Our Partners
The LEAP Science & Maths Schools
Teach With Africa has established an affiliation with the LEAP Science & Maths Schools in Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa, to support the schools’ mission to provide a solution to one of South Africa’s key problems: the acute shortage of skills, particularly in science and math, among the children of economically and socially challenged communities.
As the only privately funded MST (Math, Science and Technology) schools in South Africa, LEAP has a clear focus to create and maintain a structured learning environment for students in grades 9 through 12 that will allow each young person to develop fully as a human being and to develop a positive, caring lifestyle and an appropriate work ethic.
The schools aim to enable students to gain access to tertiary study opportunities, to increase their potential to be successful in their chosen career paths and to develop as socially responsible citizens of South Africa. LEAP prepares students to attain these goals by enabling them to graduate from the school with a university exemption in science, math and English.
In addition to supporting students academically, LEAP schools aim to establish an environment where positive role models are created and where successes are shared and celebrated, counteracting the negative influence of lowered expectations common in disadvantaged communities. This is reinforced by LEAP’s unique relationship with its students and use of specialized technology training for all.
The four campuses of the LEAP Schools, in Cape Town and Johannesburg, have had remarkable success in educating the most socioeconomically challenged students from Gugulethu, Langa and Alexandra. LEAP’s mission is to provide a solution to South Africa’s acute shortage of science and math skills among high poverty students. LEAP has graduated 142 students in the last 3 years—126 of whom are currently enrolled in university or other tertiary study programs. Since its first matric class, LEAP has achieved a 92% average Grade 12 pass rate on the exit exam. In March 2010 LEAP’s first university graduate, Bonisanani Mtshekisa, was awarded a Bachelor of Commerce (Finance) from the University of the Western Cape and is now working for Allan Gray Asset Management.
For more information visit www.leapschool.org.za
Singita Game Reserves
Singita Sabi Sand, READ Educational Trust, and Teach With Africa have created a partnership focusing on the development of the Early Childhood Development (ECD) curriculum in the pre-schools located in Justicia and Lilydale, South Africa. In its first year, the project will focus on the Happy Homes and Ntshuxekani preschools that have been sponsored by the lodges in the area (with plans to expand to other local schools). The program will focus on capacity building in the area of Early Childhood Development through a training program for the pre-school caregivers by placing three ECD specialists at the schools and by using Teach With Africa’s ‘teach the teachers’ model.
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology
A partnership between San Francisco-based Teach With Africa (TWA) and The Center for African Psychology at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology (TCSPP) in Washington, D.C., in collaboration with the LEAP Science and Maths Schools (LEAP) in South Africa, promises to bring much-needed resources to improve educational quality for black South African students from economically disadvantaged communities, and to further develop a model of education that has important implications for schools here in the United States.
Founded in 1979, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology (TCSPP) is the nation’s leading nonprofit graduate school dedicated exclusively to the applications of psychology and related behavioral sciences. The school is an active member of the National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology, which has recognized TCSPP for its distinguished service and outstanding contributions to cultural diversity and advocacy. The school’s community service initiatives have resulted in three consecutive years of recognition on the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, including the additional “With Distinction” honor in 2010. In 2009, the school was named to The Chronicle of Higher Education’s annual list of “Great Colleges to Work For.” Campuses are located in Chicago; in Los Angeles, Westwood, and Irvine, California; and the newest campus in Washington, D.C. Doctoral psychology programs and masters psychology programs are offered on-ground and in an online-blended format.
The Chicago School has significant experience with its own initiatives in Africa. Its Global Hope Training Curriculum, implemented with TCSPP faculty and students in Rwanda and Zambia, has gained significant momentum in addressing the effects of collective trauma by introducing a scalable, train-the-trainer program to teachers and child-care workers.
For more information visit: www.thechicagoschool.edu
