Nosicelo Ntshewula, 2011 Class 0

Volunteer: Elisa

I was born in the Eastern Cape, Tsomo District at Keeze Location. I moved to Cape Town in 1990 and I live here until now.

I like music and sports.

I am teaching the child according to a child's development, taking into account the child's physical, emotional and social needs at each stage. In teaching you need patience and confidence.

In Grade 0 we have 40 children and we don't cope because we have a small classroom. Therefore we have to divide them into groups to have a well-planned and working programme.

Lulama Mtuzula, 2011 Class 1

Volunteer: Kirsten

I am Lulama Mtuzula and 39 years old. I have three children, two boys and one girl. I was born in the Eastern Cape. I like to read and to watch news. I started teaching in 1999 when the school started. This year I teach Grade 1. I only teach the lower classes, Grade 1 up to Grade 3. I have 35 pupils in my class dominated by girls. I teach in a lively and creative way and with love. I like teaching because I learn more from the pupils and I come to understand more about their developments and their challenges. Teaching is a calling because it can be very challenging sometimes.

Yoliswa Mashiyi, 2011 Class 2

Volunteer: Ruth

I am Yoliswa Mashiyi, the Grade 2 teacher. I am married with three daughters.

I love reading books, magazines and watching TV.

I teach through willing, feeling and thinking. Teaching is challenging. When you are at school you are not just a teacher, you are a mother, social worker and a role model too.

I have 34 students in my class with only 12 girls and the rest are boys. My boys are so energetic. My class loves singing, drawing and painting. I enjoy a lot when I am telling them a story. No one wants to be disturbed at that time. That is our special time. They love games a lot. They also enjoy their extra lessons with my German volunteer Ruth. We all have fun in class.

Tamara Zumana, 2011 Class 3

Volunteer: Lenya

I am Tamara Zumana. I was born in Indwe in the Eastern Cape. I am the seventh child of ten children. I completed Grades 1 to 7 in the Eastern Cape then moved to Cape Town to attend high school. I was at Masiyile High School from Grades 8 to 12.

I like to go to church. I enjoy music and like to read books. I also like to watch soccer, cricket and rugby. I like to play with children and to tell them stories. I enjoy sewing and craft work. When I have spare time I always make things with my hands. I enjoy socializing with others.

In the beginning I did not plan to be a teacher. I thought that I will be a nurse or social worker. But now I enjoy being a teacher. I like to teach the young ones. I like the stories.

The way I teach, I like it. Waldorf Education is the one that changed me to the way I am now. It was that training that showed me how to work with the kids, how to help them in their difficulties. I am glad now to be a Waldorf teacher.

I have 39 children in my class. Some of them I started with in Grade 1 and the others joined in Grade 2 and Grade 3. I enjoy being with them. I understand them. They also understand me. I love them. They love me. They enjoy their lessons. Our theme now is about Creation. Everything we do in class now is based on Creation. There are many main lessons we do in Grade 3. My favorite lessons are: Creation, Farming, Time, Money and Building. For me it is easy to have a volunteer in my class because we help each other, especially in extra lessons. I enjoy teaching Grade3.

Zukisani Festile, 2011 Class 4

Volunteer: Zoff

Since 1999 Zukisani Festile has been teaching at Zenzeleni School. He was born in Eastern Cape where he and his 3 brothers and 3 sisters were raised by their mother and father, until he moved to Western Cape in Khayelitsha for better chances of education and employment. His favourite subject is Maths, and his hobbies include music, drama films and parties.

Zukisani feels that the education children receive at Zenzeleni is different, in part due to the Waldorf influence:

• The approach is more practical with movements, and because of this learners understand much better.
• We work with stories, pictures and images, and teach each child according to his or her develoment.
• Waldorf develops children's will, feelings and thinking.
• Crafts and Arts are taught as serious subjects; games are allowed, not only sport.
• Children are never scared of the teachers, but they still show great respect. They are taught to respect each other and help each other.
• Teachers always share their ideas and help each other.

