SOUTHERN AFRICA
www.tab-sa.org
June 2018
Aloha from Hawaii, USA!
Dear Colleagues,
I am Yunus Peer, a teacher living in Hawaii, USA, and working at Punahou School, alma mater of former President Barack Obama. I was born and raised in Port Shepstone (KZN-RSA), high-schooled at Waterford Kamhlaba (UWC) in Swaziland from 1971-73, and then left South Africa when my confiscated passport was returned by the authorities in June 1976. We began this volunteer professional development project in Maths, Science, and Technology in 2001 with guidance from then Minister of Education, the late Professor Kader Asmal, and the sponsorship of Punahou School (Hawaii, USA) and the Cassim Peer Trust (RSA).
Since the pilot project in the winter school holidays of 2001, more than 180 USA maths and science teachers have facilitated workshops with 6000 South African colleagues, and the Department of Basic Education estimates that 1.5 million learners have benefited from their teachers’ upgraded skills. TABSA has also dedicated 8 computer labs in 3 provinces, currently serving 4000 learners. In 2012, we began a school uniform project. TABSA has provided uniforms to 400 children in rural schools in the past four years and most recently in 2016, TABSA began a rural school sanitary pad campaign.
In 2018, TABSA is partnering with the Dept. of Education in Bloemfontein (Free State) to conduct workshops for 300 teachers. We have a very diverse and talented team of professionals from all over the US, and I am grateful to them for their love and generosity.
TABSA is an all-volunteer organization. Our projects are supported by schools, churches, family, and friends in both countries. No TABSA administrator, staff, or teaching team member is paid for any services.
The curriculum content of this DVD reflects the new requirements of CAPS in South Africa. It also contains a vast library of materials from previous years. We trust that you will share this resource with your fellow colleagues. The contents of this DVD have been assembled by classroom teachers for classroom teachers. It is distributed FREE of charge by TABSA, and is NOT to be bought, sold, or traded for profit.
With sincere respect for what you do in the classroom every day — Our future depends on it!
Yunus Peer
Director, Teachers Across Borders Southern Africa ypeer@punahou.edu
Primary Sponsors of TABSA 2018:
- South African Dept. of Education
- First Car Rental
- Teachers Across Borders – www.teachersacrossborders.org
- The Sheridan and Julia Ing Family Foundation, Honolulu, Hawaii.
- The Cassim Peer Family Trust, Port Shepstone, RSA
Meet our Administrative Team!
Thokozani Mteshane, Assistant Director of TABSA
Siyaphambili High School, Harding, RSA
t.mteshane@yahoo.com
Thokozani Mteshane was born and bred in South Africa, KwaZulu Natal in Harding. He graduated in BscEd, ABET, ACE, HIV/Aids care, counselling & management, occupational health & safety and started teaching in 1998. He currently teaches Mathematics grade 12 at Siyaphambili High School where he serves as a Departmental Head of Math & Sciences and a Deputy Principal. Thokozani has been working with TABSA since 2006. In 2011, he was appointed as Assistant Director. He and his wife Nomathemba, live in Harding with their children, his Mum, brother, sisters and nephews.
Laurie Lee, Assistant Administrator
‘Iolani School, Honolulu, HI (USA)
www.iolani.org
llee@iolani.org
Laurie entered the wonderful world of education in 2005 as an administrator at the Honolulu Waldorf School before joining ‘Iolani in 2013. In her previous life, Laurie worked in Hollywood (USA) as a freelance T.V. sitcom writer with credits that include episodes of “Married…with Children.” Laurie and her husband Yunus have a blended family of six children and together administer Teachers Across Borders Southern Africa. When not at work, Laurie enjoys dance and yoga classes, tennis, gardening, long walks and bike rides along the beach, and meals with her family, most of which are prepared lovingly by Yunus.
Owen Martel, Media Coordinator
owenmartel@gmail.com
Owen is supporting the TABSA administrative team this year, primarily with updates to the website and social media as well as documenting the project in photos and video. He grew up in Hawaii as one of Yunus Peer’s high school students. Most of Owen’s projects involve a combination of community development, media, and transportation, especially travel on foot. He currently lives in Slovenia.
Nadia Peer, Program Coordinator
nadiaypeer@gmail.com
Nadia Peer, from Portland, Oregon, holds a Masters in Nonprofit Management and a Bachelors in Communication and Fine Arts. She has been with TABSA since 2014 as the Program and Media Coordinator. She primarily organizes the workshop booklets, DVD, and social media sites. A writer, photographer, storyteller, adventurer and traveller, and advocate for mental health, she is constantly yearning to learn and create.
