This is my story... Elias Ditshwene

Dear New Teachers,

It's finally the end of the school year and now that I think about it, I'm not sure if I'm ready to finish.

In 2012 I came to Lebone II College of the Royal Bafokeng as an intern in the Science Department   brought by the Royal Bafokeng Institute. I was just a young teacher full of energy for teaching. By then I anticipated teaching as a way of facilitating learning and teaching. Lebone college broadened my knowledge as they had their own way of showing support to their teachers through CPD and New Teacher Café for new teachers coming to teach at the school for the first time. These programmes offer teachers opportunities to talk about their difficulty within the class room context and also implement practical tools to help overcome the challenges. A resource that is frequently used is the book called Teach Like A Champion. It’s filled with a range of techniques that path a way for teachers to further their training.

In 2013 I was offered the opportunity by the school to work as the Natural Science teacher for Grades 8 and 7. My fear was how am I going to manage the three Grade 8 classes and Grade 7 class, bearing in mind that we have students with different learning abilities. However, with the support that I got from the team of new teachers and my department, especially my Head of Department, was really exceptional. She provided me with extra support methods and material to use. The classes I had were very naughty and I sometimes felt the emotions taking control of my lesson. But I understood that as teachers and educators, we are probably more prone to “Emotional Hijacking”. The encouraging message I got from Mr. du Toit turn about the wheel of discipline (management ) within class was when he mentioned that to students, behaviour challenges are a game that students like to play. As a teacher you may chose to get involved, however if you get involve you should know that the students are in-control. You as a teacher you have lost.  

CHALLENGES THAT A NEW TEACHER MAY ENCOUNTER:

• Discipline within the class room
• Differentiation of students
• Classroom management
• Structure within the class
• Constructive communication
• Respect

HOW DO YOU COME TO A POINT OF GETTING IT RIGHT

I believe as a teacher you need to be open for new ideas, even if you have been in the field of teaching for years . Will Rogers  once said, “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there”. I started by putting my goal ahead of other thing when I wanted to understand students through the process of constructive communication to develop mutual respect. This in turn escalate to students behavior being manageable, as well as having a structure within my class and the implementation of different learning techniques.

As young as I was I was hoping for the best from the students; the best that I believe you will only get it if you teach a student about what is expected not assuming that they already know.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:

My first task I had to do was to prepare a lesson for my class and deliver it to the class. The lesson was supposed to have a focus area on what I wanted to see and how I wanted my students to learn. The challenge that I had to work on was the group work method within the class, namely how students can learn within their groups and their interaction with one another. The lesson had to be presented to the teachers in my department so we could reflect on how to improve it. The most important thing is to have a lesson plan throughout the preparation and note the specific learning objectives. This helps teachers to reflect and also to make improvements. I believe as teachers when preparing we become full of energy on how the lesson is going to look like but also plan around the students you have in the class. This makes learning easier for students who have a complete understanding of their target.

NEW TEACHERS CAFÉ:

The New Teachers' Café had a creative and positive impact to my teaching. I had to do lots of my teaching using the techniques I choose for myself which created huge growth within my students and my self-esteem .These techniques were used within the teaching context and lesson planning with your mentor chosen by you. Thanks’ to our peers for the encouraging words and belief that they had in us. These sessions helped open a bigger picture of learning the content in Science. Through the lesson study that I had to do and present to my fellow new teachers I started having fun with them, at first it might be difficult but the second time becomes easier. “Any human anywhere will blossom in a hundred unexpected talents and capacities simply by being given the opportunity to do so” - the word of Doris Lessing.

LEARNING ABOUT MYSELF AS A TEACHER:

As a teacher I need to comply with the instruction give by the authorities before complaining which gives me an opportunity to think. Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time. Learning what routine worked for me was something very useful to learn about myself. I discovered that solid preparation makes my work as a teacher easier to do without me having to tell students every day what to do.

IN ENDING:

Sometimes the psychological price we pay is so high but we still love teaching because we know there is nothing in this world so rewarding as to plant the seeds of knowledge in somebody's mind and watch these seeds grow and blossom into a better citizen, one who would tend to us and provide us with comfort, love and tenderness when we grow old. Education is a progressive discovery of our ignorance.

In closing I would like to send my vote of thanks to the special team we had within our department, the school for putting a working system in place for teachers to embrace their career and every individual who made an impact in my teaching at Lebone. Once more Lebone is not a one man show. It is about being a person of integrity. We should embrace the opportunity day by day in our space which is student and teacher friendly.  Motswana sare ngwana sejo wa tlhakanelwa (English translation:"Iit takes a community to raise a child"). 

This is my story... Rachelle Elmes

I was reluctant to move back to Rustenburg at first, but I wanted to start a new chapter in my life and I heard great things about Lebone. When I arrived for my interview at the school, the grotesque structures, the modern flair (which for me indicated progressive thinking) and the politeness of the children convinced me that this was the place I wanted to work at. And luckily my dream came true and I got the job.

When I arrived, I tried to learn all my pupils' names as quickly as possible. I also wanted to get to know the students as soon as possible, in order to decide on the most effective way of helping each child progress.

There were a few things that I wasn't convinced about at first, but my colleagues were wonderful and I could ask them anything at any time. I decided to approach my new job like I would approach a new piano piece:

To first learn the basics, then to focus on the finer detail, to memorise the work and to perform it with great conviction. The art of any good musical rendering, is to stay true to what the composer has written, but to add your own unique interpretation without compromising the integrity of the work.

That is what I aimed to do.

