Teacher marks 25-year milestone
The educator at Junior College Snuggles shared her journey of working with children for a quarter of a century.
This year, Julia Mosepele marked 25 years as a teacher. The educator at Junior College Snuggles shared her journey of working with children for a quarter of a century.
“When I started it was really tough working with small children but I have come to realise that kids just need kindness and love. It is a love that I have nurtured throughout the years,” she began. “Some kids cry when they come to school and you have to do your best to ensure that they are comfortable and that parents are satisfied with the care their kids receive.”
She described children as angels because even when she wasn’t having the best day, her little learners always made her happy. “That’s why I have been working with them for so many years. I have learned a lot about them and from them.” Julia spent 24 years working with toddlers and shared that this year she is teaching four-year-olds, which is a welcome change for her, but she admitted that it is not that different from teaching the much smaller ones.
She begins her mornings on an active note because her learner have lots of energy and are more excited in the mornings. “The beginning of the year is tough because they have been at home and just playing, so it can be a challenge to get them settled back into their school routine.” The teacher admitted that the pandemic brought about changes in the way they conducted lessons. “We implemented social distancing inside, and we had to be careful while protecting the kids. They are little so you have to make sure they are always safe. But it was really tough in the beginning.”
The misconception around working with small learners is that it is easy, which Julia very quickly clarified that it’s not. “When you tell people you work at a crèche they’ll say your job is fun, but it is not because all these kids are your responsibility. You are accountable for them and anything that happens to them. If you want to go into this field, you must have patience and love. Children need love. When you don’t give them love, they can sense that and they will not warm up to you. Patience, love and a lot of energy; the three main ingredients every great teacher has.”
