order to address the challenge. Also it is not part of the planning in our educational curriculum.

Rural and multi-grade schools are mainly a response to where there are fewer teachers than grade levels, yet may also be a response to fluctuating enrolment in large urban or semi-urban schools. Yet policy makers need to explore ways in which the progress of students at all levels of achievement and in all kinds of schools setting can be promoted.

Yet there is a growing interest in multi-grade and rural schools organizations, particularly in developing countries, because of its potential as a vehicle for the delivery of low cost quality education. This is due to the great difference in the approach to instructions in multi-grade and rural schools as appose to single-grade urban classrooms which promote the progress of low-achieving students mainly in multi-grade classrooms. Classroom organization, grouping and instructional strategies are different in multi-grade classrooms. Teachers can effectively use thematic approaches that cross grade levels, peer or cross-age tutoring can be used to advantage and students are expected to take more responsibility for their own learning.

The main issue to consider in our education is that teachers need in-service education to support them in developing the knowledge and skills needed to teach successfully in a multi-grade situation work effectively in the environment

VELE SECONDARY SCHOOL

GOGOGO VHEMBA DISTRICT, LIMPOPO PROVINCE

In the year 2004 Seven Farm Primary School, well known as the farm school came under the attention of Oprahs Angel Network (OAN). At the same time East Coast Architects run by architects Steve Kinsler and Derek Van Heerden based in Kwa-Zulu Natal was recognized for their integrative approach to designing built spaces for the education and health care sectors.

Steve Kinsler who is also an environmentalist also had a background in agriculture and was attuned to the more technical and environmental aspects of sustainable architecture. Whereas Derek Van Heerden also known as a social activist had experience in community based, social architecture.

Their shared distaste for flashy consumerism and its ills became common ground to forge a professional relationship and that was their start. OAN approached East Cost Architects in 2004 due to the companys environmental experience. The firm was commissioned to design and rebuild the Seven Fountains School in Kokstad. After completion of the project the OAN decided to keep the team intact and formed The Creating Learning Schools Programme which was later morphing into The Creating Learning Spaces Programme. The team now had the opportunity to work on schools in other provinces and had a model according to which future projects would be funded on a public private partnership basis. Vele Secondary School was their next commission with completion date May 2011.

In Vele Secondary School, the architecture added additional buildings to the school, which advanced and the teaching methodology of the school. The new design accommodated computer labs, Wi-Fi tower, science labs, indigenous gardens, an equipped library, vegetable and fruit gardens, a resource Centre, sports field and rainwater tank farm. All this additional facilities are now part and assist with the curriculum of the school, allowing students and teachers gaining hands on practice and learning.

A number of passive design features are employed to provide a healthy and comfortable learning environment. The manner in which the school is designed and built ensures that learners and educators are able to integrate the construction methods and various technologies into the school curriculum and has particular relevance in math, science and technology. For example the green roof design- students will be able to study the roof, particularly aspects such as which species of plants become dominant and which insects and other fauna inhabit the roof over time.

They source indigenous seeds from the indigenous gardens each individual project in the programme introduces further training and professional development and teacher training. The Teaching Tree part of Veles landscape, architects designed around it as to enhance it as an outdoor classroom, thus students and teachers learning in nature.

One the key aspects of the project were community participation and dynamic community buy-in in order to achieve effective transfer of ownership of the school, making this project successful. This key reduced the risks of vandalism, the burden of maintenance; it also enhanced the schools relevance in the surrounding communitys lives and extended the use-hours beyond normal school times.

It was important to have the school embedded in the community as opposed to having the status of a satellite public facility and easy target. The team employed structured engagement techniques such as workshops, visioning sessions, design sessions including engagement with teachers and learners community skills audit, meaning that skills were first sourced from immediate community as such was the material with on-site training provided for locals.

Sourcing locally also allowed the school buildings to be individualized and become part of the place also reducing fossil fuel footprint. The school also contributes additional resources such as water and vegetables to the surrounding community. A large amount of successful sustainable strategies were implemented such as renewable energy, rainwater harvesting, natural lighting, dry compositing toilets, cross ventilation, biodiversity and energy efficiency.

The alternatives that have been implemented in the classrooms of Vele Secondary School are referred to as: sustainable strategies.

