The other night as I was settling down for my evening review (explanation further down) a thought-provoking question popped into my mind. “Does and how many people actually read the blogs/articles that we journalists write?”
Okay well – if it is posted online, it’s easy to check the numbers on the back end but that in itself does not say much. Although, for many on social media – it is about the number of likes or clicks and nothing but. It is not unlike a chartered accountant who based every single decision on the empirical data provided by the bottom line and the bottom line only.
But perhaps this is the wrong question. What value do readers derive from these blogs/articles? Often times, lots of research, careful thinking, and time to go into writing a blog/article. Information only – does it satisfy?
With online and the continuous feed of new copy and stories, everything moves down the screen and out of sight fairly quickly once loaded. If readers don’t read the article/blog within a specific timeslot, after it has been loaded, it is “lost”. It is of course possible via cross-posting on various social platforms, to bring a piece to the front again and again. And yet again, the numbers can be tracked.
Journalism is a dynamic and challenging environment. And it is particularly tough now with COVID-19. It is a profession that every day, exposes one to many different people and scenarios - often under tremendous pressure – not just to ensure your info is correct, but also to produce quality copy within tight deadlines. It challenges both your street-savvy and, at times, your own sense of morality.
Journalists are often judged as being cynical or having their own agendas and the rest. Truth is – being objective is always relative to, among others, one’s frame of reference, education, culture, and upbringing. The variables are infinite. Take for example how, with the same set of scientific facts about COVID-19, opinions differ in terms of the yesses and the noes.
So read, think, and take the time to engage with the author/journalist of a well-written piece because you may both learn something really important through this interaction.
Be safe.
Tuesday, 16 June 2020
Gratitude Diairy
COVID-19 caught all of us with our pants down. And for many - if not most, it is dictating that we go inside to reflect on that which is. It has also, as Barry Malone said: “not been an equalizer. It has been a magnifier of inequality and injustice that permeates every aspect of society allowing some to take refuge behind privileges and money whilst those less fortunate, are left to struggle.”
Much has been written about the anxiety caused by the lockdown and how to overcome the sense of powerlessness and despair. Many suggest that one focusses on what you have right within every moment, rather than fussing over what you don’t have. Expressing gratitude has indeed been shown as having a calming effect on the mind and the emotions.
I was once told by my exco (God and the angels) to “just be”. On inquiry as to the precise meaning, this was the reply: ‘to be, is to do absolutely nothing (but being grateful and visualize) in order to achieve absolutely everything’’.
But here’s the thing. Is a simple emotionless expression of gratitude enough?
Visualization is an amazing technique for manifesting that which one desires in life. In fact, the Essenes - authors of the Dead Sea Scrolls and who, 2000BC lived near the Dead Sea at a place called Qumran, was adamant that any visualization will only yield results when one can actually vividly smell, taste, feel, hear the elements within your visualization or prayer.
So visualization should then in fact be a total immersive emotional/physical experience even though one would be quite still and stationary. Does this make sense?
It does. One has to experience – take ownership of the content of your visualization as if it already is – right here right now. The emotion which accompanies successful achievement is indeed a truly deep and authentic experience as I am sure you can relate to. You see, to think about something is one thing. To actually passionately experience it in your mind, is activating that thought or desire…
So this morning as I woke and expressed gratitude for a new day – I was suddenly struck by the sound of that expression in my mind. It was so - casual and meaningless – I was stunned!
If it sounded meaningless, it is meaningless. I dug into the subconscious to extract reminders of experiences that rendered authentic emotions of gratitude (and there are many), and then I again expressed gratitude. This time it felt different – my soul responded.
Now I am not trying to simplify the challenges relating to stress and anxiety. To practice gratitude is not always that easy. Tell someone who hasn’t eaten for days, to be grateful – or a parent who has been starving themselves in order to feed their children – it is not that easy and I don’t have all the answers either.
Point is if one expresses gratitude and your soul do not respond to this expression, if you don’t feel that gratitude – if you don’t feel the intention and attention – you have not gone inside - and then, in my opinion, the expression is pretty much meaningless.
Lockdown dictates a redirection of our focus. If we make gratitude part and parcel of that new focus and we share within our communities, the gifts may well surprise us all.
