Schools

Teachers swapped the red pen for a bowling wood

Over the years, Wellness Day has taken various forms, from entertainment and outings to other activities designed to give teachers a well-earned change of scenery.

The Green Team’s dinosaur was the source of much fun and laughter. Here, he lends Wilma Strydom a helping hand.

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Once a year, the teachers of Laerskool Barberton Primary get to put down their red pens, step away from the classroom and enjoy a day where lesson plans, marking and the usual school-day challenges can take a back seat. That day is the school’s annual Wellness Day, an opportunity for the staff to break away from their normal routine, relax and, perhaps most importantly, enjoy each other’s company outside the school environment.

Over the years, Wellness Day has taken various forms, from entertainment and outings to other activities designed to give teachers a well-earned change of scenery. This year, however, there was a little friendly competition thrown into the mix, with the Barberton Bowling Club providing the venue and the bowling greens becoming the classroom for the day.

The Green team with the best decorated gazebo. From the left is Charise Grobler, Suné Bodenstein, Andria Venter, Roeléne Engelbrecht, Daniêlle Muller, Luanita van Zyl, Lynette Spencer and Monique Nel and Juandré de Beer. At the back is Rhyno Schilling.

The Orange team whose oxtail potjie was declared the best. From the left is Sizwe Thwala, Stephen van der Lith, Tessa Putter, Linda de Bruyn, Johan Venter Van Zyl, Hester du Toit, Pam Willemse, Treasure Mlimi and Rolien Boehme.

The Pink team who won the bowls are from the left Carmen Pretorius, Annelise Ströh, Lydia Fourie, Antionette Ballantyne, Nelis Bodoenstein, Juandré Jooste, with in front Spho Matukane and Fatima Mohamedy.

The Red team was from the left Nathaniël Strydom,Michelle Fourie, Cindy Smit, Anzél Bossch, Sheryldene Höll and Sarel du Toit, with in front Bianca van den Berg, Michelle Pretorius and Cindy Freitas.

The Yellow Construction Workers team was Karabo Ntshasa, Magda Grobbelaar, Yvette Fakude, Karen Heunis, Beryll Brickhill, Liza-Mari Drummond, Pieter Hinsbeeck, Wilma Strydom and Yolandé Botha.

The teachers were divided into teams, each assigned a colour and given two challenges: play bowls against the other teams and prepare a potjie that would be judged to determine which team could claim bragging rights for the best pot. The recipes were supplied beforehand and the school provided all the ingredients, leaving the teams to bring their own teamwork, creativity and competitive spirit to the table.

Being teachers, it did not take long for the teams to turn the day into a carefully planned exercise.

Early in the morning, gazebos were erected, tables decorated, team colours displayed and fires lit. Soon the smell of cooking potjies began drifting across the bowling club as the various teams set about preparing their culinary creations. There was something for almost every taste, with pots featuring oxtail, creamy pork, lamb neck and chicken.

While the pots were slowly cooking, attention turned to the bowling greens. For some teachers, the game was familiar territory, but for others it was very much a case of learning as they went along. Fortunately, the experienced bowlers from the club were on hand to explain the finer points of the game and guide the newcomers.

Left: Nelis Bodenstein in action. Right: Karabo Nthasa bowls for his team.

Michelle Pretorius rolls her wood and (right) Mari Piso shows how it is done.

There was plenty of laughter, teasing and friendly rivalry as the teachers exchanged the classroom blackboard for the bowling green and the familiar red pen for a bowling wood. On this particular day, there were no exercise books to mark and no learners to keep an eye on, although the competitive spirit among the teams suggested that some teachers were still very much in assessment mode.

The teams also embraced their assigned colours with enthusiasm, developing themes and dressing accordingly. The Dinosaurs green team went one step further, arriving with a dinosaur costume that provided plenty of entertainment and added a decidedly prehistoric element to the day.

Rhyno Schilling (principal) gets a hug from his team’s mascot, while (right) Antionette Ballantyne and Anzél Bosch strike a pose with the beast. 🦖

While the teachers may spend most of their working days encouraging learners to work together, communicate and participate, Wellness Day gave them the opportunity to practise those same skills among themselves, without the usual demands of the school timetable. There was something rather fitting about seeing teachers who normally spend their days organising everyone else now concentrating on their own teams, their potjies and their bowling skills.

The Green team was crowned as having the best decorated gazebo, the Orange teams' oxtail won the potjie competition and the Pink team came out tops on the bowling green.

The day was organised by Sanet Roos and her staff committee, who ensured that the teachers had an opportunity to relax and recharge after a long and busy third term. With the short October holiday beginning on 23 September, the timing could hardly have been better. After a term filled with teaching, marking, meetings, sport, school activities and all the other demands that come with being an educator, a day of laughter, friendly competition, good food and simply spending time together was a welcome change of pace.

For one day, at least, the classroom could wait.

The teachers had more important matters to attend to: getting their bowls as close as possible to the jack, keeping the potjies simmering and proving that when it comes to a little healthy competition, teachers can be just as enthusiastic as their pupils.