Natural lighting in whereby classrooms are designed for maximum solar gain on the northern faade with external light shelves/shading devices shield spaces from direct sunlight, but reflect light deeper into the classroom. Ventilation- all spaces are cross ventilated. Energy efficiency- space heating during winter is provided by passive solar means through optional building orientation, optimal roof overhang in relation to roof pitch and the right wall-to-glazing ratio. The ratio is aimed at achieving maximum solar gain in the winter months and minimum solar gain during the summer months.

Green roofs provide additional insulation which self regulates according to the growing season. More alternatives in the classroom would be the orientation of desks facing southern walls, thus reducing side glare and shadows across the desk top and allowing for lower angle, early morning direct winter sunlight to shine on learners backs and heat the classrooms naturally.

Careful consideration is given to and equates insulation as well; this reduces the burden of increasing utility cost thus saving money for teaching and learning. Another alternative is the window opening regime which is suggested in poster displayed in each classroom. The principle is to keep windows closed overnight in winter and in summer open windows to flush warm air out and cool classrooms overnight.

As with many passively designed buildings, the regulating of light, temperature, ventilation and other energy services requires an active engagement with the building rather than the simple act of flicking a switch.

Vele Secondary School is described as a successful school due to its technical and social innovation, the sustained and inclusive approach to design, education and continuous learning, the emphasis on ownership and economic, cultural and recreational interconnectedness and the nature of the school as a local hub of sustainability in practice embedded in the wider community, together formed a workable model for more sustainable development in impoverished rural areas using school development as a catalyst.

JOSHUA ADVENTIST MULTI-GRADE SCHOOL

LOCATED IN JOSHUA, TEXAS

Joshua Adventist Multi-grade School (JAMS) began operating in 1988 and has consistently grown and flourished. The school serves as a student teaching facility for Elementary Education majors from Southwestern Adventist University in Keene, Texas.

Joshua Adventist Multi-grade School was established and is funded by the Joshua Independent School District Education Foundation which is an organization created by the Adventist Church in Texas. The Foundation was organized exclusively for educational purposes to provide supplemental funds for educational and scientific programs or activities for the Joshua Independent School District. The Foundation seeks and distributes funds to support programs and initiatives to further enhance learning for public school students in the Joshua community. The Foundation plans and administers all programs in cooperation with the school administration.

Joshua Adventist Multi-grade School is a private school which is coed with 56 students from prekindergarten up until the 8th grade. The classes are divided as follows: grades k-2, grades 3-6 and grades 7-8. This school is a Seventh School, therefore is lead and programmed in such a manner, this also means that the school is driven and conducted in a religious and/or spiritual manner according to the Adventist and Seventh belief. The school has 4 full-time educators which brings the pupil/ teacher ration as- 12:1.

The school prides itself in its range of ethnicities and minorities, bringing together different races, cultures and backgrounds which thus adds value to the learning. The number of school days is fairly average, it been 180days with 7hours per day. This allows for a balanced lifestyle for students to learn and be able to put into practice there learning and gain further experiences in the world and at home in a hands on manner. Joshua Adventist is not a rural school and therefore students receive no free lunch or reduced fee lunches. Basically this is a means to empower families to provide for their children and children to be independent, thus producing quality citizens in the community.

The purpose of Joshua Adventist Multi-grade School is to provide a quality education in a safe and caring environment to the children of the area. Students are taught to become productive, up-standing members of the community and prepare them for life eternal through Bible study classes which is part of the schools religious belief.

The teachers on staff provide multi-grade classroom settings which they were trained for. Students benefits from such types of classrooms because they hear and learn from other grades lesson presentations. This provides a review and preview on a continuous basis.

Joshua Adventist Multi-grade School is a fairly small yet successful school, which is basically due to its religious background and support. The curriculum is followed in a professional manner and more principles are instilled in the students which are producing quality students and citizens.

EL PORVENIR KINDERGARTEN

BOGOTA, COLOMBIA

The El Porvenir Kindergarten was designed by young pragmatic Colombian architect Giancarlo Mazzanti. The school is part of a initiative program called: Citizens Commitment Movement founded by Sergio Fajardo who is the vice-presidential candidate of the Green Party. Fajardo is a mathematics professor and former major of Medellin in Colombia. This movement strives to fight against Colombias fractured society in a physical manner by improving the built environment. Over the past 10years a series of new schools, museums, libraries and public spaces have been constructed around Colombia. The movement has been attracting a younger generation of architects who are keen to engage in a more socially responsive discourse, this whereby architecture catalyses a sense of public spiritedness and dignity in communities once regarded as beyond the reach of civil society.

