1

CONTENT
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1
HOW TO MAKE THE SYSTEM WORK FOR
YOU IN YOUR PERSONAL LIFE
CHAPTER 2
HOW TO MAKE THE SYSTEM WORK FOR
YOU AROUND YOUR COLLEGUES AND
AROUND THE STAFF ROOM
CHAPTER 3
MAKE THE SYSTEM WORK FOR YOU IN
THE CLASS ROOM
CHAPTER 4
MAKE THE SYSTEM WORK FOR YOU IN YOUR
DISTRICT
CHAPTER 5
YOU ARE THE SYSTEM
Conclusion
3

Introduction
THE YOUNG AND IGNORED AWKWARD
TEACHER MOST PROBABLY YOUNGER THAN
EVERYONE IN THE STAFF ROOM, THE
TEACHER WHO ALMOST LOOKS EXACTLY LIKE
ALL THE CHILDREN IN GRADE 10, 11 AND
GRADE 12 IN HEIGHT, ATTIRE AND ATTITUDE
BUT DIFFERENT IN THE WAY THEY VIEW THE
WORLD THAT SUROUNDS THEM AND THE
WAY THEY HANDLE THEMSELVES. THE
TEACHER THAT REASONS DIFFERENTLY FROM
OTHER COLLEAGES, A TEACHER WHO THINKS
THAT LUNCH BOXES ARE OLD SCHOOL AND
WHOES VALUES AND BELIEFS ARE DIFFERENT
FROM THOSE OF OTHER TEACHERS. THIS
BOOK IS A REFLECTION OF A YOUNG TEACHER
WHO FINDS HIMSELF IN A SYSTEM OF
EDUCATION HE CANNOT CRACK, THE SYSTEM
SEEMS LIKE A CODE THAT REQUIRES ONE TO
ALWAYS COMPLY AND FOLLOW CAREFULLY
IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF OLD TEACHERS WHO
4

SEEM TO BE GETTING THE RIGHT RESPECT

FORM THE LEARNERS, TEACHERS AND
DISTRICT OFFICIALS BECAUSE OF THE LONG
RELATIONSHIP THEY HAD. I AM THAT YOUNG
TEACHER WHO CAME FROM A COMPLETELY
DIFFERENT SETTING FROM THE ONE I FOUND
MYSELF IN, WHICH IS THE SCHOOL SETTING, I
CAME FROM VARSITY, THE UNIVERSITY OF
JOHANNESBURG (UJ) AND I HAVE BEEN TO
PRACTICALS BUT NEVER HAD ENOUGH TIME
TO EXPERIENCE THE FULL PACKS OF BEING A
FULL TIME TEACHER. TRUTH IS VARSITY
SYMBOLISES NOTHING LIKE A SCHOOL
SITUATION AND EVEN DURING PRACTICALS
YOU DO NOT GET A CHANCE TO GO
THROUGH THE POLITICS OR UNDERSTAND
THE POLITICS BECAUSE THEY DO NOT SEE
YOU AS PART OF THEM UNLESS YOU ARE A
FULL TIME TEACHER.
THIS BOOK IS ABOUT THE TEACHER WHO
FIND THEMSELVES IN A CLASSROOM FULL
OF
5

NOISY LEARNERS WHO QUESTION

EVERYTHING SAID BY THE TEACHER, OR
DEBATE EVERYTHING IN CLASS AND WHO
SPEAK FREELY WITHOUT FEAR. LEARNERS
WHO ARE ALWAYS FIXATED IN THEIR
PHONES, TABLETS AND TALKING TO THEIR
FRIENDS IN YOUR PRESENCE, PRESING
LAPTOPS AND PLAYING GAMES THAT HAVE
HIGH VISUALS. THE TEACHER FACING
LEARNERS WHO DO NOT VALUE HOMEWORK
BUT VALUES SCHOOL BASED ASSESSMENTS
BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN MARKS THAT
COUNT TOWARDS THEIR REPORT MARKS.
THIS BOOK FOCUSES ON THAT TEACHER AND
THE CHALLENGES THEY GO THROUGH ON A
DAILY BASIS BOTH IN THEIR PERSONAL LIVES,
THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE DISTRICTS
THEY BELONG TO, THE STAFF WHICH
INCLUDES TEACHERS, GROUNDS MAN AND
THE CLEANING STAFF AND MOST
IMPORTANTLY THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE
6

LEARNERS IN THE CLASSROOM. THE BOOK

PROVIDES GUIDANCE ON HOW THEY CAN CO-
ORDINATE ALL ASPECTS OF THE EDUCATION
SYSTEM TO WORK IN THEIR FAVOUR AND GET
USED TO THE PRESSURES RELATED TO THE
TEACHING PROFESSION. THROUGH MY
PERSONAL EXPERIENCES AS A YOUNG FIRST
TIME TEACHER WHO HAS NOT BEEN
CHANGING SCHOOLS, THE BOOK CLEARLY
SHOWS EXAMPLES OF WHAT YOUNGEST
SOUTH AFRICAN TEACHERS FACE ONCE THEY
ENTER THE EDUCATION SYSTEM TROUGH
TEACHING.
I AM IN EACH AND EVERY WAY POSSIBLE
THAT TEACHER DESCRIBED ABOVE AND THE
BOOK IS BASED ON NOTHING BUT MY
EXPERIENCES IN THE EDUCATION SYSTEM AS
A NEW YOUNG TEACHER.
7

CHAPTER 1
HOW TO MAKE THE SYSTEM WORK FOR
YOU IN YOUR PERSONAL LIFE

THE FIRST IMPORTANT POINT I WANT TO

MAKE TO YOUNG TEACHERS IS THAT TAKING
CONTROL OF YOUR PERSONAL LIFE IS
IMPORTANT SO THAT IT DOES NOT
INTERFERE WITH YOUR PROFESSIONAL
TEACHING CAREER. YOUNG TEACHERS WHO
ARE NEW TO THE PROFESSION HAVE A LOT
GOING ON IN THEIR LIVES THAT DOES NOT
ONLY INVOLVE TEACHING BUT ALSO WHEN
THEY ARE AT HOME PROBABLY TRYING TO
FORGET THEIR STRESSFULL JOB. THE NEW
AND YOUNG TEACHER IS MOST PROBABLY
FROM UNIVERSITY, COLLEGE OR A TEACHING
SCHOOL AND THEY STAYED THERE
PERMANENTLY IT IS RARE THAT THEY WERE
STAYING HOME WHILE STUDYING WHICH
8

