‘Teaching is a passion, calling’

“TEACHING remains a passion and a calling for many.” This is according to a Kimberley teacher who has been an educator for more that 10 years.

The teacher said that although the media is inundated with images of unruly pupils, teaching still remained an unquenchable passion for her.

She was reacting to a video depicting a Grade 9 pupil at Kimberley Boys’ High throwing the contents of a bottle of water in his teacher’s face.

“Although standing in front of a classroom may seem to many like walking into a war zone, not all pupils are unruly or disrespectful,” said the teacher yesterday.

“Teaching is a calling . . . not many can do it. One knows before you get into the fraternity what you are letting yourself into. However, you still go back into the classroom each day.

“I teach five classes and there are only a handful of pupils who might be unruly. There are children who will make things difficult for you but this is not the majority.

“There is a certain satisfaction and reward one gets when you see a child grasping something you have taught them in class or when you see a child who used to struggle with school work excel in a subject. These are the things that makes one get up and go back each day. It is a priceless feeling.”

She added that unruly behaviour amongst pupils needed to be judged holistically. “Pupils are not always unruly or disrespectful. One has to look at the background of a child and see what the true reason is behind their behaviour.

“In some instances you find that children are faced with a number of social issues at home which is the reason they act out. There are some who go to school hungry or even those who depict the behaviour they see in their neighbourhoods.

“It is possible that they have no one to teach them how to behave like a lady or gentleman. In many instances one has to reach out to the child and become a safe haven for him or her.”

She added that although there are teachers who believe that pupils always get the benefit of the doubt, it was still the responsibility of the teacher to remain calm when faced with a difficult pupil.

“It does sometimes seem that this is one-sided but we as educators are the adults at the end of the day. We know the rules. The children are not always aware of the rules and those who are will try to twist them.

“There are protocols on how educators and pupils are supposed to behave. If there is a problem, the matter is usually handled internally. It is only bigger matters, such as the possession of drugs, where the department gets involved.

“The Schools Act is what drives the hand of a teacher. We have the right to a safe environment but pupils have the same right. The behaviour we see from some children is disgusting but there are those who still have great respect for educators.”

She pointed out that parents also play a crucial role in the education of their children.

“Parents trust us with their children once they drop them off at school. We become the parents of those children while they are in our care. As educators, the discipline of the children cannot solely be our responsibility.

“There are many parents who are shocked at the behaviour of their children in school. Some even instruct me to smack their child if they step out of line.

“I explain that I cannot and actually do not want to do that. On the other hand, there are parents who are not involved in the education of their children.

“We need parents to partner with teachers on such issues. We are not saying they should do their children’s school work but they must check their school books.

“This will also instil study skills in their children and a love for learning in the children when parents actively show interest in their school work.”