My reaction about Global Teacher Prize finalist nominations 2017

Good day, My name is Phuti Ragophala, a recently retired head mistress of Pula Madibogo Primary school in South Africa. I am also one of the honoured top 50 finalists in the 2017 Global Teacher prize. I will be giving  you a brief summary of my reaction to the nomination, tell you more about what I love most about teaching, about teachers who motivated me while growing up and what inspires me most . 

My reaction...

Even though I am retired, I still spend a lot of my time teaching. *giggle* On that specific day, I was voluntarily assisting local teachers on a computer programming course at a local university, the University of the north.

During the course, I had to quickly check up on an email that  I was expecting from Microsoft and there was this email from the global teacher prize. At that time, I had completely forgotten about the nomination, so I wasn’t excepting an email from them. After reading the email, I literally screamed in both shock and excitement. I could not speak!!! Those around me were concerned because they thought that maybe someone had died. *giggle* We had to stop the entire course because of the commotion and excitement around me!

I just could not believe that a retired rural teacher from Africa  has been nominated on such a prestigious global platform! Of course my dedication and handwork have been recognised in my community and country. I had even received a lifetime award from the South African national broadcaster for my work. But this was different! I am representing  my country, SADC and Africa! It is a remarkable feeling I still cannot believe, and one that I am incredibly thankful and immensely grateful for!

I am now being featured in leading newspapers in South Africa, national radios, national TV stations and I have the full backing of the South African government. It has been and is still an exciting experience.

What I love most about teaching is that it enables me to inspire young minds, to augment the individual natural talents that children have through creativity, innovation and talents searching. It provides me with the immense, yet rewarding privilege of producing responsible and educated future leaders and professionals. Hence teaching is often referred to as the mother of all professions.

 

Throughout my vast 32year teaching experience I have taught several subjects. I first started with teaching English at foundation phase for about 10years and later Social sciences, Economic and management sciences, Technology and IT.

During that time I had developed a way of teaching social and economic sciences by using technology. Especially considering how techno-savvy children are these days. For example, In economics, i would teach them about poverty, which is by the way very common in the community that I taught in , and then challenge them to seek solutions to reduce it and then require them to give feedback by presenting on these findings through computer programs such as Microsoft PowerPoint and/or create other digital presentations.

But I have to say, my favourite subject that I taught was English at foundation phase. Growing up, I was very shy and wasn’t proficient in English. I struggled to express myself in English as compared to my native language. So while teaching these young minds, I too was learning. *laughs* I can now confidently say that I am now a lot more comfortable with communicating in English through that. So while I was teaching, I too was learning.  It was a mutually beneficial process.

 

My first and most influential teachers were obviously my late parents. My father was a community leader, so most community meetings were held at my home. From them I learned how to be a leader and how to pray. I remember sleeping on an empty stomach one night and my mother still insisted that we pray first before we slept.

But growing up, the teacher who inspired me the most was my grade 1 teacher, Mrs Mahlatji. Shy as I was, she was able to identify and groom a leader in me at a young age and also motivated me to shine academically. But what touched me most was how even amongst hundreds of children, she took an interest in my personal life and domestic affairs.

While still in school, my mother became extremely ill. I recall how Mrs Mahlatji would constantly ask about how she was and assisted where she could. From her I learned that as a teacher, you can positively influence a child beyond the classroom.

 

Until this day, I am inspired by people who voluntarily serve other people, people who want to see others succeed, and people who enjoy serving beyond themselves. People like my mother. People like Oprah Winfrey who, from own pocket, built one of the biggest and most well-resourced schools in South Africa specifically for young girls who are from poverty-stricken backgrounds. Some of these girls are even furthering their studies in major universities abroad, opportunities they could have only dreamed of.

People like the late former president, Nelson Mandela, who after being imprisoned for 27years, chose to forgive the apartheid government in order to forge a peaceful and united South Africa without a civil war.

I was also inspired by how, unlike a lot of African leaders, he chose to pass on the baton even while he was still in the race. He groomed younger leaders, encouraged for more women leaders in government and gave them an opportunity to lead.

I am also grateful in that during my tenure, I received a lot of support from my staff, NGOs, teachers and the amazing young mind that I had the opportunity to lead.

The Greek philosopher, Nikos kasansakis, once said, “True teachers are those who use themselves as bridges over which they invite their students to cross; then, having facilitated their crossing, joyfully collapse, encouraging them to create their own.”