MAKES THINGS WORSE WHEN THEY START

WORKING BECAUSE THEY ARE INTRODUCED
TO A NEW ENVORONMENT AT WORK AND AT
HOME.
WHEN I FIRST STARTED WORKING I RENTED
AN APARTMENT CLOSE TO WORK AND FAR
AWAY FROM FIMALY, NAÏVE ME THOUGHT
THAT WAS A GOOD IDEA BECAUSE I AM FAR
AWAY FROM MY ANNOYING FAMILY AND I
HAVE STAYED ALONE BEFORE AT VARSITY.
STAYING ALONE WAS NOT ONLY A BIG
MISTAKE THAT ALMOST MADE ME LOSE MY
MIND BUT I ALSO ALMOST LOST MY LIFE
BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF SELF DISCIPLINE I
HAD. WHEN I STAYED ALONE I NEVER
THOUGHT THAT I WOULD GO HOME AFTER
SCHOOL WITH NOTHING TO DO, EXCEPT
PREPARING FOR LESSONS AND MARKING IF I
HAVE ANY MARKING BUT IT WAS LONELY
AND PAINFUL BECAUSE I HAD NO ONE TO
TAKE THE JOB STRESS AWAY. I
9

WAS ALL BY MYSELF, AND I DELT WITH

STRESS ALONE AND THAT LED TO OTHER
BEHAVIOURS THAT WERE OUT OF LINE SUCH
AS DRINKING TOO MUCH ALCOHOL AND
SPENDING TOO MUCH MONEY. WHEN YOU
STAY ALONE YOU LACK GUIDANCE FROM
FAMILY, AND FRIENDS, REMEMBER THIS IS
THE FIRST TIME YOU STAY ALONE AND HAVE
MONEY SO YOU WILL ADAPT NEW
BEHAVIOURS THAT MIGHT HARM YOU. I
WENT TO WORK WITH A HUNG OVER AT
TIMES AND SOME TEACHERS NOTICED THIS
BEHAVIOUR. STAYING ALONE IN YOUR FIRST
YEAR OF TEACHING IS A MISTAKE BECAUSE
TEACHING IS STRESSFULL, YOU NEED PEOPLE
TO SOCIALISE WITH, PEOPLE WHO WILL
GUIDE YOU ON YOUR SPENDING AND PEOPLE
WHO WILL MAKE YOU FORGET THAT YOU
WORK IN SUCH A STRESSFULL
ENVIRONMENT, LIKE FAMILY, FRIENDS AND
10

MAYBE A GIRLFRIEND OR BOYFRIEND IF

YOU DON’T ALREADY HAVE ONE.
ONCE AS A YOUNG TEACHER YOU ARE ABLE TO
TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR PERSONAL LIFE YOU
WILL ARRIVE ON TIME AT WORK AND WILL
NOT BE ABSENT ALL THE TIME LIKE MOST
YOUNG TEACHERS ARE DOING. SURROUND
YOURSELF WITH A SUPPORT SYSTEM THAT
WILL HELP YOU GET THROUGH MOST
HURDLES YOU WILL FACE SUCH AS HANDLING
OF YOUR FINANCES, BUYING A NEW CAR OR
BUYING YOUR FIMALY A HOUSE. THE MISTAKE
YOU WILL MAKE IS ASKING THE WRONG
PEOPLE FOR ADVICE. THAT ADVICE CAN BE
YOUR DOWNFALL IF YOU ARE NOT CAREFULL
AND THE WRONG PEOPLE ARE EVERY WHERE
AND THEY WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR
LACK OF KNOWLEDGE. I REMEMBER WHEN I
WANTED TO BUY A CAR AND GET A GOOD
HEALTH INSURANCE FOR MYSELF. I HAD
NEVER BOUGHT A CAR
11

BEFORE AND AT HOME NO ONE HAD A CAR,

WORK WAS THE ONLY OPTION I HAD OF
GETTING ADVICE FROM PEOPLE WHO WERE
IN THE SAME PROFESSION AS ME AND WENT
THROUGH WHAT I AM GOING THROUGH.
MOST TEACHERS DO NOT WANT YOU TO
HAVE WHAT THEY HAVE OR THEY WANT YOU
TO GO THROUGH THE MISTAKES THEY WENT
THROUGH, GIVING YOU BAD ADVICE IS
THEIR CHANCE OF FULLFILMENT.
WHAT MOST YOUNG TEACHERS WILL DO IS
SQUANDER THEIR FINANCES CARELESSLY,
BUYING LAVISH ITEMS THAT THEY THINK IS
BENEFICIAL, WE AS YOUNG TEACHERS HAVE
THAT MENTALITY OF WANTING EVERYTHING
BECAUSE WE WAITED FOR THIS CHANCE FOR
A LONG TIME AND WE THINK THE MONEY WE
ARE GETTING IS MORE THAN ENOUGH UNTIL
YOU FIND YOURSELF DEEP IN DEBT THAT WILL
TAKE YEARS TO RECOVER. ALL THIS IS GOING
TO IMPACT ON YOUR TEACHING
12

CAREER BADLY BECAUSE ALL YOU WILL BE

FOCUSING ON IS YOUR DEBT NOT YOUR JOB
WHICH MEANS YOU WILL GO TO WORK FOR
MONEY AND WILL BE DEMOTIVED THUS YOU
WILL ABSENT YOURSELF AT WORK. DO NOT
OVER SPEND AND DO NOT PROMISE THE
WORLD TO YOUR LOVED ONES, THE NOTION
THAT TEACHERS EARN LESS IS TRUE AND YOU
SHOULD RESPECT THAT. GOING OUT WITH
YOUR FRIENDS OR GIRLFRIEND TO EXPENSIVE
PLACES MONTH END SEEMS FUN UNTIL YOUR
CREDIT IS OVER AND YOU HAVE TO WAIT FOR
THE FOLLOWING MONTH TO HAVE MONEY
THAT WILL IMPACT NEGATIVELY ON YOUR
JOB BECAUSE THE FOCUS WILL BE ON THE
MONEY NOT THE JOB THUS YOU WILL BE
DEMOTIVATED BY YOUR JOB. KEEP YOUR
SPENDING AS MINIMUM AS POSSIBLE ENSUE
YOU HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO LAST YOU
THE WHOLE MONTH AND AS A YOUNG
PERSON IT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO DO THAT
13

