Kuils River teachers shine in provincial teaching awards

Heather van Staaden from Irista Primary School in Sarepta and Dorothy Jooste from Highbury Primary School are among the 15 teachers named as winners in the provincial leg of the National Teaching Awards.

Education MEC David Maynier and the province’s head of education, Brent Walters, announced the winners on Saturday. They will now move on to the national awards later this year.

Ms Van Staaden took the award for Excellence in Grade R Teaching while Ms Jooste won the Excellence in Teaching Life Skills (Grade 1 - 6) award.

The provincial education department said that Ms Van Staaden, identified pupils’ interests through her “play-based, holistic approach” and she promoted critical thinking by planning challenging pupil-centred activities and giving them a chance to show off their talents.

The department said Ms Jooste had taken part in teacher training programmes, passing what she had learnt on to colleagues; started several programmes for pupils and teachers; and created a network of experts in various fields to enhance learning and teaching.

Ms Jooste said teaching was not just her job but a calling, and Ms Staaden said she lived by the motto: “Be the change you want to see in the world.”