Mathematics and science are subjects that, even as adults, fill many with terror. However, with the onset of the fourth industrial revolution, acquiring maths, science and computing skills are more essential than ever.
The good news is that even if school maths filled you with dread, you can still support your children with their maths thanks to an online maths programme, Green Shoots. It has been used at schools in the Grabouw area for some time now.
“You can cheer for maths the way you cheer for sports,” says Jo Besford, co-founder and director of Green Shoots, speaking via Zoom from her Strand offices, explaining that the programme does all the education required. “What is needed is support and encouragement, which is where caregivers and even employers can play an important role.”
Mark Swartz, Green Shoots co-founder and director, says the programme aims to add value to schools and teachers.
While Besford came to South Africa after teaching and supporting science at inner London schools 14 years ago, Swartz is an Overberg local who taught maths and technology. “Learners, educators and supporters can access progress and results almost instantly,” Swartz explained, “But, essentially, the platform also immediately highlights areas that learners struggle with and the teaching staff can then support.
“Because we align with what the schools are teaching, we support the school and the teachers, while the learners benefit.”
Swartz hails from Bot River, where he shared a classroom with Two-a-Day’s doctor, Anthony Hess. “This was how I met Two-a-Day’s director of human resources, Dimitri Jacobs, who also drives the company’s many corporate social responsibility programmes,” he said. “I had the opportunity of introducing Green Shoots and our maths-support programme to Two-a-Day.”
In 2019, Two-a-Day supported Green Shoots in providing maths training and real-time evaluation at no cost to the learner or institution. Today, this operates at just over 600 schools.
According to Besford, support from those at home is more important than ever. She explained: “Support means encouraging learners by being interested in where they are relative to their classmates. We must not underestimate the positive role that goal setting, encouragement and follow-up can have on a learner’s results.”
Swartz added that a learner profile is a new component of the software and the facility also shares images and information via data-free options such as Facebook and WhatsApp. “One of the things we are talking to Two-a-Day about is using its text message-based PICSA technology platform that delivers pay-slips, Covid-19 and other important communication to mobile-phone handsets and not just costly smartphones.”
There are help sheets in both English and Afrikaans, Besford says. Green Shoots is also working with the education department to have results of tests go towards learners’ annual school marks.
The company has been awarded a contract by the Western Cape government to supply this online tool to more than 600 primary schools in the province. “All existing Two-a-Day partner schools will immediately benefit from this Western Cape Education Department initiative, which is pegged over three years,” she said.
Two-a-Day is well aware of the increasing need of maths skills and is already seeking out learners with matriculation certification, especially those with maths skills. Additionally, the company is making it possible for existing staff and unemployed people who don’t have matric to achieve this, as it invests about R360 000 annually on the matriculation programme that has about 30 participants.
In addition, the company spends about R1,5 million extra on the development of matriculants. “The strategic decision taken by the provincial government to insist on internet access and computers in schools has been the platform on which our success is built,” said Swartz.
“Within five minutes of learners completing modules, we can assess where the issues are and these are immediately available to the schools and teaching body via a dashboard that shows a range of useful analyses including a per question breakdown for every learner.”
Besford said that learners who use Maths@Home, the after-school programme, improve in their online ranking scores and, through competitions, are able to pitch themselves against pupils at other schools. “This can be very empowering,” she said. “I believe this has spin-offs into confidence and potential.”
Jacobs said Two-a-Day is proud to be involved with Green Shoots and the schools in its community. “We believe the investment we made at a very early stage of learners’ development will enhance their chances of pursuing careers needed for the future,” he concluded.
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For more details, visit www.greenshootsedu.co.za.