OR UNDERSTAND THAT UNTIL YOU GO

THROUGH IT OR READ THIS BOOK AND
QUICKLY SEEK GUIDANCE FROM THOSE YOU
TRUST. WHEN YOU HANDLE YOUR FINANCES
WELL AND MAKE EVERYONE AROUND YOU
UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE A TEACHER
AND NOT A MILLIONARE HOT SHOT, HENCE
YOU CAN NOT AFFORD EVERYTHING.
AS STATED ABOVE A YOUNG TEACHER IS
GOING THROUGH A LOT, THEIR FOCUS IS NOT
ONLY ON THE SCHOOL AND THEY STILL HAVE
TO FIND WAYS THAT WORK BETTER FOR
THEM AT HOME, WORK AND RELATIONSHIPS
UNLIKE OLD TEACHERS WHO ALREADY HAVE
WAYS OF MAKING THE SYSTEM WORK FOR
THEM. IT WILL PROBABLY TAKE YOU TIME
MASTERING THE SYSTEM AND MAKING IT
WORK FOR YOU. SOME YOUNG TEACHERS DO
NOT EVEN GET THE CHANCE TO MASTER THE
SYSTEM BECAUSE THEY DO NOT
UNDERSTAND THE RULES, THEY GET FIRED AT
14

WORK, LOSE THEIR JOBS AND ARE

DESATISFIED WITH TEACHING AS A CAREER
AND THEY WILL LOOK FOR OTHER OPTIONS.
WE COME FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS
AND HAVE DIFFERENT SOCIAL EXPERIENCES
AS YOUNG TEACHERS BUT WE HAVE A LOT IN
COMMON BECAUSE THIS IS OUR STARTING
POINT, SOME HAVE NEVER HAD GIRLFRIEDS
BEFORE, SOME WANT THAT HOUSE FOR
THEIR FAMILY AND MOST WANT THAT CAR
THAT WILL TELL THAT THEY MADE IT AND
WILL GO OUT WITH FRIENDS AND ENJOY THE
NEW CAR. SEEK ADVICE FROM PEOPLE YOU
TRUST AND MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICES FROM
THE START MASTER THE SYSTEM IN YOUR
PERSONAL LIFE AND WORK AND YOU WILL BE
A HAPPY TEACHER.
15

CHAPTER 2
HOW TO MAKE THE SYSTEM WORK FOR
YOU AROUND YOUR COLLEGUES AND
AROUND THE STAFF ROOM

MY INSPIRATION TO WRITE A BOOK CAME

FROM THIS PART MOSTLY, THE
INTERACTIONS I HAD WITH MY COLLEAGES
AND OTHER STAFF MEMBERS WHO MADE ME
REALISE THAT I WAS NOT FITTING IN, THE
AMOUNT OF POLITICS IN THE STAFF ROOM
CAN BE A BIG DEMOTIVATER FOR A YOUNG
TEACHER ALSO ESPECIALLY IF THEY HAVE THE
WRONG MENTOR. THE FISRT THING A YOUNG
TEACHER WILL DO IN ORDER TO COPE IN THE
SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT IS TO FIND A
MENTOR OR A FRIEND AROUND SCHOOL
WHO WILL GUIDE THEM AND BE ON THEIR
SIDE IN MOST CASES. FINDING THE WRONG
FRIEND OR MENTOR WILL IMPACT
16

NAGATIVELY IN YOUR WORK. AS A YOUNG

TEACHER YOU ARE NEW TO THE SCHOOL
ENVIRONMENT YOU STILL HAVE TO
UNDERSTAND THE POLITICS AND CHOSE A
SIDE THAT BEST MATCHES YOUR
PERSONALITY OR ACQUANTE YOURSELF
WITH SOMEONE WHO SHARES THE SAME
VALUES AS YOU.
IN MY SCHOOL PRESTIGIOUS AUREATE IN
VAAL, THE FISRT THING I REALISED IS THAT
THERE WERE SO MANY POLITICS IN THIS
SCHOOL AND TEACHERS HAVE FORMED
DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT ARE AGAINST EACH
OTHER AND AS A NEW PERSON I HAD TO
CHOOSE WHICH GROUP WAS MORE
RELATABLE TO ME. AT FIRST I WAS CAUGHT
IN THE CROSS FIRE BETWEEN THE GROUPS.
WHEN YOU RAISE A POINT IN THE STAFF
ROOM ONE GROUP WILL ADMIRE YOUR
POINT AND THE OTHER WILL TAKE IT AS A
DISS TO THEM AND WHAT THEY STAND FOR.
17

THOSE GROUPS INCLUDED TEACHERS WHO

HATED THE AUTHORITY AND WILL DO
EVERYTHING IN THEIR POWER TO DISCREDIT
WHO EVER IS IN AUTHORITY, SOME INCLUDED
POLICY SPECIALISTS WHO UNDERSTAND
POLICIES AND WILL ARGUE IN THE STAFF
ROOM QUOTING POLICIES AND ONCE YOU SAY
SOMETHING NOT INLINE WITH POLICY YOU
ARE AGAINST THEM, AMONG THOSE GROUPS
INCLUDED THE POLITICIANS THOSE ARE THE
TEACHERS WHO WILL ALWAYS USE THEIR
UNION POLICIES TO DISPROVE ARGUMENTS
OR MAKE ARGUMENTS AND ARE KNOWN AS
COMRADES. AT FIRST I DID NOT JOIN A GROUP
AND I HAD THE MENTALITY THAT I DO NOT
WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN THEIR POLITICS I
AM HERE TO TEACH AND I WILL DO EXACTLY
THAT. BUT NOT QUICKLY JOINING A GROUP
WAS ALMOST MY DOWNFALL, I WAS ACCUSED
OF MANY THINGS IN MY FIRST YEAR
18

OF TEACHING AND ONE OF THOSE WAS

WATCHING A MOVIE WHILE INVIGILATING
LEARNERS OR LEAVING EARLY AT WORK,
DOING THE REGISTER WRONG, COOKING
MARKS, SOME WERE TRUE AND SOME FALSE.
THE MISTAKE THAT YOUNG TEACHERS WILL
DO IS ASSOCIATING THEMSELVES WITH THE
WRONG PEOPLE, THE PEOPLE YOU FIRST
ASSOCIATE YOURSELF WITH MIGHT END UP
BEING YOUR ENEMIES AND THAT IS A HIGH
POSSIBILITY BECAUE YOU JUST CHOSE AND
DID NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY STAND
FOR, WHEN THEY GOSSIP ABOUT OTHER
TEACHERS AND MAKING YOU SABOTAGE
ANOTHER TEACHER ARE FEW EXAMPLES THAT
WILL MAKE YOU WANT TO EXTRICATE
YOURSELF FROM THEM BECAUE THAT IS NOT
HOW YOU DO THINGS. OTHER TEACHERS WILL
PUSH YOU AROUND ON PURPOSE ASKING
FAVOURS THAT WILL PUT YOUR JOB IN
JEAPARDY LIKE TYPING THEIR WORK WHILE
19

