Recommit to excellence and teach with passion – these were some of the key messages Professor Jonathan Jansen, distinguished professor in education at Stellenbosch University shared with teachers of Beacon Hill High in Beacon Valley last week.
Professor Jansen was one of the speakers who addressed the teachers during a teachers’ development session organised by the school’s alumni on Thursday September 12.
The theme was “The Contagious Power of Hope”.
Professor Jansen reminded teachers that their profession prepares young minds for every other profession in life. Sharing some of his experiences working in under-resourced and poor-performing schools, he said not every child comes from a loving caring home environment.
As a teacher, you need to practice love and being tough, as the pupil needs both, he said.
Professor Jansen encouraged teachers to de-escalate the situation when frustrations ran high in class and to be an example to their pupils. “Be on time, be at work, be well prepared for lessons and teach with passion,” he said.
Dr Colleen Cozett, deputy-director of Northlink College and Beacon Hill High alumni Mark Jackson, Esmerelda September, Juven Rittles and Alesso Marcus also addressed teachers, thanking them for their service and emphasising their tremendous contribution to shaping their pupils’ lives.
Mr Jackson, who matriculated from the school in 1989, encouraged teachers to continue believing in their pupils. “You are very important; this school cannot run without you. The learners can never get their matric without you. You are in the foremost battleground,” he said.
Mr Rittles said teachers are often undervalued and that their role has changed over the years. “You are no longer just a teacher, you are a policeman, friend, therapist, counsellor, and in some instances a gang negotiator. We see you and we admire all of you,” he said.
Roberta Jackson, a teacher at the school, said the development session was a “mindblowing” experience that opened her eyes to the impact teachers make in the lives of their pupils. “The professor was phenomenal. I don’t think that word even comes close to expressing the impact he made on my own view of teaching. All a child needs is to be heard,” Ms Jackson said.
Thanking the alumni for organising the much-needed development session, Lyro Potgieter, another teacher at Beacon Hill High said: “We needed hope and appreciation. I left there motivated to continue making a difference despite the odds we and our learners face every day. The change does start with us and it’s heartening to know that you are there to support us and cheer us on every step of the way.”
