Mr Potgieter, was one of the first teachers who pushed me for more, fighting me for me to reach towards my potential. I don’t know about you but back then when you did just enough to pass you would get a comment on your report from your homeroom teacher stating that you have not reached your potential. This interpreted meant that you passed but you did not do enough within your ability to impress me, trust me when I say I know this to be true. From the first time this comment appeared on my report I looked up the word potential in every dictionary I could find and ensured that I understood it’s definition and the English colloquial interpretation.
At some stage the comment angered me until Mr Potgieter interpreted it into action. He took interest in my overzealous approach to school. You see I was always present, not focused but present. School meant I got to interact with other people who were not my siblings or parents and I found that this came with a lot of energy which I couldn’t always control so I tried everything but focused on nothing until Mr Potgieter.
Years later when my oldest son’s matric art teacher, Mrs B asked to speak to me about his potential I understood that she was more than interested in his well-being. Teachers for many of us were our first cheerleaders, they used every moment they had to instil change and insight into our true selves.
With 34% of our population being under the age of 18 and 55% of our learners dropping out of school before matric; it is teachers that will make the difference, it is teachers that understand how.
Join us at the Rural Education in Africa Conference, 18 – 19 August 2022.
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