It didn't take long to understand how things are done and to assess my students in order to determine their needs. I also come along so well with my fellow music colleagues and have the utmost respect for them, thus my working environment is really very favourable. The main thing I realised, was that these piano students were craving stability. They needed someone who could provide continuity and I promised them that I am going nowhere and would stick with them for the long run.

The other difficulty that I have never encountered before, was that a lot of these students don't have pianos at home. And this is the case with about 15+ of my students. Unfortunately the instrument I teach can't be thrown over the shoulder and taken home to practise in the evening and this proves to be quite a challenge.

There are practise rooms at the music department, but most of the students are busy with activities after school and have difficulty to make time to practise. Other students' parents aren't able to alter their programs so that the child has a little bit of practise time before going home. One of the children proudly came to me and told me that his dad had downloaded a piano application for the child on his cellphone. Great way of practising the ear, but it is going to do absolutely nothing for the fingers. 10/10 for trying to be resourceful though! The difficulty is that I have to deliver results, but that it isn't always possible without discipline and hard work on the student's part. And this is one of the main things I try to convey to my students. You can't expect to become good if you don't work hard. Where there is a will, there is a way and ten minutes of focussed practising, can equal another student's 30 minutes of practising.

One of my students told me that he had to say what he wanted for Christmas and there was quite a long list that included an X-Box, a PSP, a piano and a computer. When his mom said that he can choose only one thing, he chose the piano. An eight-year old boy choosing a piano over a PSP?!

I was beyond myself with excitement, because the realisation is starting to spread roots amongst the children:

• Nothing in life comes without dedication.
• Quitting when something gets difficult, is not an option.
• To become really good at something because you worked hard, is a rewarding experience.

In short, IT FEELS GOOD! And most of these children are capable of much more than they think. They just need to start believing in themselves and that has to start here in my classroom.

Another thing I experience over and over again, is that children whose parents are involved, who encourage them and who are actively part of their music world (to remind them to practise, to help them practise and to make sure they remember their books) progress much better than the other children. So it is important to make parents aware of the fact that the responsibility for their children's accomplishments not only lies here at school, but also at home. 

The best thing I have ever done in my life, was to come here to Lebone. I feel as if my horizon has been broadened and I am forced to think out of the box again. I accept the challenge to help my students exceed their own expectations because here is such a lot of talent that just has to be managed and nurtured in the correct way. At Lebone I also find myself in a creative environment where I feel that I as musician can be creative and grow.

The fact that I have very talented musicians as colleagues, that we actively have concerts and form bands to play at certain school events, that I can accompany the Lebone choirs with pride because they sound so good, that I have the freedom to make my own suggestions and to run with my own ideas....all of these things makes Lebone a wonderful creative space and my goal is to contribute to further the excellence of this school.

Wanted #2... John Naiker

Dear 2^nd Year Teacher,

Please dwell on the following classroom curricular polarities. Each side of the continuum has its place, even if it is just momentarily. Remember that the master teacher is like a circus performer, a professional musician or the man who balances eels on his nose.

Serious -----------------Humerous

Listening---------------Speaking

Reading----------------Writing

Moving-----------------Sitting still

Shouting out--------Ordered turns

Academic Rigour----Fun and games

Discipline------------Freedom

Prescription----------Description

Routine----------------Out of the ordinary

Some continuums exist in the moment, some in the lesson, some in the week and some in the year.

Sincerely,

A almost 3^rd year teacher

Wanted #1... John Naiker

Wanted: 2^nd year teacher to teach an asylum of children. Must be as mad as our clients. Complete and utter abolition of memory at day end a necessity. Deranged flashbacks of moments of lunacy may occur but should not be the norm. If grudges, vendettas and resentments are not washed away by the rolling tide of enlightened amnesia, imminent and irreparable insanity will take root.

Clients, while mad, are still cunning. Friendships may be forged but may well reveal themselves to be shackles rather than cuff links.

Teacher will have to apologise often. Both to clients and self and God.

Sickness  of body is acceptable, sickness of mind is not.

Preparation of temporary bouts of lucidity (aka teaching) an explicit requirement. Preparation of preparation an implicit requirement.

Teacher will need to know what he is talking about. This appears trivial, but it is not.

Please apply to the spirit of Classroom 14. Attach recent photo of self and R 500 personal burial money. 

A day in the life of Richard Sibeko

It’s not about the income – it’s’ about the outcome!

Dear reader,

Congratulations! I am glad that you’ve made it this far.

Others started the journey and missed a turn somewhere and have ended up sitting in a fancy office doing some mind numbing-number-crunching job. They’re most probably envious of all the time we get off during the year. Well, good luck to them!

I am typing this at home (avoiding my marking) after a long day at work; this is most probably my tenth attempt at writing this. Yes, I know what you’re thinking; this should be very easy for me because I am an English teacher. You’re most probably expecting a lucid piece of writing with “perfect” grammar and stuff… well I can assure you that this will not be the case…

I started my journey as a young teacher at St Stithians Girls’ College as a Teacher Intern in 2010 at the age of 19. Attempting to juggle work and being a full-time student at Wits was challenge at times, however, I thoroughly enjoyed this! This was a familiar environment in which I was very comfortable to be in ( I am past St Stithians pupil ’08) . I managed to lean a lot while I was there (classroom management and dealing with 25 hormonal teenage girls at the same time) and this has definitely helped me and prepared me for my big move to “The Burg”. I also realised that being a teacher also meant being a “father figure”, disciplinarian, lawyer, psychologist and in some cases, a shoulder to cry on.