YOU SHOULD BE IN CLASS TEACHING, OR

ASKING YOU TO PRINT THEIR MATERIAL
WHILE YOU HAVE YOUR OWN MATERIAL TO
PRINT SOME WILL EVEN PASS YOU BY AND
NOT GREET YOU AT ALL, THEIR OWN
PERSONAL ISSUES. SOME TEACHERS WILL
WANT YOU TO RAISE A POINT IN THE STAFF
ROOM THAT IS AGAINST THE AUTHORITY JUST
TO MAKE YOU HATED BY THE PRINCIPAL OR
MANAGEMENT. SOME TEACHERS ARE IN THE
BUSINESS OF DATING SCHOOL CHILDREN AND
THEY WILL ADVISE YOU TO DATE A LEANER,
SOME YOUNG TEACHERS WILL DO THAT AND
FIND THEMSELVES IN TROUBLE AND FACE
DISCIPLINARY HEARING.
ON THE OTHER HAND, IF YOU DO NOT SELECT
A GROUP YOU WILL GET ATTACKS FROM ALL
SIDES AND MIGHT END UP LOSING YOUR JOB
AND GETTING FIRED, WHEN YOU DO NOT
SELECT A GROUP OR MENTOR WHO WILL
TEACH YOU HOW TO GET AROUND CHANCES
20

ARE THAT YOU WILL NOT MAKE IT BECAUSE

THEY WILL PLOT AGAINST YOU AND WHEN
YOU ARE ATTACKED OR ACCUSED OF WRONG
DOING YOU HAVE NO ONE TO SPEAK FOR
YOU. AFTER CAREFUL INTROSPECTION
AMONG THE DIFFERENT GROUPS CHOSE
SOMEONE YOU WILL BE CLOSE WITH AND
MAKE SURE YOU ARE SEEN WITH THAT
PERSON AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE SO THAT YOU
ARE TREATED AS ONE OF THEM. WHEN YOU
SELECT A MENTOR CHANCES ARE THAT YOU
WILL WANT TO COPY ALMOST EVERY ASPECT
OF THEM, HOW THEY RELATE WITH
LEARNERS, HOW THEY RELATE WITH OTHER
TEACHERS AND HOW THEY RELATE WITH THE
HEAD, IF THEY HATE THE PRINCIPAL YOU ARE
EXPECTED TO HATE THE PRICIPAL TO AND
MUST SPEAK AGAINST THEM AND
DISSAPROVE OF EVERY MOVE OR STATEMENT
THEY MAKE IN THE STAFF ROOM. IF AS A
YOUNG TEACHER YOU ARE NOT GETTING THE
21

RESPECT YOUR MENTOR OR GROUP IS

GETTING YOU WILL WANT TO ACT, DRESS
AND TALK LIKE THEM BECAUSE YOU ALREADY
ASSUME THAT THE REASON THEY ARE WELL
RESPECTED IS BECAUSE OF WHO THEY ARE.
WE AS YOUNG TEACHERS MAKE THE
MISTAKES OF WANTING TO BE COPY CATS,
THE LOOKA LIKES OF OTHER TEACHERS. WE
WANT TO USE THEIR WAY OF DRESSING,
TALKING AND THEIR WAYS OF GETTING
RESPECT FROM LEARNERS SUCH AS
CORPORAL PUNISHMENT IN ORDER TO
COMMAND RESPECT. YOUR RELATIONSHIP
WITH YOUR MENTOR OR GROUP SHOULD BE
WORK BASED AND MUST REMAIN AT WORK,
WHA WE YOUNG TEACHERS TEND TO DO IS
ASPECT OF OUR GROUP WITHOUT
QUESTIONING OR REALISING THAT ACTUALLY
THIS IS AN IMPOSSITION UPON OUR OWN
LIFESTYLE AND THUS MOST YOUNG
TEACHERS WILL ABANDON THEIR WAY OF
22

THINKING, DRESSING AND RELATING TO

LEARNERS BECAUSE THEY THINK IT IS NOT
THE RIGHT WAY; THE RIGHT WAY IS THE OLD
TEACHERS WAY. YOU ARE IMMEDIATELY
EXPECTED TO ABANDON WHAT YOU KNOW
AND WHAT YOU ARE, THE PROBLEMS YOU
FACE AT HOME IN YOUR PERSONAL LIFE WILL
MAKE YOU THINK THAT YOUR WAY OF LIVING
OR OF DOING THINGS IS NOT THE RIGHT
WAY. I FOUND MYSELF IN SIMILAR
SITUATIONS AT SOME POINT I ABANDONED
MY STYLE OF DRESSING, I STARTED WEARING
SUITES THAT WERE LAGGY AND DID NOT
APPRECIATE JEANS ANYMORE OR SNEAKERS
BECAUSE MY MENTORE NEVER WORE JEANS
OR SNEKERS AND ALL I WANTED WAS TO BE
MORE LIKE HIM NOT REALISING THAT I WAS
LOSING MY FREEDOM. AS TIME GOES BY
SOME OF THE CHOICES YOU MAKE WILL
RESEMBLE THOSE OF YOUR MENTOR NOT OF
YOUR OWN AND SOME YOUNG TEACHERS
23

WILL GO AS FAR AS JOINING THE SAME

CHURCH AS THEIR MENTORS.
YOUR MENTOR EXPECTS YOU TO BE LIKE
THEM NOT A UNIQUE YOU, THEY WANT YOU
TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR THEM. SOME
YOUNG TEACHERS WILL GO AS FAR AS
MARKING FOR THEIR MENTORS BECAUSE
YOU THINK YOU SHOULD BE HELPING THEM
OUT AFTER ALL THEY ARE HELPING YOU COPE
WELL IN THIS POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT AND
THEY GAVE YOU A STYLE THAT YOU WILL USE
FOR SOMETIME IN YOUR TEACHING CAREER.
WHEN YOU FOLLOW THE STEPS OF YOUR
MENTOR CFREATIVITY IS GONE AND EVEN IN
THE CLASS ROOM IF LEARNERS DO NOT SEE A
YOUNG INTELLIGENT TEACHER WITH
EXAMPLES OF WHAT REAL LIFE IS OUT THERE
LEARNERS WILL NOT LEARN AND THE
EDUCATION SYSTEM WILL NOT IMPROVE.
YOUNG TEACHERS SHOULD STRIVE TO BE
THEMSELVES AT ALL TIMES, AS DIFFICULT
AS
24

