To Sir with Love

'You won't go far wrong as a teacher,' said a speaker at a seminar I attended recently, 'if you imagine that all pupils are your clients.' When I mentioned this to a Matric class, one of the boys, an Economics student presumably, was quick to point out that, as Clients, they obviously had recourse to the Consumer Protection Act if the teachers did not give them good marks.

I agreed - but pointed out to him that the Consumer Protection Act worked both ways and that the school should be able to send those boys back to their parents if they failed to live up to the potential promised in the Application Letters to Wynberg written by their Parents way back in Grade 7!

We agreed to call it quits.

However bearing in mind that we would like to hear the views of our clients, we have been asking our pupils for the last nine years during the June exam period to fill in slips evaluating their teachers in every subject - about 8000 slips in all. In addition to ticking off boxes, pupils have also been asked to write a short comment on every teacher.

We are currently immersed in the 2012 evaluations but I have no doubt that many of the comments from our 'clients' this year will be as amusing and thought-provoking as last year's – many of which are mentioned below. Old Boys reading this will hopefully recall some of their teachers with nostalgia and no doubt recollect making similar comments in past years.

'Mr Eddy is a very clever man,' said an overly-modest Grade 10 boy. 'Sometimes he is too clever for the rest of us with normal size brains...'

A Grade 9 boy had similar thoughts about Mr Moser: 'He has an elephant head. Where does he put all that information?' Another was impressed by the fact that his test marks were returned timeously: ‘I have never seen a teacher mark so fast.’ A Matric boy showed that he appreciated the quality of Mr Moser's teaching when he observed: 'He has the ability to make us feel very clever.'

I wish my Maths teacher at school had adopted that approach – but then it might have deprived Wynberg of a Latin teacher for all those years!

One of Mr Hewett's History classes recognised the value of affirming energy when he applauded the positive atmosphere in his History classes which 'rubs off on everybody.’ Another agreed with enthusiasm: ‘I have never had a boring history lesson – you can’t but be interested.’

One Grade 11 boy was not happy to hear that Mr Sopam had accepted a post at Herschel: 'Every day I want to stay at home and then I think of Mr Sopam's Maths class and immediately I get up and get dressed!'. In that same group, a classmate went on to say: 'I would like to write a book about him - but it would take too long...' I presume he meant because of the quality of teaching, not because of his own paucity of literary skills!

Another teacher's positive energy helped to lower absentee rates: 'Mr Smith makes me wake up early to come to school.' However, he now has to work on one of his Grade 8 boys who still hasn’t understood the point of how to learn another language. 'I would enjoy my Afrikaans classes far more if you didn't always speak Afrikaans,' he implored Mr Smith.

An EGD student in Grade 10 had Mr Rudd all worked out: 'He keeps me busy, so I never get into trouble!' Another one in the class showed that he was still confused in his understanding of education: ‘He expects far too much of us and we have to do extra work when we get bad marks.’ Perhaps if more teachers adopted this approach in South Africa, then education in this country would advance up the international rankings.

Matric Valedictory 2011

Pupils were clearly empathetic to new teachers. ‘Mr Selley is improving fast. In a few years’ time, I will be able to tick off ‘excellent’ in all the categories,’ prophesised a Grade 9 boy encouragingly. One of the Grade 8’s was a little more guarded in his advice for Mr Keevey: ‘He is passionate about Life Sciences – but he is going to have to learn to give us more free periods.’

'We can laugh in Mr Van Winkel’s class,’ said a Grade 9 about his new Geography teacher who was also his u15A rugby coach, ‘but he loves to skat about his muscles.’ That must be Wynberg lexicon because I was unable to find that word anywhere in the Oxford dictionary! Wynberg boys will definitely understand when I say that it is a schmet word ...

One of the comments about Mr Visagie, a new Afrikaans teacher, showed great insight: ‘He gives us respect – so we give him respect straight back.’ Isn’t there a lesson for all of us in this simple observation, in whatever walk of life we operate?

'I hate his classes,' was a comment made about another teacher, 'but it irritates me as I keep finding myself learning something.' I have a feeling that this Grade 8 boy will be making a point of thanking this teacher at an Old Boys' Dinner in years to come.

Hopefully it will not take as long for that Grade 8 boy as it did for a Matric pupil who unfortunately made a discovery late in his school career that learning can also be fun. 'After four years, I have found out that Mr Eddy does have a sense of humour.' What a pity that he took all that time to make this discovery as he could have taken full advantage of four years of fantastic Maths lessons.

Lady teachers evoked many favourable comments as this one from a Grade 10 boy testifies: ‘I love Biology. I would like a double period with Mrs Wentworth every day!’

One of the senior boys has finally seen through a teacher's facade: 'Mrs Gordon acts as though she is tough - but she isn't really.... She cares for us a great deal.'

Clearly one of the Grade 8's has still to see that side of Mrs Gordon : 'M'am, I know that I am naughty, but you must believe me when I say at times that it isn't me. I am being honest!' Unfortunately he declined to sign his name, so I foresee a number of terms of frustration ahead for him.

Michael Moffett, a Matric boy, was happy to sign his name in this injunction to his Headmaster: 'Give Mrs Wilson a raise!' Another pupil gave the reason: 'She thinks we are her children.'

I wonder if Mrs Wilson, or any teacher for that matter, realises their impact on boys' lives when they make casual comments like 'Come on, cheer up!' One Grade 10 boy, who had been feeling miserable for a while, said that comment from Mrs Wilson made his whole day.

‘Mrs Colman is like a second Mom to me,’ remarked a Grade 11 boy. ‘But she is definitely still the Boss!’ A Grade Ten Art Pupil was cagey in his response: ‘She could be a good teacher, but I wish she would stop telling my parents when I don’t work ...’

A senior boy wrote down the rules for the Art Class: 1. Keep your head down while painting as this will enable you to avoid hazardous flying objects from teacher. 2. Occasionally opportunities arise for free food. Take it. You could score yourself a Gatsby!’

This comment sums it all up: ‘I also want to be an Art teacher so that I can one day instil the same excitement and pride in work as she does.’ He was backed up by one of his fellow matrics: ‘Thank you, Ma’am, for our journey in Art. You have taken me to places I have never been before.’

Teachers, only some of whom of mentioned above, who exude high energy in their classrooms ensure that their learning areas radiate high energy as well. These teachers ensure that, because their pupils are actively engaged in their lessons, they in turn become high energy learners.

‘I might one day forget the work,’ said one matric showing commendable insight about his teacher, ‘but I will never forget the lessons he taught. He is more than a teacher, he is a figure we look up to.’

There is not a teacher on the planet who would not like that said about him from a matric about to leave school. We can be well proud of the teachers at Wynberg.

During the holidays, the Cape Times ran an article entitled: 'Botswana's Teachers beat SA by Far'. 'Good teachers make all the difference,' ran the article. 'Pupils achieve better results when teachers teach effectively in the classroom.' Nothing earth-shattering in that statement - it has been ever thus since the advent of schooling.