Auntie Bee of Heerengracht Primary School retiring end of April
School bids farewell to 'one of a kind' teacher
Heerengracht Primary School bids farewell to a teacher Berenice Le Grange, who many know as ‘Auntie Bee’, She has been a teacher at the Eldorado Park School since 1987 and has dedicated her life to growing, influencing, exposing, up-skilling, inspiring, mentoring and coaching those around her.
The teacher will be retiring at the end of April.
Auntie Bee said that teaching was always something she wanted to do.
“I come from a family of teachers, I admired my own teachers, so naturally, I saw myself being a teacher as well,” she said.
“Even as a little girl, when I would play with my cousins and other children in the street, I would always be the teacher. I have been blessed to be able to do what I have always wanted to, I have no regrets,” she added.
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Auntie Bee is a mother of three and is originally from Kimberly. She started her teaching career in 1974, where she taught at Progress Primary – a school in Kimberly.
She moved to Johannesburg five years later and is currently living in Bushkoppies, a suburb just outside Eldorado Park.
The teacher has always had a passion for music and the arts. Eden Daniels, who is the principal at Heerengracht said that Auntie Bee has played a pivotal role in training learners for school choirs and teaching them how to play the piano and the recorder.
“Her retirement will undoubtedly leave a void in the school,” said Daniels.
“She is the senior phase mathematics and natural science teacher. She is a phenomenal woman and a brilliant teacher. She always makes the time to assist any learner or teacher. She is so passionate about teaching and that is what sets her apart,” said Daniels.
Auntie Bee said that her journey as a teacher has been not always been easy.
“When you are a teacher, you meet different children, from different backgrounds and I treated every child with the respect that they deserved but there were times when I was very strict because I had their best interests at heart,” she said.
“I want to take this opportunity to apologise to anyone who may have felt that my strictness and discipline was hurtful. Know that I meant it out of love and I wanted you to do better and be better,” she added.
After retirement, Auntie Bee has vowed to continue teaching privately at her home.
“I plan to teach mathematics and classical piano at my home, so I am definitely not going to sit at home and do nothing. I will continue to work with the youth of our community,” she said.
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