Lizzy Mphuthi

Programme Co-ordinator for Foundation Phase

What I do

I am a teacher developer providing an In-Service Training and Skills programme to Foundation Phase Educators (Grades R - 3) in Namakgale and Lulekani Circuits. Our programme seeks to enhance the professionalism and cognitive development of Numeracy, Literacy and Life Skills educators and improve learner performance. Workshops are conducted on a monthly basis, subsequent to workshops, school based and classroom support for educators are conducted on a daily basis.

I joined The Palabora Foundation team in 2003, and I operate from the Leboneng Education Centre in Namakgale.

What I did before

My experience as a teacher developer dates as far back as 1992 when I joined a team of maths facilitators at the Maths Centre for Professional Teachers in Johannesburg. For four years I had the opportunity to work with Soweto primary school teachers in understanding the investigative approach. In the process of regular classroom support visits I developed a passion for working with learners with learning disabilities, hence my enrolment at RAU for a Further Diploma in Remedial Education (FDRE) and OBE - I did not complete the course. What I had was a Primary Teacher’s Diploma which I acquired at Mgwenya Teachers College at Mpumalanga. The investigative approach helped me to engage in the action research process and delivered a group presentation based on researched classroom experiences.

In 1996 I joined another Maths organization called the Co-operative Organisation for the Upgrading of Numeracy Training (COUNT) in New Town Johannesburg where I conducted workshops and school support for primary school educators in farm schools, Randburg, mining schools in Rustenburg. Besides teacher training, I had another opportunity to participate as a trainer in COUNT’s Family Maths Programme which provided a unique opportunity to promote parental involvement in mathematics education. This was a different training experience where learners and their parents solved maths problems together. In 2001 I represented COUNT in the Fanang Diatla Project. The project was funded by the USAID, where different service providers formed a consortium to render their services in the 6 districts in the Limpopo Province. I offered Numeracy training and school support to foundation phase educators in those 6 districts. This was another experience having to support educators in rural areas and some taught under the trees. Very disturbing conditions.

Between 1982 – 1991 I taught at a Government school, 2 Private schools (non-racial) foundation phase and also at the Bethesda Girls Home in Soweto (Grades 4 & 5 Maths and iSizulu). In 1991 I was awarded the Best Teacher Award certificate for: Discipline, Disposition, Class Honouring, Creativity and Involvement in Extra Mural Activities; this was at Bophelo-Impilo Combined School. This is where I was identified by the Maths Centre Trainers.

A bit about me

I am from a family of 13 children: 8 girls and 5 boys. My parents were priests (Majors Mphuthi) of The Salvation Army Church who were transferred to different provinces (born in Kimberly) and their calling ended up in Gauteng Province (Soweto), hence my ability to relate with different people - young and old, people with different racial backgrounds and can speak most of South African languages, even “tsotsi taal”.

I am a divorced mother of two children, Lebogang and Tshepo Maffa, and my beautiful 3 year old grand daughter Nandipha. I love listening to music, reading, watching “horror” movies. I have a great sense of humour.

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