Wednesday, 8 April 2020
The Change
THE CHANGE
I am not me anymore
I have changed
A gentle peace has taken root in what used to be me
I am stunned by the emotionality of this gentleness that has befallen the “I”
acceptance of what is …
gifts offered by the universe has become an act of joy
acknowledgment and bliss
Accepting is acting
Acting is love
Love is “being”
God is love …
God is being …
Love is being me …
Love is who I am … also
I am not me anymore
I have changed
MD
Tuesday, 17 March 2020
Rally to Read shows children the road to comprehension
The Rally to Read 2020 Mpumalanga event, held over the past weekend, again showed that when Ford and the Rally to Read teams arrive at a rural school, the reception is vibrant, colorful, energetic, loud and in your face.
Boasting excellent CSI and service delivery stats, Westvaal Numbi Ford and Westvaal Numbi Ford Hazyview were chosen by Ford SA to support the Mpumalanga leg of this national initiative. It was also their second year of participation. The large group of Ford, media and other representatives were divided into five teams, each with a team leader from the participating dealerships. Ford SA has invested significantly into the Rally to Read and other programs over the years and these dealers were visibly energized to once again engage with the nine participating schools in the White/Hazy Area.
We are all in agreement when I say, that the youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow - our daughters are the mothers and the nurturers of the future. The reality though is this: forty percent of 14-year olds have the read capacity equal to that of a seven-year-old. Research by Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) found that 78 percent of Grade 4 learners cannot read with comprehension. And, according to David Furlonger (editor at large of the Financial Mail), forty percent of current CSI spent in South Africa is wasted due to the lack of structure and accountability.
So yes - shocking it certainly is but we have to find creative solutions to address these shortcomings within our education methodologies sooner rather than later.
Since its inception in 1998, Rally to Read has brought hope and support to 16 000 primary schools, 12 000 teachers and 250 000 children. Its founder is the well-known Brand Pretorius. The program, which runs over three years, supplies each school with portable classroom libraries. The books and other materials are scientifically developed and synchronize with the curricula of the Department of Education. Teachers are trained on the application of each Grade's material and the intervention is closely monitored over a period of three years. The program currently involves six school districts across five provinces.
Kenneth Lekhuwane - principal at Khombindlela Primary School:” The disappearance of story-telling elders in our culture is partly to blame for the lack of comprehension among our kids. Storytelling and play methodologies within the Rally to Read program helps to bridge these gaps."
This view is supported by Nkosi Nelson - principal at Siyamukela Primary who added: "We have moved from teacher-centric to learner-centric methodologies of teaching and this program provides excellent and creative support in our school."
Ockert Berry (VP Operations, Ford Motor Company of South Africa) said: "From Grade 1 to Grade 3, you learn to read - from Grade 4 onward, you read to learn." Wise words and so true.
Although not the standard, it is not uncommon to find classrooms with as many 90 learners in some of these schools. In rural schools, learners are taught in their mother tongue from Grade R to Grade 3. In Grade 4 the teaching language changes to primarily English. Now this obviously, in my mind, must present some challenges. The vocalization of the alphabet letters - for one - differs from the mother tongue to English and may well produce some misinterpretation? And with English being the language of business and the world, would it not make more sense to just start with English right from Grade R?
Mavis Maseko, a teacher for 20 years and 12 years with the READ Educational Trust, explains the rationale: "Building relationships to cultivate buy-in and overcome resistance, is a challenging process. And although I agree with your sentiment, solid mother-tongue grounding eases the learning of a second language. Our program does introduce English already in Grade 1 and this contributes to its success in changing the face of literacy at participating schools."
"We have, from year one to two, seen a measurable improvement in both reading and understanding of up to 12 percent within the participating schools," said Stephan Venter (general manager for Westvaal Numbi Ford). "Learner confidence levels have also improved."
It is undeniable - Rally to Read programs has proved successful in its intention to bridge the reading and comprehension gaps within the system. It compliments a learner-centric approach where storytelling and play-learning bring back structured fun to the learning process.
Art was first published in the Lowvelder on March 13.
Wednesday, 13 November 2019
Tuesday, 12 November 2019
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