The Cambridge International curriculum explored on Cape Talk.
You can, perhaps, imagine how unexpected it was to receive an email from Pippa Hudson of Cape Talk fame late last year telling me about a 4-part series she was planning for her lunchtime show and inviting me to take part!
The series is called Curriculum Bootcamp, focusing on the range of curricula on offer in South Africa. The goal of the series is to inform about the pros and cons, help parents make choices, dispel myths and resolve misunderstandings parents and learners may have. Part 2 was where I come in, as the focus was the Cambridge curriculum.
Pippa’s son’s own experience of navigating from the NSC to the Cambridge curriculum and then onto a local university had alerted her to the pitfalls and challenges, leading to this much-needed series.
Was I excited? Yes. How did that manifest? I may have sent the details of the show to a long list of family, friends, colleagues, acquaintances and, possibly, even some people I have only met once or twice, at a conference or in the mall, who may have had a vague interest in education.
Was I nervous? A little. How did that manifest? I may have over-planned, with three pages of notes which I revisited and edited right up to the morning of the show. I may have practised my responses out loud whenever I was solo driving any distance anywhere in the few days leading up to the show.
Was it worth it? Absolutely, it was! I so enjoyed the experience, as you can see from this pic taken in the studio right after the show. How is that wild expression of glee on my face?
D-Day
Fast-forward to Tuesday, 21 January – D-day!
After a short wait in reception, the three of us were ushered into the studio during the news bulletin, and each guided to sit behind a mic, by the show’s friendly producer, Maxine.
Pippa’s countdown to the start of the segment (5,4,3,2,1) brought to mind an astronaut’s experience prior to lift off. I am not sure what goes through their minds but I used those five seconds to remind myself to smile, stay calm and speak slowly. This turned out to be easy as Pippa is a consummate professional! She puts you at ease; it’s easy to read her cues; she leads into each new focus with aplomb; her questions are clear. I am her number one fan!
And here is the link to the programme (minus ads and news breaks) for those of you who are keen to get to grips with all that is Cambridge as a matric equivalance and didn’t receive my spam!
