‘Getting the basics right’ in schooling is not simple, but here’s what we know, and what we should do

Many people say, “You must get the basics right in schools and then everything will be fine”. But what are the basics? No one seems to agree. Some people refer to the foundational elements of education that are essential for effective learning and development, and others refer to key curriculum content.

The “basics”, according to Julie Dawjee, a school development specialist, refer to foundational principles and practices that are essential for effective teaching and learning. She argues that the basics are crucial for creating an environment in which pupils can thrive academically and personally.

“You must create a positive learning atmosphere for student engagement and motivation,” says Dawjee.

“Teachers must provide clear instruction and use appropriate examples to help students grasp complex concepts. Students must be actively engaged in the learning process through discussions, problem-solving and hands-on activities, which promote deeper understanding and retention.”

Dawjee says that encouraging self-directed learning and intrinsic motivation is crucial for success. She also argues that providing constructive feedback helps pupils understand their progress and how they can improve. Promoting teamwork and cooperative learning also helps build social skills and shared understanding among pupils.

Dawjee says teachers must reflect on their teaching methods and how pupil outcomes improve teaching strategies and better learning experiences.

From my own perspective, and as I have pointed out in a previous article, schools need to be secured and made safer on a practical level. Fences and gates need to be fixed and access controlled. Care for premises is both practical and symbolic of a broader climate of care, and in this regard, litter needs to be cleared away, the classroom swept, cracked windows replaced and broken doors and handles repaired. If the prevalence of drugs and weapons is a serious problem at a school, then regular, unannounced searches should be conducted. Parents and guardians need to be aware that these will take place as part of the school’s routine.

Adults must supervise pupils at school and they need to be visible in high-risk areas in the school. Any acts of aggression and violence need to be dealt with. Rule-breaking and “minor” violations should not be ignored, and pupils need to understand that violent or aggressive behaviour will not be tolerated at school.

Teachers need to model respectful behaviour to pupils, in how they themselves act as well as how they treat their pupils. They need to show pupils that there are consequences for bad behaviour and for breaking any of the rules.

Curriculum content

Curriculum design involves outlining the essential principles, purposes and features of educational approaches to inform classroom activities. Progression and sequencing of content is fundamental, and pupils’ prior knowledge and skills must be considered.

At present, educational reforms emphasise the development of core competencies that are necessary for future societal roles. These are integrated into the curriculum content and reflected in both intended and implemented curriculums.

A couple of years ago I came across a book by Caroline Taggart titled Back to Basics: The Education You Wish You’d Had. When you distil the content in Taggart’s book, you see that she deals with foundational skills such as literacy, numeracy and problem-solving, which are crucial for pupils to succeed in various subjects as well as in life.

These skills are not that easy to teach and assess, but they are fundamental to pupils’ overall educational success.

The South African curriculum is well designed and compares favourably with many others around the world. The challenge we have is in implementation and ensuring that all pupils meet certain minimum learning requirements, which include essential knowledge and skills across subjects. This is where we fall short and cannot guarantee a common educational foundation for all pupils.

When children start school, they begin a slow process of building a foundation in several key areas that shape their understanding of the world and prepare them for future success. These early years of developing literacy are crucial.

Learning begins with the alphabet, where children become familiar with letters and sounds. As they progress, they develop phonics skills, blending sounds to form words and sentences. Reading comprehension follows, where they extract meaning from texts, and writing skills emerge, allowing them to express their thoughts and ideas.

In mathematics, children start with basic arithmetic operations such as addition and subtraction, gradually moving on to multiplication and division. They develop number sense, understanding relationships between numbers, and learn to recognise shapes and patterns. These foundational maths skills enable them to solve problems and think logically.

Children explore the natural world in science and they learn about plants, animals and the changing seasons. They discover simple physics concepts such as gravity, weight and buoyancy, which help them understand how the world works.

Through social studies, children learn about their family and community, and they develop an appreciation for cultural history and diversity. They begin to grasp basic geography concepts, such as continents and maps, which helps to broaden their perspective on the world.

Very importantly, as children progress, they acquire essential life skills, including time management, organisation and critical thinking. These skills allow them to prioritise tasks, solve problems and make informed decisions.

While all this “book learning” is happening, we cannot ignore the social-emotional learning, which plays a vital role in a child’s development. They learn to regulate their emotions, empathise with others and work with peers.

By mastering these basics, children build a strong foundation for future academic success and lifelong learning. Children rely on teachers to lead this learning. Teachers need to be well educated to manage the foundational concepts they are teaching. This includes understanding the cognitive models of the learning process and being aware of the difficulties students may face.

Challenges

There is no magic “back to basics” list around. This brief investigation highlights that human learning is complex and requires a lot of time.

What we see in South Africa and elsewhere is a tension between the need to cover a broad range of subjects and the practical limitations of time and resources. This leads to an overcrowded curriculum in which essential subjects don’t receive adequate attention.

“Getting the basics right” in schooling is not that simple. However, we know that we must create the right learning environments. We also need to ensure that the core curriculum content is well designed and implemented by teachers, and that foundational skills are prioritised. This comprehensive approach helps create a solid educational foundation that supports every child’s long-term success. DM

Dr Mark Potterton is the primary school principal of Sacred Heart College and the director of the Three2Six Refugee Children’s Project.

This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R35.