Two teachers from schools in Kuils River are among the provincial winners of the 2024 National Teaching Awards announced on Saturday 24 August.
The awards, now in its 24th year, acknowledge individual teachers who excel and remain committed to quality education for all. The provincial winners are nominees for the National Teaching Awards.
Heather van Staden from Irista Primary School in Sarepta is the provincial winner for Excellence in Grade R Teaching.
In the motivation Van Staden is described as an energetic and motivated teacher who fills her classroom and the community with her vibrant personality, knowledge, and skills.
Her approach is confident and innovative. She is passionate about nurturing the learners’ natural curiosity and creativity.
Besides presenting creative activities in her classroom, it extends to the community where she allows learners to look beyond their circumstances, encouraging empathy and sensitivity towards their fellow human beings.
Van Staden is lauded for building trust among all she encounters. She identifies the need to empower parents to assist their children better at home and in the community.
Through her teaching, she exemplifies and models the core values of the education department.
She instils care, accountability, competence, integrity, innovation and responsiveness by leading by example and constantly reflecting on her teaching methods.
She has a play-based, holistic approach to identify her learners’ interests. To promote critical thinking, she plans learner-centred activities that challenge them.
She also finds opportunities for her learners to showcase their talents.
Van Staden integrates Information and Communication Technology (ICT) into her classroom to prepare her learners for the future. “Be the change you want to see in the world,” is her motto.
Life skills
Dorothy Jooste of Highbury Primary School is the provincial winner for Excellence in Teaching Life Skills (Grade 1-6). The motivation states Jooste embodies what a life skills teacher should be. “She does not just talk the talk; she walks the talk.”
As a life skills teacher, she covers all aspects of the curriculum to ensure the holistic development of her learners, including comprehensive sexual education, environmental awareness, physical education, and spiritual development, and making sure that her learners experience learning outside the classroom by taking them on different school excursions.
She promotes healthy lifestyles for learners and teachers.
She puts time aside to work with grades she does not teach to assist with reading strategies.
She attends teacher development programmes to upskill herself and shares this information with staff members. She has instituted several programmes for both learners and teachers.
Jooste is also lauded for engaging with community structures to improve and strengthen the school community.
She integrates ICT as one of her teaching modalities. Jooste has developed programmes to address social justice issues, such as teenage pregnancy, bullying, substance abuse and social cohesion.
She has built a network of people with different expertise to enhance learning and teaching.