Living and working in Rustenburg is very different from the lifestyle I have in Johannesburg. If you had told me that I would be working here a while back, I would have laughed in your face! I mean who moves to Rustenburg…

This realisation came with one of many lessons I have learnt thus far; the first being acceptance. I’ve had to accept the fact that I no longer live and work in Johannesburg and that Rustenburg has become my new “home” for the next few years. This realisation has yet to sink in; however, it’s a work in progress.  I’ve also had to accept and understand the new rules and ways of doing things here and to accept the fact that the two (Johannesburg and Rustenburg) are very different. I’ve also had to accept the fact that I could not change the world and have the kids calling me “Oh Captain, my Captain” after the first lesson.

Another challenged thrown into my direction was trying to find a balance between being “Mr Sibeko” and “Richard”. As a young teacher, the kids in your class can smell your “fear” from a mile away and they can often take advantage of your being young. Numerous attempts of threatening their lives do seem to help, however, I strongly advise you to stay away from the Doom; they’re immune to this!

This past year has been both rewarding and challenging. I developed as a person and as a young professional and I am looking forward to the challenges coming my way in the New Year.  

Enjoy your journey!

PS: I strongly advise you make friends with the finance, IT , kitchen, admin  AND security departments in your first week! You will thank me later…

This is my story... Thapelo Masemene

I will always cherish my last parting words from my last year’s Mentor, Mrs Frankiskos.  She said, “Thapelo, I’m releasing you to the sharks.  I've equipped you with skills to help you to snorkel your way to success.  Like an eagle that’s pushing its eaglet out of the nest to learn how to fly, it’s time for you to fly.  I’m so proud of what you've achieved in such a short space of time – you’re a gifted, powerful and intelligent African lady, there is no doubt that you will be successful.  Go out there and make me proud!”.  Fly like an eagle – that is the phrase that keeps me going.

“A life devoted to things is a dead life, a stump; a God-shaped life is a flourishing tree” – Proverbs 11:28.  

My name is Thapelo Masemene, and this is my story... 

I am a spiritual being, therefore it made perfect sense to me to dedicate my career to the Lord.  The reason for this is that it’s not about me; it’s about living a purposeful life based on the will of God – to be where God wants me to be.  I want a career based on Education and working with young minds; to mould young minds into something great.  It made perfect sense for me to go into the teaching field.  It’s not that I never tried the corporate environment; I did and I hated every moment of it.  I explored the corporate world while doing my students jobs back in university.  The job entailed a whole lot of routine, it lacked challenges and I did not see myself there.  Then I started to question what my true purpose was.  What on earth am I here for?  In the book of Colossians 1:16 we read that “Everything got started with Him (that is God), and finds its purpose in him”.  Therefore, basing my career in the Education field felt right; I found my true purpose. 

Each and every single day of my life this year had so much meaning.  It’s not that life in the classroom went by smoothly all the time. There were instances where I felt that I did not have everything under control.  My main problem was dealing with behaviour and classroom management.  I taught three classes, namely Grade 7, 9 and 10 Mathematics.  My Grade 7s were my little angels!  They were little sweethearts who I always looked forward to teaching.  My Grade 10s were more mature and generally easy to work with.  Then there were the Grade 9s – little boys with tiny horns!  My Grade 9s always tested my patience – they were little Godzillas!  I tried my level best to get the discipline on track – on some days I would be successful and on some days my efforts would fall flat.  I guess that the one thing that helped, to some extent, with instilling discipline was my big voice and “the look”!  It got better as the year went by and they are much better now.  In fact we get along very well, and it is such a breeze to teach them.  Finally, I really got the hang of them.  However, my Grade 7s are now starting to develop tiny horns and all the innocence and our pink “lovey-dovey” aura is getting lost.  Well, I guess that this is in fact a cycle.  Like Mrs Frankiskos used to say, it always gets better by the day. 

Over and above the teaching, I had my PGCE to complete.  Now that was a mission!  For the first time in my life I found myself having to juggle school and work, and it was not easy.  There were moments where I felt that I was totally loosing it, where I found that I was now becoming all emotional when something went wrong.  It got worse when instead of getting some support and understanding from some of my fellow colleagues about what I was going, some people were judgemental.  (It was a small fraction though, and not in the Maths Department).  They did not understand!  What I needed was support and an understanding of what I was going through.  As I went through this phase in my life I realised that it is not about pleasing other people, it is all about achieving my goals and ensuring that I do my best in everything I do.  The main thing that kept me sane was prayer and knowing that God will not let me do something that was impossible to accomplish.  In my moment of weakness I knew that God was carrying me through, for we read in 2 Corinthians 13:4 that “We are weak... yet by God’s power we will live with him to serve you”.  This scripture says that in your weakness there is the presence of God’s power, for His thoughts are higher than ours.  We also read in 2 Corinthians 12:9 that the Grace of the Lord is sufficient and that his power is made perfect in weakness.  Rick Warren in his book The Purpose-driven Life he mentions if God only used perfect people, nothing would ever get done.  To live with a purpose is, in itself, living life to the fullest.

At the beginning of the year I planted some good seeds, now I’m harvesting good fruit.  I worked really hard, and it feels really great to see good results coming out of my hard work.  2014 is going to be an even better year – I know what to expect and like Auntie Hettie said, it gets better with experience.  To everyone that made this year possible – Mr Thomas, Mr Morake, Mr Harris, Mr du Toit, the Mathematics Department, Mr Reynolds, Mr Ryan, Mr and Mrs Prins, Pastor Kgabo Nyikiza, Apostle and Prophetess Tshehla, Richard, Charlene, Mme Masala, Mme Tshweu, Elias, my friends, my family... thank you for believing in me.  

