Star Teacher

Magdalena Valombola
Introduce yourself?

I am Magdalena Valombola, a teacher at Groot Aub Primary School where I go by Miss V. I am passionate about leadership and influencing my learners, though that’s probably not a recognised thing. I was born and raised in Windhoek and am now based in Groot Aub, a small but fast-growing settlement about 50 kilometres south of Windhoek.

When did your journey start as a teacher?

I started my teaching career in May 2018. That’s when I first started my job at Groot Aub Primary School and I have been here since.

Your dream field trip?

I have to admit that I have had my dream field trip with my parents and brother two years ago. My new dream field trip is where I get to take my learners to campuses and ‘fun’ workplaces around Windhoek. Groot Aub does not offer a lot in terms of exposure to careers for our learners, so I would like to take the grade six and seven learners to tertiary campuses and workplaces every year. We would visit places like the fire brigade, news offices, radio stations and the airport and talk to the crew, go to newspaper offices and just see how things happen and who makes them happen. I would like them to be exposed to what the world has to offer so that throughout their high school years, they will dream and look forward to the future.

What do you think is the most important quality for a teacher to have?

That would be to care. I believe once you care then you will be patient, you will be committed, creative and passionate. Caring just lets everything else flow out.

Best way you would want to be remember as a teacher by your learners?

I love my subject and my learners, and I would therefore want to be remembered as the teacher with the passion for the learners and the subject. Other than being known as the ‘perfect teacher’, I would like my learners to remember me for always dedicating my time and effort to them.

What tactic do you use to make learning interesting?

For things like storywriting or letter writing, I let them compose the piece first and we work from there according to what they have. There they correct themselves and see where they can better their pieces. I also include group work in the lessons. For parts of speech, I let them give me examples or name the things before we can define it. That way you get to tell them that they know the things, they just don’t know what it is called, and that’s when all the light bulbs in class turn on.

One thing you look forward to this school year as a teacher?

Using tablets in class! While the rest of the world is moving on with technology, our learners still only hear of ICT concepts and see pictures. It is bad enough that we don’t have a library at the school; we do not even have a computer lab, so subjects like ICT for our learners is just another theoretical subject. When we actually have a tab or laptop to work on and the learners get to touch a keyboard and work on a tab/laptop, then that’s real learning. So, I am still hoping that our learners will become as privileged as the rest of their peers, especially those in towns with a computer lab at their schools.

What can teachers or other adults at school do to better support the learners?

Care for the learners! Once you care, then ways of supporting learners just present themselves.

Was teaching always something you wanted to do?

Yes, teaching has always been one of my three options since I was in grade seven. I had three options (in no particular order) to become either a nurse, secretary/personal assistant or a teacher. When it was time for varsity, education was offering a scholarship and my choice was clear.

What would you be if you didn’t become a teacher?

Definitely not a nurse! Biology did not like me very much, so I guess I would have been a personal assistant. Hopefully for a busy person who always travelled around so that I too could enjoy the benefits.

Which subjects and grades do you teach?

I teach English to grades six and seven.