My experience in working both as a teacher and later as an Educational psychologist in school settings has helped me appreciate exactly how crucial a role educators play in the lives of our children.

It is a thankless, never-ending job.  A teacher’s day typically starts just after 7 am (if it’s not staff meetings, it’s meetings with parents or helping kids with extra lessons or playground duty … the list goes on and on) and often ends long after 5 pm when they’re returning from sports matches or play practice or more staff meetings only to get home and have to do their preparation or mark books or exam papers …

We appreciate you and realise just how many aspects there are to being a good educator.  Thank you!  For being there and being positive and being patient despite the huge demands placed on you.

Please share with us some of your tips and advice on techniques you use in the classroom.  Let us in on how you turn those scared anxious looking grade R faces into dazzlingly bright smiles on the first day of school.  How you motivate the unmotivated, help your little ones remember their lessons or teach complex concepts in such simple easy to understand ways.

What is it than you wish your learner’s parents would do (or not do)?  What basic foundation do you want children to learn at home and how can parents be empowered to help their children at home?

Send your tips and advice to anel@www.childpsych.co.za for review and to be published.