THAT IS YOUNG TEACHERS SHOULD DRESS IN

A WAY THAT SHOWS THEIR YOUTH, THEIR
STYLE SHOULD BE DIFFERENT FROM THOSE
OF OLD TEACHERS BECAUSE YOUNG
TEACHERS ARE THE NEW MOTIVATION FOR
THE LEARNERS THEY WANT TO EXPERINCE
WHAT THE YOUNG TEACHER HAS BEEN
THROUGH AND THEY GET MOTIVATED TO SEE
THAT THE YOUNG TEACHER HAS THE SAME
STYLE AS THEM AND IS UNIQUE FROM OTHER
TEACHERS YOU FIND THAT IF A YOUNG
TEACHER EMBRACES THEIR STYLE OF
DRESSING, AND VALUE THEIR OPINIONS AND
NOT OF THEIR MENTORS AND ARE ALWAYS
STRIVING TO BE THEMSELVES, THE CLASS
ROOM WILL BE INTERESTING, LEARNERS WILL
WANT TO DROP ALL THEIR TECHNOLOGY AND
WANT TO HEAR YOU OUT. THEY WILL VALUE
YOUR TEACHING BECAUE IT BRINGS
SOMETHING NEW AND INTERESTING AND
25

FOR LEARNERS SOMETHING NEW IS

ALWAYS INTERESTING IN THE CLASSROOM.
ONCE YOU VALUE YOUR CONTRIBUTION IN
THE SCHOOL AND IN THE DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION YOU WILL UNDERSTAND THAT
YOU DON’T ACTUALLY NEED A MENTOR, ALL
YOU BEED IS SOMEONE WHO WILL TEACH
YOU THE BASICS SUCH AS DOING THE
REGISTER THE RIGHT WAY, CONVERTING
MARKS AND ADAPTING GOOD BEHAVIOUR
SUCH AS ATTENDING SUBJECTS MEETINGS.
YOU ACTUALLY KNOW MORE THAN YOU
THINK AND YOU HAVE A PERSONAL
TEACHING PHILOSOPHY THAT WILL WORK
FOR YOU AND IT WILL TAKE TIME FOR OTHER
TEACHERS AND LEARNERS TO SEE AND
RESPECT YOU BUT YOU MUST BE PATIENT.
THE SHORT FALLS OF DEPENDING ON A
MENTOR OR GROUP IS THAT ONCE THE
MENTOR LEAVES YOU ARE LEFT ALONE
DEFENCELESS WITHOUT SOMEONE TO COPY
26

AND THOSE TEACHERS THAT HATED YOUR

MENTOR ARE COMING FOR YOU AND YOU
SHOULD BE SCARED.
BE YOUR OWN UNIQUE PERSON AND MAKE
CONTRIBUTIONS WITHOUT FEAR, ONCE YOU
ARE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT EVERYONE
ELSE WILL BE.
PRACTICING THE WORD “NO I’M BUSY” IS
VERY IMPORTANT FOR A YOUNG TEACHER IN
ORDER TO AVOIND THE BULLYING FROM OLD
TEACHERS, WHEN THEY ASK FOR FAVOURS
THAT AFFECT YOUR WORK SAYING “NO I
CAN’T” IS THE BEST OPTION AND I
UNDERSTAND THE FEAR OF SAYING THOSE
WORDS BECAUSE YOU ARE NEW AND
YOUNG AND THIS PERSON IS OLD ENOUGH
TO BE YOUR MOTHER OR FATHER SAYING NO
WILL SEEM LIKE YOU ARE DISRESPECTING AN
ADULT. BUT IF YOU THINK LIKE THAT
CHANCES ARE YOU WILL BE TREATED LIKE A
YOUNG TEACHER FOR THE REST OF YOUR
27

TEACHING CAREER. STAND YOUR GROUND

UNDERTSTAND THAT IF YOU ARE NOT IN
CLASS TEACHING AT THE RIGHT TIME, YOU
WILL BE HELD RESPONSIBLE NOT THE OLD
TEACHER. IF YOU DO NOT SUBMIT MARKS ON
TIME YOU WILL BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR
THAT, THEY WILL NOT CONSIDER THAT YOU
WERE MARKING AND RECORDING FOR OTHER
TEACHERS.
YOU WENT TROUGH A LOT TO GET WHERE
YOU ARE SO YOU CAN NOT JUST SHIFT YOUR
LIFESYTLE AND TAKE UP SOMEONE ELSE’S
STYLE. YOU WENT THROUGH THOSE
PREPARATIONS AT UNIVERSITY ALONE AND
YOU WERE EXPECTED BY YOUR LECTURES
TO BE CREATIVE AND INTERESTING AT THAT
POINT YOU HAD NO ONE TO TELL YOU HOW
TO TEACH AND WHAT TO LOOK LIKE.
LEARNERS LIKED YOUR PRESENTATION
DURING YOUR PRACTICALS BECAUSE YOU
WERE YOURSELF AND THEY COULD IDENTIFY
28

WITH YOU. SO TAKING UP YOUR OWN

VIEWS, YOUR OWN LIFESTYLE AND VALUEING
YOUR EXPERINCES IS YOUR BEST OPTION IF
YOU WANT TO COPE IN THE SCHOOL
ENVIRONMENT AND TO BE THE BEST.
DO NOT MISUNDERSTAND MY POINT ABOUT
OLD TEACHERS, NOT ALL OF THEM ARE BAD,
ACTUALLY SOME WILL GIVE A YOUNG
TEACHER GOOD ADVICES AND WILL ACTUALLY
GUIDE THE YOUNG TEACHER UNTIL THEY ARE
MATURE ENOUGH TO STAND FOR
THEMSELVES BUT IN SUCH CASES THE YOUNG
TEACHER IS TRAPED UNDER AN EXPERIENCED
TEACHER WITH VERY LITTLE AUTONOMY,
EVEN DURING THE TIME THEY STAND FOR
THEMSELVES THEY DID NOT LEARN ANYTHING
ESPECIALLY BEING AUTONOMOUS OF THE OLD
TEACHERS HABITS. WHAT I AM STRESSING IS
THAT AS A YOUNG TEACHER BE YOURSELF,
THEY WAY YOU TEACH IN THE CLASS ROOM
AND THE WAY YOU REASON
29

DURING STAFF MEETINGS MUST SHOW THAT

YOU ARE A FREE AND INDEPENDENT THINKER
YOU HAVE GOOD INTENTIONS FOR THE
SCHOOL. SOME OLD TEACHERS HAVE OLD
GRUDGES AGAINST THE SCHOOL OR THE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND ONCE
YOU INVOLVE YOURSELF WITH THEM
CHANCES ARE THEY WILL PROGRAMM YOU
TO HAVE THE VERY SAME GRUDGES, MAYBE
THE TEACHER WAS NOT PROMOTED
SOMEONE ELSE WAS PROMOTED AND YOU
THINK THE DEPARTMENT IS UNFAIR IN THEIR
PROMOTION POLICIES, ALL THOSE ATTITUDES
WILL REFLECT ON YOU.
30

