Laerskool Unika teacher uses superheroes, posters and pictures to make learning fun
Anton van Nieuwenhuizen is known as Striker, Captain America or even skool papa.
Children learn best when they are having fun, so it is important to speak to them on their level and help them develop a passion for the subject.
This is according to Laerskool Unika history and geography teacher, Striker van Nieuwenhuizen.
His first name is actually Anton, but no one calls him that. Instead, it is Striker – a nickname he picked up at his residence at university when he played cricket for the Gauteng Strikers – or people call him Captain America or even skool papa.
Striker is all about superheroes and his classroom is full of posters and drawings of them. He even has the American flag hanging above a window, such is his fascination with the culture.
But the main feature of the room is a huge map of the world and pictures of different landmarks and world leaders, encompassing the whole back wall.
“I teach grades 4 and 5 because the younger children are easier to mould, in a good way,” he smiled.
“I have fun and I joke with the kids but I still say we must have respect for each other. I like to think I make an impact on them.”
He certainly does.
Walking through the school during lunch break, nearly every youngster he passes greets him with a smile, calling him by one of his aliases.
ALSO READ: Laerskool Unika’s “Striker”offers tips for teachers
“I do things differently to other teachers. I am fun.”
In fact, Striker believes he has the best job in the world, and if the school were to take away his salary, he would still work.
“In America, they have classrooms with these big backdrops, flags and posters. I want children to enjoy my classroom and want to learn here. It is the only classroom in the school like this.”
Striker started at Laerskool Unika in 2014 and used his sports psychology degree to get a foothold by coaching cricket and rugby.
He still does that, and now has a fully-fledged cricket academy at the school, with players from his outfit regularly featuring in regional and provincial teams.
“I am just a big kid inside and I try to create a learning environment in everything. I would like to stay here at the school forever, changing lives one day at a time.”
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