My Second Year at Lebone College: This is my story... Caitlin Mason

This year has been one hundred times more successful than last year. I think that this was due to a different bunch of children, but also, more importantly, it was due to the way I handled and owned my classroom from the very beginning.

I went into this year knowing that I was going to be a whole lot stricter and more confident. I started this on day 1. As soon as someone started turning into a monkey I jumped on this, and then on the next thing and then...on the next thing. My class is not perfect. They do not always keep quiet. They don't always pack up in their allocated 5 minutes. They think they’re on holiday if I'm not speaking at that moment. Some hardly ever do their homework.  But if I glare at them, they keep quiet. And this, is a GREAT victory for me!

I don't shout as much as I did last year. I had to actively work at this. Now it is very rare, and if it does happen I am usually pretty aware of it. I realise that it’s because I'm in a bad mood, or that it’s important that I shout right now! There are still some of those awful banshee-throat-screaming moments, but when they happen I try not to take them too seriously and laugh at the way my throat hurts!

I love the way I can sit or stand in front of my class waiting for them to keep quiet and that it doesn't take them too long to get the message. I don't have to shout to get this to happen. Folded arms and a bored look will do! I love the way my students sit on the carpet and can (usually!) be quiet and listen to the other children. Even if they’re not listening – at least they are quiet!

My success stories of this year: 

• Going to a Whole Brain Teaching Workshop and learning about the Super Achievers Board, where individual kids can get recognised for anything they do. This has been great for me and my kids!
• Timing EVERYTHING they do on the Promethean board. I am structured and so are they. And I can tell them how long they've been doing NOTHING for. Or celebrate how quickly it took them to do a task.
• Doing a ‘pack-up’ competition that encouraged them to pack up quickly. At the end of it, the classroom looks spotless too!
• Morning Meetings. Every morning we meet as a class for about ten minutes, some days are longer as we discuss issues that have been brought to the ‘agenda’. This has been a wonderful time where the kids get a chance to be heard - “what if your friends says she doesn’t want to be your friend anymore”, or I get a chance to tell them if the routine is interrupted in some way or if there are certain classroom things that I'm not happy with. There is also meeting protocol, everyone must sit up straight, be quiet and no fidgeting! I always ask the person who is messing around to remind us of all the rules!

Things that were difficult for me: 

• Teaching maths. A big challenge. I have many different levels in my class and I find it so hard to juggle all these. I also find it difficult to get kids to understand things that I find so easy!
•  Monitoring homework! Following up on the sneaky ones.
• Losing my temper without thinking first (screeching-banshee moment!)
• Battling with kids who have emotional issues. Trying to get them to behave, care about their work, make an effort to listen and understand.
• Letting go of the things I can't change and not being so hard on myself. Sometimes a child won't change (yet) and doesn’t realise that he or she is just making it worse for themselves.

I have endeavoured the whole year to keep getting better. Through the year I started to realise, however, that being a teacher, or at least being a grade 5 teacher, is not the best thing for me to do. I realised that in the moments when I wasn’t as patient as I could have been or while I was standing at the board battling through division with my class. Children deserve teachers who are passionate about what they do. Being just less than passionate about teaching is not going to help the world in the way I want to. I love the kids and I love being loved by them, but I'm not sure I want to make them do their homework!

Through all this though, when I look back at my year, I am overwhelmed with love for the children in my care and wish that I could see where they’ll go in their lives!

And... this is my story!

This is my story... Portia Mahuma

Hooray it's the end of my final year at university!! I can't wait for my graduation day, to finally become a teacher and have my own classroom to decorate, and most of all have fun with my kids. Wait a minute where did I apply?

"I have decided to place you at Lebone college where you are going to be teacher interns. You will gain more knowledge and experience  there. That will be part of paying back your bursary. At the end of the year you will be  placed at one of the Royal Bafokeng schools to change the way they approach teaching."

''Oh well, that's not a problem I'm up for it I'm sure things will be sooo easy!"

My first day at Lebone, I was introduced to my HOD and my mentor and went through all the important things that  needed to be completed. Then the journey began. I started to open my eyes and learn the Lebone way of teaching. Where I learned that classroom routines are taught, that we praise good behaviour and turn a blind eye on negative behaviour, no corporal punishment and sending children outside the classroom. There is a different way of teaching learners to become independent thinkers and always think about their behaviour and being responsible for their own learning and behaviour. I started to see the worth of being a teacher intern at Lebone when I started seeing the different or rather unique style of teacher or their approach to teaching, seeing passionate teachers. Then I realised that actually being a teacher is far more than just decorating the classroom. I attended different Continuous Professional Developments that gave me more opportunities to grow as a teacher. For instance, Professor Shayer's "Let's Think" lessons believe that the focus should be on what the learner achieve more than always focusing on the teacher.

I learned different teaching methods and techniques. To top it off I had to attend New Teachers' Cafe which is a platform for new teachers to share their teaching experiences and how they are adjusting to the new space of Lebone, I learned more techniques, heard different teaching experiences and met older teachers in the profession. Who would know that Mrs Reynolds would still be a teacher now after all she went through? I remember her sharing about the past years (1990's) when they sat and taught under trees. I don't know if I would have coped. Mrs Roberts who was assigned a little corner as her own space. I look at them now, still passionate and loving every single moment of their calling.

Through all of that I learned to become passionate, learned to accept my strengths and weakness as a teacher, learned to comply and complain later, not that I will complain. I learned to be a long life learner and most importantly to learn from my colleagues, share ideas and support one another.

I'm learning from the best and I believe that this space (LEBONE) has offered me the best experience ever!

