Shelanti Private School

School Interview: Shelanti Private School

What is your school motto or ethos?

  • Shelanti’s vision is to provide learners with the opportunity to acquire the appropriate life skills so that they may become assertive, responsible and accountable members of society. At Shelanti we strive to create an atmosphere of acceptance, mutual respect, creativity and dignity for all. We focus on the process of learning and celebrate each achievement, ensuring academic excellence. Shelanti’s aim is to provide an individual approach to students with unique talents and learning styles. Our motto is Insight, Courage and Faith.

 

How long have you been involved at Shelanti?

  • I started Shelanti in June 2008 with no enrolments. All we had at that stage was a firm belief that our area needed a school which recognises different learning styles. Shelanti will be 10 years in 2018.

What are the requirements for children whose parents may want them to attend Shelanti?

  • We are an inclusive teaching school, and we make use of the CAPS curriculum as all our learners must mainstream at some stage in their school career. We would like to ensure they are accustomed to this curriculum.  So, we accommodate learners with strong academic abilities, even gifted learners, with barriers to learning. Learners must have clean record with no behavioural problems, and parents’ eager to be part of their children’s education.

What is a typical day in the life of a child at Shelanti?

  • At Shelanti you will be required to MOVE every 15 minutes. Movement is seen as a crucial part of learning/concentrating and motivating our learners. Left and right brain activities are a part of every lesson plan, hence exciting and enticing activities during the day.
  • Cultural activities include: Marimbas and Drumming which are part of the school day. Vocal group and Production training are after school activities.
  •  MiniChess lessons are offered weekly for the whole school. This is a program that uses chess as the bases to learn vital mathematical-, language-, cognitive- and emotional concepts.
  • GoFocus is a 3D programme aimed at learners with dyslexia. This programme is also an in-school program that all the learners are exposed to. During these lessons, they are taught to focus, concentrate and memorise spelling words and sight words.

 

What accommodations/adaptation is available for children with learning difficulties?

  • We allow all concessions as recommended by psychologists. i.e. spelling concessions, reader, scribes and extra time.
  • We train our learners to use their Ipads as an effective tool in the classroom. The Ipad’ s “voice over” and “voice dictation” functions (to name a few) are phenomenal support for learners with specific spelling and or reading difficulties. Downloading some of the textbooks as e-books has also proven to be a valuable tool.
  • All lessons are planned according to left and right brain preferences which allows for whole brain experiences.
  •  Creativity is a top priority. Our focus here is also to develop creative parents who will assist with creative thinking in our learners.

How are learners supported within the classroom?

  • Each learner has an Individual Support Plan (ISP) and term goals as set by the teacher. These documents and goals are reassessed each term, discussed with the parents and necessary interventions are put in place to ensure optimal growth and development. This allows us to teach with a goal in mind.

What are the highlights of working at Shelanti?

  • We are like a family- the Shelanti family. There are only between 8 and 14 learners per class so they too become like family. We have extraordinarily loving and supportive parents, which is any teachers dream. Our learners are in a class of their own. Because they have all experiences hardship before entering Shelanti, they are so appreciative and accepting of each other. Kindness and Respect run through their veins and we are often complimented on this fact by outsiders. I’ve seen lives changed through the love, support and dedication of the staff of Shelanti.

Do you have any advice for parents of children who are unsure of what school is best for their child?

  • Visit as many schools as you can. Take your child with you if you can.
  • Read everything you can find on the school.
  • Contact other parents and speak to them.
  • Look deeper than what you see on the surface.

How can people contact Shelanti?