CHAPTER 3
MAKE THE SYSTEM WORK FOR YOU IN THE
CLASS ROOM

UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES ARE

PRODUCING YOUNG AND NEW TEACHERS IN
A FAST PACE, THE DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION EVEN DECIDED NOT TO
ADVERTISE TEACHING POST (LEVEL 1 POSTS)
DUE TO THE SCARCITY OF JOBS AND THE BIG
NUMBER OF JOBS FILLED BY YOUNG
TEACHERS EVERY YEAR. THIS ALONE SHOULD
BE INDICATION OF WHERE THE EDUCATION
SYSTEM IS HEADED. THE LEARNERS OF THIS
GENERATION ARE UNIQUE FROM OTHER
GENERATIONS, THEY ARE TECHNOLOGICALLY
AWARE, HAVE MORE RIGHTS THAN BEFORE
AND HAVE MORE INFORMATION AVAILABLE
AT THEIR DISPOSAL THAN BEFORE. THE
LEARNERS OF TODAY ARE VERY MUCH
31

AWARE OF THE TRENDS THAT ARE

HAPPENING OUT THERE. LEARNERS OF
TODAY HAVE SOCIAL NETWORKS
EVERYWHERE AND USING THOSE NETWORKS
IN YOUR CLASS DURING YOUR PRESENCE. AS
A YOUNG TEACHER KEEPING UP WITH THE
TRENDS IS VERY IMPORTANT ACTUALLY
STAYING ON TOP OF THE TRENDS WILL BE
BENEFICIAL FOR YOU IN CLASS. AS I
INDICATED IN THE LAST CHAPTER THE FIRST
IMPORTANT POINT FOR YOUNG TEACHERS IS
TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO TEACH WELL, AND
TO ACHIEVE THAT THEY MUST STRIVE TO BE
THE VERSION OF THEMSELVES NOT OF
OTHER TEACHERS.
THE CLASSROOM IS VERY IMPORTANT TO
YOU, IT IS THE REASON YOU HAVE A JOB AND
BEING EFFECTIVE IN THE CLASSROOM
SHOULD BE A NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. ALL
OTHER POLITICS WILL FOLLOW BUT THE ONE
YOU MUST MASTER FIRST IS THE
32

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR

LEARNERS. THE MOMENT YOU LEARN TO
MASTER ALL OTHER ASPECTS OF YOUR LIFE
NOT TO INTERFERE WITH YOUR
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LEARNERS THEN
HALF THE BATTLES ARE WON. DIFFICULT AS
THAT MAY BE THIS IS WHAT YOU MUST
STRIVE FOR SEPARATING HOME POLITICS,
SCHOOL POLITICS AWAY FROM THE CLASS
ROOM BECAUSE ONCE YOU LET THEM
INTERFERE THEN CASES OF ABSENTTING
YOURSELF WILL BE HIGH BECAUSE YOU DO
NOT LIKE THE CLASSROOM AND THE WHOLE
SCHOOL, THE DEPARTMENT WILL JUST
SICKEN YOU.
AS A YOUNG TEACHER YOU ARE SUPPOSE TO
BE VIBRANT AND THE LEARNERS MUST FILL
THAT GOOD VIBE YOU BRING, YOU ARE
SUPPOSED TO GET ALONG WELL WITH YOUR
LEARNERS BECAUSE OF THE WAY YOU
EXPRESS YOURSELF DURING TEACHING TIME,
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WHEN I WAS TEACHING THE GRADE 12 IN

2015, 2016 ACADEMIC YEAR I PRODUCED
100% AND THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME I WAS
TEACHING THE GRADE 12. AND I WAS THE
ONLY TEACHER THAT PRODUCED 100% IN MY
SCHOOL IN 2016. THE ONLY REASON I
PRODUCED THAT PERCENTAGE IS BECAUSE
THOSE LEARNERS SAW THEMSELVES IN ME,
THEY COULD TALK FREELY TO ME AND I
ALWAYS RESPONDED POSITIVELY , I HAD A
RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM AND THAT WAS
BECAUSE ME AND THEM ARE JUST THE SAME,
EXCEPT THAT I AM SMARTER AND I AM A
SUBJECT SPECIALIST, THEY FELT HOW SMART
I WAS THROUGH MY TEACHING AND THEY
COULD CHALLENGE ANY NOTION I BRING IN
CLASS. THAT MADE THEM RELAX DURING THE
EXAM, NOT PANIC AND ANSWERED
QUESTIONS RIGHT AS I TAUGHT THEM
EVERYTHING AND THEY WERE INTERESTED TO
LEARN IT WITHOUT FEARING ME.
34

YOUNG TEACHERS HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO A

WORLD THAT THESE YOUNG KIDS STILL LONG
FOR, THEY STILL WANT THE THRILL OF GOING
TO UNIVERSITY, THEY LOOK UP TO YOU AND
THEY WANT YOU TO CONVINCE THEM THAT
TEACHING CAN BE A CAREER FOR THEM TOO.
YOUNG TEACHERS MUST MAKE THE WORLD
OUT THERE SEEM MORE INTERESTING, THEY
WANT TO SEE THE LATEST FASHION IN YOU
AND THEY WANT TO SEE YOU DRIVE NICE
CARS TO INSPRE THEM. THEY WANT YOU TO
TEACH THEM IN INTERESTING AND CREATIVE
WAYS THAT INDICATE YOUR YOUTHFULNESS.
IF AS A YOUNG TEACHER YOU FEED THEIR
CRAVING AND UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE A
MOTIVATION TO THESE LEARNERS THEN YOU
SURELY WILL PRODUCE GREAT FUTURE
LEADERS.
THE MISTAKE THAT WE MAKE AS YOUNG
TEACHERS IS COPYYING THE STYLE OF OTHER
TEACHERS WHEN TEACHING, LEARNERS WILL
35

QUICKLY SEE THAT YOU ARE A COPY CAT

AND YOU ARE DOING WHAT MR SO AND SO
HAS DONE AND SO LEARNERS WILL NOT
LEARN ANYTHING BUT WILL BE BORED
DURING THE WHOLE LESSON BECAUSE THEY
SEE NO CREATIVITY AND THAT WILL BE THE
IMPRESSION OF YOU UNTIL YOU REMAIN
AUTHENTIC IN FRONT OF THEM UNTILL THEN
YOU WILL COMPLAIN ABOUT LEARNER
BEHAVIOUR.
SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT TEACHERS
FACE IS UNRULY LEARNERS THAT WILL
ACTUALLY WANT TO FIGHT WITH THE
TEACHER, YES SOME LEARNERS WILL FIGHT
YOU AND THAT IS ALL JUST TO IMPRESS
THEIR PEERS AND ALSO IT HAS TO DO WITH A
LOT MORE THAN JUST IMPRESSING FRIENDS
MOST OF THE TIME LEARNERS THAT FIGHT
TEACHERS HAVE UNRESOLVED
36