Letter for New Teachers' Cafe... Sarah Taylor

I really enjoyed re-reading my letter to New Teacher Café from last year. I think it really sums the year up for me from a first year teacher’s perspective. I think we should make a rule that, no matter where we are in our career, we always write a letter at the end of the year to solidify any problems and any progress in the year. Re-reading my letter means that I don’t forget the lessons I learnt so consciously last year; there really is value in recognising the growth that we make and codifying it, rather than leaving it to dissolve in our minds over the years. This is reflection; it is the most useful tool to me, one I have not used enough this year. When I re-read my letter from last year, I realise that there are lessons that I learnt about myself, really valuable lessons, which I have already forgotten simply because I haven’t been teaching the same age group. I will be so grateful to have those reminders in the future.

When I think back onto my 2013 year, I realise that it was defined a lot by my being a house director. I am pleased with myself because I think I managed to complete the task fairly well, despite my inexperience. There were challenges and things that I learnt about myself through the process.

As a leader, it is necessary to give instructions. By virtue of us being placed in the position of being a teacher/house director, we are bestowed with a certain authority. I do think that discipline and respect are some of the most difficult things that new teachers struggle with, and I was placed into a situation where I had to learn strategies quickly to be effective. I think that if we approach situations with a belief that we have that authority, then students will respond to you in that way. And so, as we mature into our positions, we start to believe that we have that authority, and as such, students respond to it. On the whole, if we expect students to behave in a certain way, and communicate that to them clearly, then they will behave in that way (there are obviously some exceptions to that!)

Another thing I learnt while in my role as a house director is that it is not the role for me right now. I enjoyed parts of it, but I feel like my career path needs to go in a slightly different direction. I feel relief when I consider that I won’t be the house director of Mokgatle next year. This has nothing to do with the job, but rather a lot to do with my personality fitting in to the job.

On the note of considering careers, another existential crisis I had this year was that I was forced to give my teaching career path some serious scrutiny this year. I was not always going to be a teacher, but these 2 years at Lebone have given me the freedom to realise that I actually do really love being a teacher (although, all I really know is that I enjoy being a Lebone teacher). When I sometimes doubt that it is what I want to do, I have to remind myself of the parts of being a teacher that I enjoy; my job is heavily dependent on human relationships, I am touching so many young lives, I enjoy getting to know young people and telling them the stories of my subject. I enjoy the challenge of making abstract and complex topics understandable and accessible. I enjoy being the boss in my classroom and having the idiosyncrasies and silly rules that apply in my classes only. I enjoy the academic and intellectual pursuits, I always have. Anyway, after these considerations, I have decided to stay a teacher at the most appropriate time in my life to stop being a teacher (as I am moving cities) which means I will always be a teacher. In some form or another, I think that I will always be a teacher. 

New Teachers Cafe - Final Year Reflection... Colleen Knill

When I decided to take a post at Lebone for 2013, I was filled with a mix of excitement and intimidation. I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to stumble across a school with such beautiful facilities, passionate teachers and clever students- and that they also wanted me! Yet at the same time, I was intimidated by the challenges that lay ahead. I had had a variety of short-term teaching experiences at different schools in recent years; however, the context of these schools was very different. Each of these experiences landed me in inner-city or township locations; the schools were low achieving with very few resources, very little school culture, and comprised of students who were years behind academically. The challenges in these schools were plenty, but they were very rarely “academic.”  Daily hurdles ranged anywhere from school being cancelled due to service delivery protests, to helping the Philadelphia police break up fights in the hallway, to pregnant girls throwing up from morning sickness in your Grade 9 English class, to a mere 3 out of 20 students present in your lesson (a different 3 from yesterday’s register, and surely not the same 3 that will be present tomorrow).  I learned a great deal about discipline, the challenges faced by low-resource schools, and general chaos through these experiences, but I realized upon taking the job at Lebone, that I had never really been challenged academically by students or co-workers as a teacher, and I was scared. I always did well in school, and I knew in my head that I was “smart,” but I had never really had the opportunity to put that knowledge into practice in my teaching because of the context of the schools I had worked in. What I loved about my visit to Lebone was the way the students challenged each other and their teachers- it was so clear that they were taught to think critically and to question. But it was this same excitement that caused my anxieties. I hoped I could rise to the occasion of preparing content, lessons and standards that were challenging for them, while still having some fun (or “organized chaos”) in the classroom.  Additionally, I never held the role of a “proper class teacher” in any of these past positions, so in January of this year, I walked into Lebone as a wide-eyed first year teacher.

I could not have done this year without Sarah and Caitlin. The housing/Rustenburg/Lebone gods were on my side when they kept that third bedroom available for me in Platinum Place no. 8. The two of them took me under their wing from the moment I arrived in just about every way imaginable. In my first few weeks, they helped incorporate me into the Lebone staff- they introduced me to a flood of new faces, then subsequently had to remind me who was who and what role they played. They answered all my questions about Lebone and the South African schooling system in general. They taught me about Rustenburg- where to go to eat (it’s usually in the mall), the best way to navigate town (including the fact that stop streets are usually optional), and the fact that there’s not much more to know about Rustenburg. They corrected my sloppy American table manners and I can proudly say I now hold my fork and knife properly and eat even difficult dishes such as salad and scrambled eggs as the South Africans do. Caitlin and Sarah showed me the importance of not only friendship, but of having young mentors when moving to a new space. Without any sort of “organized” mentorship, and without ever once complaining, they walked me through all the same pleasures and pains of their first year of teaching, and I am beyond grateful for the dear friends and role-models they have become.