The kindergarten is situated on the outskirts of the Colombian capital Bogota. This area has been a rural situation where unplanned settlements accumulate like wreckage.

The design was about building new symbols, new spaces where social mobilization could take place around architecture. The architect created welcoming, secure spaces for learning in a harsh and unregulated rural environment.

Sustainability is mainly found in the construction. To speed construction and keep costs down, a module for each classroom unit was developed which is capable of being applied to most school projects.

Separate teaching for different age groups is needed therefore the architecture created five classroom units with varying unit arrangement on site, also with different forms and characteristics to differentiate between the different age groups and different standard of teaching methodology.

The materials are fairly sustainable for the Colombian environment. The classrooms are of concrete boxed and glazed at the ends. Fabricated from a lattice of angled steel poles, the enclosure is visually permeable yet physically secures the children inside the play area.

The landscaped internal courtyard provides a secure enclave for play and learning which enables teaching both inside and outside, therefore children are provided with natural play and growing experiences.

In the design, one finds great detail for children such as the children-height handrails which are the architects attention to detail. The lattice wall inside becomes a curved colonnade offering shelter from the sun. The incorporation of needed yet often forgotten spaces such as the childrens club, kitchen, dining area and multi-purpose room, it is an indication of successful school designing for the architects side.

Parts of the school are publicly accessible, enhancing the buildings wider social mission. The school encapsulates a spirit of optimism and resilience in a fractured neighborhood.

Most schools in Colombia tend to be fenced off from the public realm. Yet at El Porvenir Kindergarten, the architect gives the project a distinct civic presence and the school itself contains a number of public spaces. The spaces are contained in two blocks set outside the curved enclosure to preserve the intimacy and security of the inner classrooms. In this way the school becomes a more ingrained part of the community, giving energy of movement to its wider mission of social renewal.

CONCLUSION:

From my analysis of mainly multi-grade schools, I understood that students in single-grade and multi-grade classrooms do not differ significantly in educational outcomes, and to fare neither better nor worse academically from each other.

Multi-grade schools are more effective at reducing the range of achievement in the class but the reading levels of high achievers are extended further in single-grade schools. In multi-grade classes students have more opportunity to engage in small- group work. Yet multi-grade students tend to do better socially and personally than single-grade schools, thus producing students with better attitude towards schools, with high self-esteem and more positive social relationships than students in single-grade schools.

A way forward for multi-grade schools in my opinion would be for school divisions to develop their own programme or partner with other school divisions, or support teachers to participate in short courses and workshops. Further recommendations of improvement for multi-grade schools could be to reform the curriculum to make better links between different grade-level materials and give teachers more freedom to differentiate instruction for the many levels of achieving in the class. Schools could introduce classroom libraries and self-instructional material. Consideration of teaching approaches that address the needs of all levels of achievement such as pair reading etc. it would assist in exploring new approaches to assessment to reduce levels if competition in classes.

The key to successful multi-grade instruction is equipping teachers with knowledge and skills needed to teach effectively in the situation. Improving of surrounding environment for the students to inspire then to learn and explore more, thus creating individual teaching.

REFERENCES:

Achievement effects of multi-grade and mono-grade primary schools in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Available at: http://www.sciencedirect.com

[Accessed on: 15-10-11]

Escuela Nueva Foundation- Bogota

Available at: http://www.escuelanueva.org

[Accessed on: 20-10-11]

Invisible Children: schools for school-rebuilding schools in war-torn northern Africa

Available at: http://www.s4s.invisibelchildren.com/school

[Accessed on: 18-10-11]

Learning and Teaching in multi0grade settings: Education for all

Available at: http://www.multigrade.ioe.ac.uk/

[Accessed on: 15-10-11]

Multi-grade teaching: facing the hidden reality of educations have-nots

Available at: http://www.eddis.org/

[Accessed on: 17-10-11]

Northern Lights School Division#113: schools and communities

Available at: http://www.nisd.113.com/

[Accessed on: 15-10-11]

Earth Works, issue 2: June-July 2011

Projects: schools-Creating Learning Spaces

Writer: Stephen Forder

Pages: 23-32

The Architectural Review: July 2010

143-El Porvenir Kindergarten

Writer: Catherine Slessor

Pages: 074-079