ISSUES FROM HOME WHICH LEADS TO THE

LEARNERS USING DRUGS AND OTHER
SUBSTANCES IN ORDER TO ESCAPE, WHEN
YOU TELL THEM WHAT TO DO AS A TEACHER
YOU ACTUALLY WILL CLASH WITH THEM
BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT IN THE RIGHT STATE
OF MIND HENCE I WOULD ADVICE SOME
YOUNG TEACHERS TO JOIN A GYM AS IT WILL
HELP BOOST THEIR CONFIDENCE IN FRONT OF
THE LEARNERS PLUS IT COMES WITH PECKS IF
A LEARNER FIGHTS YOU, YOU WON'T BE
HELPLESS IN THE FIGHT INSTEAD YOU WILL
CRUSH THE LEARNER AND THE LAW WILL BE
ON YOUR SIDE AS YOU WERE DEFENDING
YOUR SELF FROM A DANGEROUS LEARNER.
ALSO BEING FRIENDLY WITH THE LEARNERS
CAN BE AN ADVANTAGE FOR YOU AS THE
LEARNERS WILL
37

ALSO REACT IN A FRIENDLY WAY TOWARDS

YOU AND THEY PROBABLY WILL COME TO
YOU FOR HELP INSTEAD OF WANTING TO
FIGHT YOU, WHEN YOU ARE OPEN AND
INVITING LEARNERS WILL LOVE YOU BUT
SOME WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE AS THEY WILL
NOT DO YOUR WORK AT ALL BECAUSE THEY
KNOW YOUR SOFT SPOT SO BE LIKE WATER
COLORLESS AND SHAPELESS.
USING CORPORAL PUNISHMENT IS NOT A
GOOD STRATEGY FOR A YOUNG TEACHER
MAYBE FOR ANLOLL TEACHER IT ISAHOLD AS
THEY ARE USED TO IT AND THEY HAVE BEEN
USING A STICK FOR YEARS TO INSTIL
DISCIPLINE BUT FOR A YOUNG TEACHER IT'S
NOT A GOOD IDEA AS THE KIDS WILL
CHALLENGE YOU FIGHT YOU AND DISRESPECT
YOU BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEIR RIGHTS AND
THEY SEE YOU AS A YOUNG PERSON
38

WHOM THEY CAN DEFEAT IN A FIGHT AND

THEY KNOW THAT THEY ARE IN RIGHT AS
CORPORAL PUNISHMENT IS NOT
ALLOWED BY THE GOVERNMENT.
ASSOCIATE YOURSELF WITH THE GOOD
LEARNERS WHO WANT TO LEARN AND PUT
THEM IN FRONT FOCUS ON THEM, THE
NOISY UNRULY ONES WILL HEAR HOW
INTERESTING YOU ARE AND WILL WANT TO
JOIN IN AND THEN AT THAT MOMENT YOU
HAVE WON TH BATTLE AND HAVE CAPTURED
THEIR ATTENTION, SO TEACH WELL AND WIN
THEIR HEARTS.
39

CHAPTER 4
MAKE THE SYSTEM WORK FOR YOU IN YOUR
DISTRICT

THE DISTRICT IS VERY MUCH INVOLVED IN

YOUR TEACHING CAREER, THEY DO REGULAR
VISITS AND HOLD REGULAR MEETINGS THAT
AIM AT IMPROVING YOUR PRACTICE, TAKING
ADVANTAGE OF THOSE MEETINGS WILL BE
BENEFICIAL TO YOU AS A NEW TEACHER. YOU
ARE EMPLOYED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION AND THEY HAVE A BIG STAKE IN
YOUR SCHOOL AND YOU. THE SCHOOL
DISTRICT I WAS EMPLOYED IN WAS
SEDEBENG WEST DISTRICT IN SEBOKENG
AROUND THE VAAL AREA; IT IS ONE OF THE
BEST PERFORMNG DISTRICTS IN GAUTENG
WITH A FEW UNDER PERFORMING SCHOOLS
OF ABOUT THREE TO FOUR.
40

UNOFRTUNATELY FOR ME I FOUND MYSELF

IN ONE OF THE WORST SCHOOLS IN TERMS
OF PERFORMANCE AND LEARNER
BEHAVIOUR. THE SCHOOL I WAS EMPLOYED
IN PRODUCED SOME OF THE WORSE RESULTS
IN THE DISCTRICT BECOMING THE WORST
PERFORMING SCHOOL IN SEDEBENG AND
THAT IMPACTED ON THE TEACHERS AND THE
LEARNERS BADLY BECAUSE OF PRESSURE
THAT THE DISTRICT PUT ON THE TEACHERS
AND THE LEARNERS. IN 2015 AND 2016 I WAS
A GRADE 12 TEACHER AND I PRODUCED
100% WITH LITTLE HELP FROM THE DISTRICT
AND OTHER EXPERIENCED TEACHERS BUT MY
DISTRICT FACILITATOR HELPED ME IN SOME
WAYS SHE CAME TO MY SCHOOL AND WE
HELD REVISION CLASSES IN THE SCHOOL HALL
FOR ABOUT THREE WEEKS SKIPPING SOME
DAYS HENCE I SAID THE DISTRICT PROVIDED
SOME LITTLE TLE HELP AND IT WENT A LONG
WAY BECAUSE THE LEARNERS GOT TO
41

EXPERIENCE SOMEONE NEW BESIDES ME

AND AFTER ALL I HAVE BEEN TEACHING
THEM FOR THE WHOLE SCHOOL YEAR. THE
FACILATOR MAY HAVE UNDERSTOOD THAT
MY EXPERIENCE IS VERY LIMITED AND
CONDUCTING REVISION CLASSES WITH ME
CAN REALLY BE OF GREAT BENEFIT TO THE
LEARNERS.
WHEN THE FACILITATOR CAME TO MY
SCHOOL OTHER TEACHERS WOULD LOOK
AT ME SOME TYPE OF WAYS THINKING
THAT I FEEL SOME PRESSURE FROM HER
BECAUSE NOW I HAVE TO SACRIFICE MY
TIME AND FOCUS ON HER BUT I THOUGHT
IT MEANT NOTHING EXCEPT THAT SHE WAS
HELPING ME IMPROVE THE RESULTS AND I
APRECIATED HER HELP AND I ORGANISED
THINGS SUCH AS PROJECTORS, WHITE
BOARDS AND WRITING PENS TO MAKE IT
EASY FOR HER TO TEACH. OTHER TEACHERS
THOUGHT IT WAS AN INCONVINIENCE FOR
42