I also could not have survived this year without the support of my fabulous English department. It’s hard for me to believe that I was ever scared of teaching in a school like Lebone after working with such a wonderful group this past year. The constant collaboration, sharing of ideas and regular encouragement made it easy to work hard and as a result, to grow professionally. I felt the perfect balance of support and challenges this year- for example, I was given a lot of help, advice, and past papers when setting my June exams (I had never done anything like this before). By December, I was on my own, partially because of the chaos at the end of this term, but also because I felt I had the skills and confidence to set my papers on my own. While there were weeks that felt overwhelming, I more often felt my challenges were manageable, and I think I would have felt far deeper underwater if it wasn’t for the “happy family” of our English Department.

What I think stands out most to me, and this is not limited to my department, is that the teachers of Lebone are cared about as people first. It is incredibly comforting to know that your department, co-workers, and administrators have your back when you need it. The fact that New Teacher’s Cafe even exits says a lot about the school and its attitude towards its teachers. While I learned a lot this year about lesson planning, classroom management, and Teach Like a Champion techniques, what I learned most is that a school is a school because of the people inside of it. I have many areas to improve on when it comes to my teaching methods. I could pass back papers more efficiently, I could improve on my classroom management, I could differentiate my lessons more; but I have faith that all of this will come with time. Being surrounded by such positive, passionate people allows me to be a happier, more energetic teacher, and as a result, to improve on these smaller teaching techniques daily. I am so grateful the support I have received this year, and look forward to next year when I can return the favour to new teachers, as well as continue to grow and develop in my own classroom. 

This is my story... Charlene Jacha

I can recount numerous highs and lows in my teaching experience at Lebone in 2014. In rare moments and times I felt like "Really, is this it?" and more often than not I felt like "Yeah, this is it!". My extraordinary experiences in the classroom were probably molded by the diversity of children I found in the classroom at Lebone. They are all very unique and varying in their approach to learning and  how they could get  there. At that moment I realised that I was faced with the challenge of bringing it home for each of  these little ones.

I appreciate the professional development sessions which came to my rescue every Monday. They helped me keep an open mind and gave me insight on how to differentiate my teaching style. The professional development sessions opened my eyes to a whole new world of teaching. It made me realise how wide my options were, how limitless my  thinking  can be and  how many numerous teaching styles were available to use in the classroom. At my disposal I had so many colleagues who were eager to help me down this path. Most of them emphasized to me the importance of asking for help when necessary.

New teacher's cafe gave me  the motivation to improve my teaching by revising practices and experimenting with new initiatives, which stem from reflection.  Getting together and breaking down our different classroom experiences and planning strategies was extremely helpful for me in my first year. Receiving  feedback  from others during these reflection sessions allowed me to see in depth how effective or ineffective my planning was. I realised  then  that Assumption is the lowest form of knowledge that one can ever use. I should never make the assumption that all has been learnt  in the lesson. However, I should  constantly do self assessment through self-observation and activities that foster self-analysis such as New Teacher Cafe and peer assessment.

So many times I found myself shouting, screaming and threatening my pupils. I seemingly had minimum influence on them and they hardly curled into the lesson, let alone endured it to say the least. It became clear that it  was my task as a teacher to find not only what motivates each student to learn but also what motivates them to misbehave. If I can meet them at that point and take away that motivation, we can go a long way towards a more effective classroom and learning experience.  After some introspection I realised raising my voice and screaming hysterically was not  doing much for me. Sharing this with colleagues and hearing about how they have also gone down that path made me more at ease. The input they gave me helped me realise  that students are people who have feelings and who don't want to feel cornered. They want to learn but they also want to feel as if they have some control over themselves.

I had days when I definitely questioned if I had chosen the right profession. These were days when the students seemed uninterested, too talkative, or even worse a blow up occurred and nothing got accomplished. I  also experienced many great moments while teaching. These were days when I ended so happy and enthusiastic that I knew I had selected the right profession. Thankfully on the overall, I ended up with the positive days outshining  my negative days. My hope is that the students involved with me throughout my first teaching year at Lebone were at least partially changed for the better from the experiences we shared .

This is my story... Joe Cossa

My story began in 2008. The dream of building Lebone to what it’s becoming was still fresh. I was initially employed to help with teaching the marimbas as the music department was still new. Of course I could teach music because it is something that I studied and something that I could do. Because Lebone is a particular type of school, with its different models of doing things, I learned that I was not making a good teacher. I was encouraged to enrol with UNISA for my PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education) which has helped me to realise what teaching meant, not fully though. So there was still a thorough development to be made.

My journey of self discovery as a teacher continued. I was first introduced in a formal teaching setup (class teaching) through teaching class music which was different to the way I used to teach marimbas. Teaching marimbas was easy for me because it was more practical, which means I would still play music with my students, so it made teaching effortless for me. The only time I would prepare a lesson was listening to different music, while driving in my car or maybe chilling with friends at home. If I heard a song that sounded good I’d try it for my school band. This worked so well.

The introduction of class music was my learning curve. Through teaching it I could see that even though I knew the content, the problem was in transmitting it to the kids. That year should have been my worst, but the school management saw a need to start a forum meant to support new teachers like me. The New Teachers Cafe was formed. It helped me a lot because I was able to meet with other new teachers, who were maybe not as confused as I was. This helped a lot.

We were encouraged to share our experiences as new teachers. There is nothing as relieving as hearing that you’re not alone. This encouraged me a lot. We learnt a lot like lesson preparations, classroom management etc.

I was invited again this year which I think helped because we learnt quite a lot. It was another year that I will always remember as a teacher. I learnt a lot from my fellow new teachers.