I am the Grade 4 teacher, having taken the class only from the beginning of 2011 and so I am still bonding with this class. So far I think these children are free, they are not afraid of asking questions. Grade 4 is also big this year, the number is 40. Although they are a big group, most of them manage to listen and understand the instructions and lessons. But I have picked up some learners who have challenges also in this class, children who need some attention. With the help of volunteers from Germany we always try to help these kinds of children.

Busi Vimbi, 2011 Class 5

Volunteer: Luca

I am Busi Vimbi. I was born in the Eastern Cape, from a small town in Matatiel. I am coming from a family of six. I have a baby girl, Amanda, who is three months. I grew up in a Christian family. As a child I started attending Sunday school, later I joined youth. I was embraced with love, from a lovely family who helped me with everything a child could wish for. But the most important one was education, the gift of life: a key to open any door.

I am a qualified, Waldorf-trained teacher, who shares her ideas in teaching. I enjoy teaching and I believe when you educate one, you open a new world, to brighten one's future. I educate the whole, touch the soul, the heart of a child, as in Class 5 they are curious about the outer world. Class 5 is a lovely class, very much energetic. They are enjoying the integrated main lessons about ancient cultures. They remember very well the names of the Pharaohs and enjoyed to explore Egypt with lovely images. They are excellent and having fun doing artistic work. I enjoy working with them. This is a class of 31 learners.

Tinashe Mahachi, 2011 Class 6

Volunteer: Nico

My name is Tinashi Mahachi, I am a Zimbabwean. I teach Grade 6. I took over the class in January 2009. I trained in Zimbabwe as a teacher and graduated in 2000. I like sports - I am a qualified sports coach of soccer, volleyball and athletics. I am humorous when teaching my class, but strict. I like to teach a well-disciplined class.

My philosophy is: Learning and teaching can only happen in an environment conducive to learning; this can only be created by the teacher and learners.

Nobuhle Mbatani, 2011 Class 7

Volunteer: Eva

I have been with Zenzeleni since January 2005, when I began as Grade 1 Teacher. I trained at the Centre for Creative Education, and received the Primary Teachers Diploma enriched with Waldorf. Previously I was a state school teacher for five years in the Eastern Cape, where I trained at Arthur Tsengiwe Teachers Training at Cala near Queenstown.

I arrived in Cape Town in 1990 to join my husband who was already working here. I applied for a teaching post and, after a long wait, decided to look for another job. I worked in the funiture industry as Sales Advisor for 16 years. My job entailed customer service, ordering of stock, and sales administration work.

I have been married for 27 years and have 4 children (three boys and one girl ... and one grandchild!) I am a Christian and member of the CPSA. My hobbies are reading, church, television and cooking. I like nature trees and flowers. I am a board member of an aftercare of our church, and a council member of the church board.

The children of Grade 7 enjoy their lessons because they are free and do things independently. They get support from each other and the teacher is there to guide them through the journey. We have done geometry shapes dissertation of angles and triangles. In health and nutrition they have learnt more about their bodies, how to live a balanced life, taking care of their bodies and how and what is suitable to eat.

Adrian Daniels

Hi, my name is Adrian Daniels.

I am still studying towards my B. Ed degree at the Centre for Creative Education in Plumstead.

I live in a small suburb called Ocean View. I love sport (cricket, soccer, tennis, swimming) and like to go fishing on off days.

I do not have a class of my own, as I am a subject teacher for the Afrikaans language as well as music. I love moving from class to class so that I can have a broader spectrum of the children's development. It is very helpful for research purpose.

My teaching philosophy is that teaching is not just a profession or job, but a way of life. I therefore strive to bring out the best in all my learners so that they can know who they are from a very young age.

Zenzeleni School Choir

The Zenzeleni School Choir consists of 90 learners from Grades 5 to 7.

We recently started the choir in March 2011 with Adrian Daniels as the choir master and had our first appearance at the annual National Waldorf Teachers Conference, held at Constantia Waldorf School, Cape Town. The learners sang and performed as part of the opening ceremony as well as entertaining those attending the conference during a refreshment break.

Our aim is to build a healthy, strong choir where learners can enjoy expressing themselves through music. We dream of travelling throughout South Africa and beyond, as singing ambassadors for Zenzeleni School.

Support staff