ME BECAUSE THEIR FACILITATORS NEVER

CAME TO CHECK ON THEM REGULARLY OR
NEVER CAME AT ALL, THEY WERE SO FREE
THAT SOME OF THEM DID NOT EVEN KNOW
THEIR FACILITATORS LIKE I KNEW MINE, MY
FACILITATOR WAS KNOWN AS ANNOYING
AND ALWAYS STEPPING WHERE SHE DOES
NOT BELONG.
COME 2017 THE RESULTS ARE OUT AND MY
LEARNERS HAVE 100% BECAUSE OF HARD
WORK AND HELP FROM THE DISTRCIT
FACILITATOR OTHER TEACHERS HAVE
PRODUCED THE WORSTE RESULTS IN THE
SCHOOL EVER, THE SCHOOL RECEIVED 48%
PASS RATE WHICH IS THE OVERALL
PERCENATGE OF THE SCHOOL AND THAT
PERCENTAGE IS TERRIBLE EVEN THE MINISTER
OF EDUCATION MR LESUFE WAS TO VISIT MY
SCHOOL CONCERNED ABOUT THE MARKS.
AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT I AM THE MOST
FREE TEACHER NOW IN MY SCHOOL AS
43

OTHER TEACHERS ARE GOING THROUGH

THE STRESS I WAS GOING THROUGH WHEN
MY FACILITATOR PAID REGULAR VISITS TO
ME CHECKING IF I AM REALLY TEACHING
AND NOW IT IS THEIR TURN, SO AS A YOUNG
TEACHER EXPECT PRESSURE FROM YOUR
DISTRICT AND BE READY TO ACCEPT IT AND
WORK WITH IT AS IT WILL HELP YOU
IMPROVE YOUR PRACTICE, ALSO THE
DISTRICT EXPECT YOU TO JOIN FORCES WITH
OTHER TEACHERS IN YOUR DISTRICT AND
HELP EACH OTHER WITH WORK. THAT PART
OF THE PROCESS IS A BIT CHALLENGING
BECAUSE IF YOU ARE NOT CONNECTED TO
OTHER TEACHERS THEY MIGHT NOT WANT
TO HELP YOU WITH ASSESSMENT TASK AND
WOULD HAVE TO FORMULATE YOUR OWN
TASKS WHICH IS HARD WORK.
44

CHAPTER 5
YOU ARE THE SYSTEM

YOUNG TEACHER YOU ARE THE SYSTEM,

ONLY YOU DEFINE THE RULES AND MOST
IMPOTANTLY YOU HAVE THE POTENTIAL
TO SHAPE THE FUTURE GENERATION TO BE
INTELLIGENT, TRENDY AND OUTSPOKEN.
TAKE CONTROL OF THE ENVIRONMENT YOU
FIND YOURSELF IN AND MAKE SOMETHING
GREAT BECAUSE YOU ARE CAPABLE OF
DOING THAT, BEING A TEACHEAR COMES
WITH GREAT PECKS, YOU GET TO TRAVEL AS
THE ARE PROGRAMS CATERED TO
IMPROVING YOUR TEACHING ABILITY, THE
HOTEL CONFERENCES, THE TRIPS TEACHERS
PLAN UPON SCHOOL CLOSURE AND THE
EVENING MEETINGS WITH COLLEAGUES
PLUS THE GREAT AMOUNT OF HOLIDAYS
EVERY YEAR NOT FORGETTING THE EARLY
KNOCK
45

OFF TIME, YOU CAN BE ANYTHING WHEN

YOU ARE A TEACHER BUT BEING BORED IS
NOT ONE OF THEM. CONNECT THE DOTS BE
THE BEST, BE THE MASTER OF THE SYSTEM
BECAUSE YOU CAN. ONCE YOU MASTER THE
SYSTEM AND HAVE THE ABILITY TO MOVE
ALONG WITH THE PROCESSES YOU WILL BE
HAPPY PLUS YOU HAVE A LOT TO TELL YOUR
LEARNERS IN CLASS, ALL THE GOOD STORIES
ABOUT WHERE YOU HAVE BEEN AND WHAT A
GREAT CAREER TEACHING IS CAN MAKE YOUR
LEARNERS SMILE AND LONG TO BE YOU. And
it feels great when your school has produced
100% AND ALL THE LEARNERS HAVE PASSED,
IT HAPPENS EFFORTLESLEY AS YOU HAVE
BECOME PART OF THE SYSTEM AND ARE
ENJOYING YOURSELF INSTEAD WORKING
HARD LIKE A SLAVE, TEACHING IS PART OF
WHO YOU ARE HENCE EVERYTHING COMES
EFFORTLESSLY, FOR SOME TEACHERS IT
WILLKATIE TIME MASTERING THE SYSTEM
46

AND SOME WILL NEVER INSTEAD THEY WILL

BE FRUSTRATED AND WILL QUIT AS A RESULT
OF THE MANY PRESSURES THEY WILL GO
THROUGH WHILE IN THE PROFESSION.
47

CONCLUSION
I HAD TO PUT ON FOR MY YOUNG TEACHERS
AS THEY ARE THE LEADERS THEMSELVES,
THEY ARE THE PRODUCERS OF BRILLIANCE
AND THEY DESERVE MUCH MORE.
I WROTE THIS BOOK BECAUSE IT IS MY LAST
YEAR ON THE SYSTEM I HAVE OTHER
SYSTEMS TO CRACK, I TOOK THE
OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY LAW AND I'M AT
THE FINISH LINE, I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO
BE A LAWYER BUT I NEVER HAD THE FUNDS
TO STUDY LAW HENCE I TOOK TEACHING
WHICH IS FINANCING MY LAW DREAM
BECAUSE IT IS POSSIBLE TO STUDY WITH THE
FLEXIBLE HOURS TEACHIN HAS, SO THIS
BOOK IS A WAY TO GIVE BACK TO THE
GREATEST PROFESSION OR MOTHER OF ALL
PROFESSIONS BEFORE I EXIT MAYBE
SOMEDAY I WILL COME BACK AS I HAVE A
BACHELORS DEGREE IN THIS PROFESSION
AND DO NOT WISH TO BURN THE BRIDGE.
48

TAKE WHAT WORKS FOR YOU AND APPLY IT

TO YOUR LIFE AND LIVE THE OTHER STAFF
FOR OTHERS.
PEACE AND LOVE Y'ALL
49

References
Author S. Mngcayi
Every word is my experience; I did not use
any reference.

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