This is my story... Sibongile Nhlapo

My career of becoming a teacher has made me realise that God has planned our lives. My first year of teaching was full of love and happiness, although I had feelings of uncertainty towards myself and the kids.

I was introduced to Lebone College by Dave Ryan at the end of January and I started in February 2013.  And then I met Mr Thomas  in the morning and  borrowed me a book on that day about teacher’s story, and he introduced me to my mentor Mrs Tshoma who took me to her class- to my surprise her class had an office, this was an extra ordinary space and  she tried her best to make me feel special. I have heard horrible stories about mentor, but she was different, I was touched they way I was treated, if all Lebone staff members are like Mam Tshoma, this school is special.

And I met Mr Cossa and Mrs Tshoma gave me tips on my first day on how to survive as a teacher at Lebone, stupid me I can’t remember a word they said, I was so nervous.

And I look into myself and thought will I be able to survive looking at my background as a person - and will I be able to meet the standard of this school. Truly speaking I was overwhelmed and I expected the worst. Because I know for children it is cruel to take your child to a school where all of the kids there come from wealthy families and parents don’t realise that because this social inequality it is the source of bullying in our schools.

On my case it is the opposite, taking a teacher from a poor background to go and teach students who come from well off families. I was expecting being disrespected by some students or is that my imagination, then I realised I ‘m not the only one almost all the teachers are experiencing the same thing of disciplining children it is the nature of the children, they don’t consider where you come from, all they look up to you as teacher to be their model.

One thing in my case, I am not used to speaking English the whole day, I come from Mangope and UJ (RAU), we don’t take this language so serious on how it spoken. We only use it for academics. One thing I would like to gain is having confidence in speaking the language, because I can. They only thing that disadvantage me is being scared of losing my self of being an African. I want to use the language in my own accent. Something that need me to polish it.

And I received so much love from the children and staff members of Lebone it become my second home. The children of Lebone become my kids – they will greet me in the passages.I was involved with the high school kids but to my surprise even the little ones would come and greet me, it made me feel loved and special.

My typical day starts at 4:00am, i will switch off my alarm and then wake up at 4:30 preparing myself and cooking soft porridge that I will eat in the bus. I will go to a bus stop at 5:30, then Lebone bus will come pick me up between that time 5:30 to 5:45 at Lefaragatlha.

I will greet Malome Elias the driver of the bus at Lebone and the sit in the second row and had my breakfast, then will travel to Rustenburg picking up the kids at the selected bus stop. When I am done eating, I will take out my UNISA textbook and read some chapters. Then we reach Waterfall mall is our last pick up station, then by this time the bus will be full with the little ones from foundation phase, the bus will be so noisy or quite depending on the game for that day if it’s a quite game, or rock paper scissor game. On Mondays the talk on the bus is about how was your weekend.

The students who are passengers at Malome Elias Bus are so close to one another, if you are from that bus you are part of the family. He crack jokes on the bus that made us laugh up until we reach our school. And he cares for the kids, if you miss a bus you must explain your whereabouts or else he’ll never waits for you when you are late.

My mentor was Mam Tshoma, she is full of love and she is always happy, though strict she does not take nonsense from students. I think its because she had a lot of experience with the kids but students like her, her class it is always full of students, including those who are not in her class. Maybe its because of the exchange programme they had with the international students.

Lebone has made me realise that I love teaching because of the opportunities it offers such as the top-notch space and teaching facilities, community services, exchange programme, medical facilities school trips not forgetting sport.

 and most important of all teacher’s development programme such as new teachers cafe, new teachers meet on the second week of every month depending on Mr Thomas who always remind us to attend. This support group has help me realise that the problems I faced in the class of the Grade 9s are a norm. I have to be a strong person not to be controlled but I should maintain classroom management in my class. With teaching you will develop a strong character whether you like it or not. But I love it I won’t trade for any career.

This is my story... Ofentse Makhuba

I came to Lebone as a new teacher coming into the profession. I was aiming to learn as much as I could from the other teachers and use the knowledge I have in class. My first year of teaching has been difficult in many ways and it included all of the following feelings:

• Fear - of being a failure, and intruding in someones space
• Pressure - always aiming for perfection as a teacher
• Stress - wanting to impress my mentor and HOD as I felt that they were always watching my every move
• Pain - not being given enough teaching opportunities (specifically wanting to teach Setswana - more involvement - and Grade 1)

There were times when I felt like I was not cut out for this. It seemed as if I couldn't do anything right. This is when I was exhausted mentally and physically because of the pressure I was putting on myself.

The difficulties I experienced as a first year teacher are:

• Discipline -
• Classroom management -
• Conflicts -

What helped me get through the year?

Teaching at Lebone has it's challenges, but with the support of New Teacher's Cafe, and some of the Foundation Phase Co-Teachers, more especially having someone to talk to without judging and criticizing, helped a lot. New Teacher's Cafe also helped by giving us some time to reflect on our teaching and think about what we were doing. Other teachers' experiences were an encouragement. At a later stage I was blessed to work with the Co-Teachers who are determined to continually refresh their practice, and put the interests of their students first, all the while helping the newbie down the hall. I have tried to learn from them as much as I can.

My first year at Lebone... Elize Agenbag

My first year of teaching was a learning experience. Nothing really prepares you for it! But I am sure that this first year lays the foundation for many years to come.

As I ponder today and remember the events in my first year of teaching, I think I might have some advice to give next years’ new teachers. I have included the mentors that have inspired  me with their advice as well…

A  good mentor is essential

A good mentor makes a world of difference! It is the one person you can rely on to show you the ropes, where you don’t have to feel awkward for asking silly questions.  I was blessed for having an excellent mentor who taught me about Lebone and how things are done here, but more than that: she is inexhaustibly excited about the possibilities of learning. She inspires me! She also has the insight to put things into perspective when I get carried away. Thank you Bex, for being my mentor!