Meet our Maths Team!
James Metz
University of Hawaii (USA), retired
metz@hawaii.edu
James Metz is the heart of TABSA and its math team. Born in Springfield, Illinois in the USA, Jim is a retired high school and college math teacher with 42 years of experience. He has been a U.S. Peace Corps teacher trainer and past president of professional mathematics organizations in Hawai’i and has authored a math book and several math and science articles. Southern Africa is a second home to Jim, who will be spending his 14th summer there, facilitating math workshops with TABSA.
Brad Uy
Kamehameha School, Honolulu, HI (USA)
http://www.ksbe.edu
Brad.uy@gmail.com
Brad Uy hails from the beautiful islands of Hawaii, in the USA, and is a creative and light-hearted educator. He has taught maths and English for eight years, and has eagerly volunteered on four trips with Teachers Across Borders – Southern Africa. He currently teaches 8th grade mathematics at Kamehameha Schools, Hawaii, an educational institution dedicated to serving native Hawaiian children. For recreation, Brad enjoys bicycling, reading, tennis, and cooking; he also casually dabbles in photography.
Aviva Halani
Phillips Exeter Academy, New Hampshire (USA)
www.exeter.edu
ahalani@exeter.edu
Aviva holds a B.A. from Wellesley, and an M.A. and a Ph.D. from Arizona State. Though her degrees are in mathematics, her research has focused on students’ problem solving approaches to counting problems, instructional interventions, and student understanding of calculus concepts. She has presented her results at numerous conferences. In Arizona, she was a Math Content Expert for Adaptive Curriculum, an ed tech company that develops highly interactive digital math and science lessons, and taught at ASU. She has been teaching various courses from algebra to calculus to proof at Exeter since 2013.
Sami Atif
Phillips Exeter Academy, New Hampshire (USA)
www.exeter.edu
satif@exeter.edu
Sami Atif is the newest member of the TABSA math team. Born in Philadelphia, PA in the USA, Sami is a mathematician and a high school math teacher. He teaches at Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire and for the past 10 years Sami has worked with teachers to enhance pedagogical strategies and curricular initiatives.
Joy Rebecca Kenyon
The Lovett School, Atlanta, GA (USA)
www.lovett.org
Joy.Kenyon@lovett.org
Joy Kenyon is delighted to be joining the TABSA team this year. Born and raised in Birmingham, England and of Jamaican parentage, Joy is a high school math teacher with over 20 years of teaching the full age and ability range in the UK and in the US. She received a bursary for best practice for her Masters research on girls’ math education from the British government and attained her Ph.D. in Educational Policy Studies. Joy enjoys promoting international and multi-cultural awareness and looks forward to working alongside the TABSA team and conference attendees.
Robyn Ide
‘Iolani School, Honolulu, HI (USA)
www.iolani.org
ride@iolani.org
Robyn Ide brings 22 years of teaching experience to TABSA. With a teaching degree in multiple subjects, she has taught grades 2-6 and most recently she has joined ‘Iolani School to teach 4th grade maths. Robyn enjoys teaching in a student-centered classroom where she can facilitate and inspire learning. Robyn lives in Honolulu, Hawaii with her husband Rand, their 2 sons, Jase, 14 and Cole 12, and Boots. Her favorites include spending time with family, traveling, drinking coffee and eating dessert. She feels fortunate to be a part of the TABSA team! Traveling to SA this summer to spend time with teachers halfway across the world to collaborate and work towards a common goal of educating children is an experience of a lifetime.
Robin Dyrensborg
‘Iolani School, Honolulu, HI (USA)
www.iolani.org
rdyrensborg@iolani.org
Robin is part of the intermediate maths team. She was born in Koror, Palau then raised in Kaneohe, Hawaii in the USA. Robin is a 6th grade K-6 elementary certified teacher and a National Board Certified Teacher in early adolescent Social Studies. She has taught grades 3-8 in the elementary and middle school settings for 24 years. She loves travelling, immersing herself in different cultures, and is a life long learner. She is excited to be part of TABSA! Robin is also really looking forward to learning and growing with her South African colleagues.
Meet our Science Team!
