Queen Of Curiosity - Teacher

Lobola is often celebrated as a proud African tradition — but behind the ceremonies and family gatherings lies a tangled web of patriarchy, legal loopholes, and opportunism that affects both men and women. Lobola was originally a symbol of respect — a way to unite two families and recognise the value of the woman and the relationship. It was never meant to “buy” a wife. But if we’re honest, it hasn’t always worked perfectly, and it’s not only colonialism that caused problems. Before Colonialism: Power and Patriarchy Even before Europeans arrived, certain flaws existed within traditional systems. Some families demanded excessive lobola, turning it into a display of wealth rather than a gesture of unity. In some cases, men treated lobola as a form of ownership — believing that paying it entitled them to full control over their wives. Women often had little say, and cultural expectations made it hard for them to leave unfair or abusive marriages. These issues weren’t born out of colon...

  When I was in school, the height of online cool was saying “LOL” or maybe “BRB.” If you were on MXit or had a BlackBerry , you probably sent messages like grg (“gotta run, goodbye”) or used abbreviations like ur for “your” and u for “you.” Some of us even threw in TMI (“too much information”) when a friend overshared. And honestly — seeing my old 2009 Facebook posts pop up on “Memories” now makes me cringe a little. But that’s the beauty of it — every generation’s slang feels perfectly normal at the time and slightly embarrassing later. Fast forward to 2025, and the slang our learners use sounds like a completely different language. Words like rizz , sus , cap , and no cap bounce around the classroom and online chats. As teachers and parents, it can feel like decoding a secret code — but understanding it helps us connect better with our students and their world. Why Slang Matters Slang isn’t just about being trendy. It’s how young people build identity, belong to a gro...

I’m always on the lookout for ways to increase engagement without breaking the bank… well, actually, I only want free tools , haha! Online lessons can sometimes feel a little… flat, especially when students are shy or distracted. But the truth is, participation doesn’t have to be stressful or complicated. With the right activities and tools, students can stay focused, feel motivated, and even have fun while learning. Students are more willing to join in when participation feels safe, low-pressure, and enjoyable. Combining interactive tools with short, meaningful activities helps learners stay confident throughout the lesson. The trick is to make each activity feel like a mini challenge or game, not another boring task. When students feel like they want to participate, the learning sticks better—and they come back for more! 💡 Tools and Strategies to Try 🎮 Blooket for Interactive Games Blooket is one of my favorites for turning lesson objectives into quiz games that feel more lik...

  If you’re a teacher looking for ways to keep lessons engaging—whether you’re online or in the classroom—you’ll love [ Classroomscreen ](👉  link here ). It’s a free tool packed with features for STEM activities, brain breaks, and just about anything else you can think of. I often use it when teaching online, but it works just as well in person. If you have a projector, you can throw it up on the board. For smaller classes, even just your laptop screen is enough—I’ve done that too, and learners still enjoy the interactive element. One of my favorite features is the Boggle activity . Learners get to see how many words they can create, and it’s a fun little brain break that sparks creativity and gets them thinking quickly. But here’s the cool part: I recently discovered [ the graph activity ](👉 graph link here ). Imagine this in a math or science lesson—students can contribute data (like their favorite fruit, daily screen time, or experiment results), and the tool instantly tu...

 I recently came across another very cool feature in EdCafe AI that I think so many teachers will love — the Reading Activity Generator . This tool is perfect if you want learners to do a quick reading comprehension or a last-tasks recap at the end of a lesson. And honestly, it makes life so much easier. 1. Create a Story From Any Topic You can start with almost anything: A web page you paste in A vocabulary list you want to turn into a story A passage or article you already have For example, I wanted my students to learn more about photosynthesis . Instead of just giving them dry notes, I asked EdCafe to turn the topic into a short story aligned with my AQI curriculum standards. In seconds, it generated a creative story that really captured the imagination of my students. 2. Add Audio for Auditory Learners Here’s the part I love — you can add audio . This means students can listen to the story read aloud in different voices (I tried Anna and Lisa — both sou...

 As teachers, we love using videos in lessons—they’re engaging, visual, and often explain a concept in a way that connects with students. But there’s always one big challenge: how do you know if students are actually taking in the information? That’s where the YouTube Quiz Generator in EdCafe AI becomes a game-changer. 1. Turn Any Video Into Instant Questions Here’s how it works: Find the YouTube video you want to use. Copy the link at the top of the page. Paste the link into EdCafe AI’s YouTube Quiz Generator. That’s it! The tool instantly creates a quiz for your chosen video. 2. Choose the Question Style and Level The generator lets you fully customize the quiz to your teaching needs: Question types: multiple choice, short answer, or mixed Number of questions: 5, 10, or more Language & level: from Year 7 to GCSE/Year 11 (and beyond) I personally prefer short-answer or mixed questions over multiple choice, since it challenges students a bit m...