Don’t be too easy on discipline!

I started this year off by being too lax with discipline! Start out tough because you can always relax your rules as time progresses if it is appropriate. But it is near impossible to become more tough once students have seen your gentle side.

Like Sarah said: "Don't let them see you smile until May"?

Set up proper organization from the start

It is hard to imagine how much paper accumulates in any classroom. Now triple that, and add paint, glue and other supplies and materials in an Art or Design classroom.  Set up a sensible organization system from day one and, most importantly, use it every day. Label files and folders. Organize storage spaces. It takes time to do but it will save you time in the end. My dad: ”Remember, a tidy desk contributes to a focused mind.”

Ask for help

It is not just because we are proud, but as new teachers we are sometimes afraid of making mistakes.  We think we can handle any problem that comes our way, but that simply isn’t the case. Don't be afraid to appear vulnerable, admit mistakes, and ask for advice. I have learned so much from my fellow teachers who have always been more than generous with their time and advice. When I needed help and my HOD was on leave, a team of other teachers jumped in and helped where needed! Here I take Murray’s advice: “If you don’t have a team yet, find yourself one.”

Don’t be too hard on yourself

Teaching is hard work! I now really understand why they NEED four vacations every year. You give it your best every day, you LIVE the Lebone values to be an example to your students, you bond with the students… We are imperfect creatures, we also sometimes make mistakes. Forgive yourself often, erase the slate, and gather your mental strength for the next day. Bruce gave me the following advice: “Practice the same compassion that you show your students by turning that understanding on yourself.”

Working Too Hard And Burning Out

I have caught myself thinking about a specific students learning even while on vacation! We get so involved with our students, that we do not take the time to rest and rejuvenate. Work smart, be effective, take care of your responsibilities, but go home at a decent hour. Enjoy time with your family and set aside time to relax and rejuvenate. Don't let classroom problems affect your emotional well being and your ability to enjoy life away from school. (Yes, you do have a life after school…) John told us:” Being a teacher is like juggling: it is all about balance…”

Go to New Teachers Cafe

This is the place to be! Where we recharge our batteries, where we learn from each other. It is so nice to know that other teachers also struggle with the same type of issues on a day to day basis! Someone to relate to and share with! Perhaps also because it is the place where we reflect.  We start learning, when we start reflecting…

I can go on to name countless others who inspired and lead me this year! I will just end by saying: “What a year! But next year will be even better!”

This is my story... Brian Slater

So its already been a year since I lasted posted to this blog.

Rather a pity but not surprising given my enthusiasm for putting thoughts to text.

Its interesting reading what I wrote and I wish I had come back and read it more frequently to remind myself that I want (am trying) to be an exceptional teacher.  Now that sounds contradictory.

So, what is my story?  I think this is best answered by talking about what has been on my mind the last few weeks of the final term of 2013.

These issues are: role models for boys, respect for rules, cultural approaches to maths and the deprioritisation of Information Technology at a time when IT is in your face, so to speak.  Talk about existential stuff.

What are the role models for the boys that I teach?  I'm referring to the Upper School students.  I know TP really admires Mark Shuttleworth but I think that for most boys their role models are not scientists or engineers or their fathers.  I think they are celebrities or sportsmen.  Celebrities mostly being hip hop stars.  I wonder, do their fathers feature?  Why do I think this.  Well, mainly because scientists and engineers and fathers or not "cool".  They don't sing about the fact they do drugs, have lots of girls, or swag, or consume conspicuously.  What role does social and mainstream media play in promoting such a consumerist celebrity driven society? Or is it normal for teenagers to want these kinds of role models and I'm just getting older?  I don't know, but I want to know what other teachers think.

On to respect for rules now.  Last Friday was "Daring Dads Camp" and it was quite clearly stated that alcohol was not to be brought on to the Lebone campus.  Many dads ignored this request and consumed alcohol quite openly.  This also happened last year.  What kind of role models are they? Why is it acceptable to disrespect this rule? And what should the school do about it?  I don't have any answers other than to say that George put his message across very well when he spoke about some of the Matrics behaviour at their Matric Dinner at their Valediction Service.  He said what needed to be said.

Why is South Africa ranked to slow when it comes to science and maths education?  The World Economic Forum puts us second last!  Yes our teachers are poorly qualified and the provincial education departments are disorganised.  But I am worried that there is more to it.  I think we think we can't do maths so we don't do maths.  I grew up in a very privileged environment so I may be being unfair.  But if we are going to improve our maths education we need to change our attitude.  Usain Bolt is a champion because he believes he is the best.  Similarly for the All Blacks.  We need to believe in ourselves again.

And finally.  Lebone no longer offers IT!  The more I think about this the more upset I get.  This world is technology driven and we understand how technology works less and less.  Steve Jobs famously said: "I think everybody in this country [USA] should learn how to program a computer because it teaches you how to think."  Isn't that what we are really trying to do in a school?  There are many types of thinking skills, and algorithmic problem solving is one of the increasingly important ones.  Yet our students are no longer getting the opportunity.  Well all I can say is watch this space.

Thanks to Di-Verse

Thank you very much for sharing a part of your story. What I love the most about the presentation is the clear focus on the human and humane aspects and the central idea that human life-worlds are diverse and we inhabit the world in different ways...and maybe it leaves me with the question of how we might best work with/alongside this important central aspect of our vocation?