Cedarwood School was privileged to host Professor Jonathan Jansen on 28 May for a continuing education seminar, forming part of the school’s staff development opportunities.
Jansen is currently a senior professor at the Faculty of Education at Stellenbosch University, a Stanford University graduate and the former vice-chancellor of the University of the Free State.
He visited the school to talk in line with Cedarwood’s theme for the year – teaching for change – and gave his take on this, with an inspiring seminar titled ‘Teacher presence, for a change.’
He encouraged staff to be physically, emotionally, intellectually, spiritually and politically present within their classrooms and schools in order to create change.
Jansen emphasised the need for empathy for learners and to think about them and their well-being even when teachers are not physically with them.
He challenged his audience to put differences aside and stand in solidarity for what is right.
Dawn Beckwith of Cedarwood said, “Professor Jansen encouraged us to think about teachers who had shaped our experiences, and what kind of teachers, therapists, educators, and personnel we want to be in the lives of the learners we interact with.
“Cedarwood proudly hosted over 100 guests from 15 different schools around Johannesburg and Pretoria, as well as the school’s own prep and college staff, in the newly renovated school hall.
Cedarwood teachers were delighted to meet colleagues from these schools and to share in this experience with them. The school said it hopes to host more seminars like this in the future.
