Principal's Column

What if your child was taught the same lesson over and over, eight times in fact, by a teacher called “Mars”?   What if you found out the principal had reported Mars to the local education authorities, noting: "He just didn't teach. He did the same thing every day. He confronted kids and pushed them out of the classroom.

So there I was, rather new to the classroom and eager to enforce a simple rule: no gum chewing.  And there he was, the slouching class clown, McDonald Kgomoyane, chomping away on a huge wad of gum, plain as Botswana’s sunniest day. 

Even if you have exceptional self discipline, manage your time skilfully, exhibit the body language of a dedicated student and regularly consult a wise mentor, it will mean little if you don’t read.  Reading feeds a passion to learn just as wax feeds a candle’s flame.  To put it simply, reading illuminates and informs a life. 

Job Offer

Back in 1977, I was about to graduate from Wesleyan University in my home state of Connecticut, but without a job.  I’d been to parts of East and West Africa by then, so the prospect of teaching in South Africa had a kind of glib, complete-the-tour-of-Africa appeal.  My South African-born history professor, Jeff Butler, who had begun his teaching career at Kingswood College in Grahamstown, was kind enough to write on my behalf to a few South African private school headmasters.