Veronica Ledoux
Gabel School, Portland, Oregon (USA)
www.catlin.edu
ledouxv@catlin.edu
Veronica Ledoux was born in California, USA. After earning a Bachelor’s of Science in biochemistry and a Ph.D.in neurobiology, she started a career in academic science research but realized that most of the people she knew felt that understanding science was beyond their reach. She became a science teacher in hopes of improving science literacy for all people. Veronica currently lives in Portland, Oregon and has been teaching for the last 10 years at Catlin Gabel School. Working with 9th-12th graders, she has taught a wide variety of chemistry, biology, physics, and public health classes. She’s also led global education trips to Uganda, Rwanda, Nepal, Japan, and Sweden and has been working with TABSA since 2012. Veronica loves experiencing the natural world on hikes and long-distance bicycle adventures.
Andy Barnes
‘Iolani School, Honolulu, HI (USA)
www.iolani.org
abarnes@iolani.org
Andy (Andrea) Barnes works at ‘Iolani School in Honolulu, Hawaii. She has taught 8th grade
physical science for eleven years as well as physical science and chemistry to grades 9-12 in her 17 years as a teacher. Prior to teaching, she was an engineering technician. She has a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and a master’s degree in education. This will be her third year as a member of the TABSA team. She is excited about reuniting with the team and meeting colleagues from Free State.
Carol Brennan
University of Hawaii (retired)
carolb@hawaii.edu
Robert E. Brennan
Castle High School (retired)
brennanr002@hawaii.rr.com
After over 50 years of working with children and teachers, Carol retired from the University of Hawai‘i, where she spent more than 30 years with the Curriculum Research and Development Group (CRDG). She has taught K–9 students (all subjects for elementary, science for 6–9), and developed an elementary science curriculum, Developmental Approaches in Science, Health and Technology—DASH, which was implemented across the USA, in Micronesia, and most recently in Russia. Carol has taught undergraduate science methods courses and worked with teachers of science in 24 states, and in many Pacific Islands (FSM, RMI, Guam, Saipan, etc.), in addition to China, Australia, New Zealand, Ethiopia, Korea, and most recently in Russia. Although officially retired, Carol continues her teacher support work in Micronesia and Russia. Carol’s passions include snorkeling, making pottery, traveling, golfing and caring for their dog, Bogey. Carol and her husband Bob have two children and seven grandchildren. Their combined years of experience and wisdom are a great asset to the TABSA science team.
Robert Brennan joined TABSA’s science team in 2017 with 13 years teaching experience in high school Chemistry, Marine Science and Physical Science. Prior to teaching, Bob served as an officer in the United States Air Force for 25 years. Now retired from teaching, Bob is a volunteer Educational Guide at Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, a marine life conservation district and the most popular snorkeling destination in Hawai’i.
Marisol Fisher
Catawba Springs Elementary, Lincoln County, NC (USA)
www.lcsnc.org/cses
mafisher0812@gmail.com
Mari Fisher will be joining the TABSA Team for the first time. Born and raised in Panama City, Panama, she moved to the USA at the age of 17. She has a B.S. in Space Science from Florida Institute of Technology and a K-6 Teaching Certificate from the University of NC in Charlotte, where she currently resides. In 2003, she received her Middle Child National Board Certification. She has been teaching at North Carolina elementary schools for twenty years, and currently teaches fifth grade Math and Science. She is looking forward to being part of TABSA Team 2018!
Jami Muranaka
‘Iolani School, Honolulu, HI (USA)
www.iolani.org
jmura@iolani.org
This is Jami Muranaka’s first experience traveling with the TABSA team! Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, she graduated with a B.S. in Biology from UCLA, and a M.E.T in Secondary Science Education from the University of Hawaii. She taught high school science for 15 years, and has been currently teaching elementary science at ‘Iolani School in Honolulu for the past 7 years. Some of her teaching accomplishments include becoming a National Board Certified Teacher in 2002 and being named the 2007 Hawaii State Teacher of the Year.
Gillian Curran
Hamlin School, San Francisco, CA (USA)
www.hamlin.org
gcurran01@gmail.com
Gillian Curran is a middle school science teacher at the Hamlin School in San Francisco, California. Prior to joining the Hamlin faculty in 2014, she spent 12 years working with middle and high school youth as a rowing coach and several years teaching astronomy at Wellesley College. She grew up on the east coast of the United States, but moved to California in 2011 to start a non-profit in Oakland focused on expanding access and imparting life skills and opportunities to underserved youth through rowing. When she isn’t teaching, she can usually be found outdoors in the woods or somewhere on the water. She loves learning and teaching about science and is very excited to collaborate with fellow teachers in South Africa for the first time this summer!
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