Month: November 2016

Why are students disrespectful towards Educators?
Being a teacher is the hardest and most difficult occupation to master.
One should be able to do The 7 key Principles at once:

• Observing the whole class
• Listening to the students verbal and non-verbal response
• Watching every student’s face individually to make sure they understand
• Evaluating their facial expressions and reactions
• Calculating their behaviour and establishing how to help or how to make things better or explain it in a different way.
• Leading the class on an academic level as well as leading each student on a personal level

Teaching them academic subjects as well as teaching them how to become a successful person.

This can only be done efficiently when the teacher, has peace, confidence, motivation, patience, control over their own emotions, be a balanced person and always think in a positive manner no matter the situation or circumstances.
The challenge to manage the classroom increases on a daily basis.
Succeeding at the 7 key principles, mentioned above, and managing a perfect classroom is tiring and sometimes stressful.
Students are smart and they pick up on our insecurities, moods and the way we feel reflects on them. Have you noticed that when you’ve had a tough morning, most of the time your students are difficult too? And when you have a great morning, your day turns out great as well?

The educator determines students’ :

• Reaction towards them
• Behaviour in their class
• Interest in their subject
• How well students remember what they are taughtand students’ emotional status during their class time.

The fact that I was an educator, for 5 years, puts me in the position of understanding exactly how challenging it is being an educator. It should be the highest paying job and ONLY be experts in each field/subject. Unfortunately, it is not that easy for third world countries.
I, therefore, decided to develop a series / training to assist teachers in being happy, being able to survive in the system, influencing students in a positive way and reaching their full potential.
The ONLY way to ensure a promising future for our children and grandchildren is through influencing the next generation.

Dear fellow ratepayer, Our newly elected Municipal Council is calling for public comment on its proposal that Bitou Municipality should withdraw from the Eden District joint land use Planning Tribunal to set up an independent Bitou Planning Tribunal.
Municipal Planning Tribunals became compulsory after the Spatial Planning Land Use Management Act 16 of 2013 (SPLUMA) came into effect in July 2015. SPLUMA is a National act that was promulgated to rationalise the various Provincial Ordinances and older acts to facilitate national uniformity in Spatial Planning and Land Use matters.
SPLUMA devolves the power of final decision over land use applications down from Provincial Government to Local Government level. This is achieved through the creation of Land Use Tribunals that must consist of at least 5 members that include members of the local municipality in question as well as civilian members with experience in land use matters.
The appeal authority is also devolved down to Local Government level where the Executive Mayor or executive council now becomes the appeal authority.
The act allows Local Government the option of establishing either its own independent Planning Tribunal or joining forces with other municipalities in the area to form a joint Tribunal. In 2015 the Bitou DA council, after very careful consideration and concern about the possibility of corrupt practices, opted to form a joint Land Use Tribunal with members of the Eden District Municipality.

The following were the main considerations for the decision to join the Eden Tribunal:
1) The joint Eden Tribunal through its diverse representation is impartial, unbiased and
void of any undue conflicts of interest.
2) The joint Eden Tribunal enjoys the experience of a wide range of experts in the field of Spatial Planning and Land Use matters.
3) The joint Eden Tribunal by virtue of the contribution of a number of municipalities in
the Eden District to the cost of operation makes it significantly more cost effective
than an independent Tribunal and brings about a large saving to Bitou.
4) The joint Eden Tribunal considers all regional Spatial Planning interests as a whole as prescribed by SPLUMA thus avoiding inter-district clashes and duplication.
The request for public comment was published in a very cryptic advertisement in the What’s New in Plett of 3 November 2016. The closure date for public comment is Thursday 24 November 2016.
We urge concerned members of our community, who care about the danger of placing too much discretionary power in the hands of a council that has in a previous term been involved in large and doubtful land transactions, to submit their comments by 24 November.
To simplify the process of commenting.
cschliemann@plett.gov.za – THE GREMLIN

Knysna Municipality Ward 9 Councillor, Mark Willemse called a public meeting on Tuesday, November 8 to discuss the issues surrounding the baboon encroaching on especially Ward 9.Knysna Municipality Ward 9 Councillor, Mark Willemse called a public meeting on Tuesday, November 8 to discuss the issues surrounding the baboon encroaching on especially Ward 9.   The expansion of many residential areas bordering natural reserves has possibly resulted in a great number of baboons migrating into residential areas in search of food, often leaving extreme damage to property in their wake.   The Knysna Municipality, being the local authority accountable to its residents and ratepayers is committed to facilitate responsible environmental management by implementing effective measures to prevent conflict between residents and Baboon. CapeNature however is responsible for the implementation of the Nature Conservation Ordinance, Ordinance 19 of 1974, setting the legal framework for the management of wildlife in the Western Cape.   It is CapeNature’s responsibility to ensure that the residents of Knysna and the Knysna Municipality comply with the legal framework as set out in the Ordinance. They have undertaken to supply advice on managing human / baboon conflict situations to all affected parties.   Richard Thorpe from the Knysna Baboon Action Group addressed the meeting suggesting several measures to ensure that the baboons do not enter properties. These measures included the locking of wheelie bins, only putting out refuse on the day the refuse trucks are due; not to grow vegetables or fruit, to keep all doors and windows closed; start baboon tracking social media groups to allow neighbourhood to know the baboons’ route; baboon monitors and signage to inform visitors not to feed the baboons.   Currently the Knysna Municipality have employed baboon monitors who track the baboons and stop them from entering private property. The residents expressed their concern that these baboon monitors where often seen walking together. “The monitors do not simply chase the baboons but attempt to ‘herd’ them to the open bushy area at the end of Howard, Fraser or Wilson Streets,” explained Acting Municipal Manager, Bevan Ellman. “If just one monitor approaches the baboons they just scatter whichever way they want. With the three monitors walking together they can approach from different angels blocking routes into other streets, moving the baboons in the desired direction,” Ellman explained.   It was the general view that the baboon monitors were having a positive effect and Cllr Willemse undertook to investigate the employment of possible two or three extra monitors. He further said that the paintball licenses that these monitors needed to fire paintballs at the baboons have now been granted. The monitors will soon be more mobile as bicycles have now been provided for them.   The residents shared their concerns and possible solutions with CapeNature, Thorpe and Cllr Willemse. Thorpe undertook to reinstate the no longer active Knysna Baboon Action Group that was formed during 2014. This Baboon Action Group will assist the residents to ensure that an appropriate action plan is in place.   “The Knysna Municipality is taking all possible measures to ensure that the baboon / human interactions are mitigated in a holistic manner and within a legal framework,” concluded Ellman. -THEGREMLIN