Pre - Primary
St Michael’s pre-primary is built on the foundations of love, learning, and fun.
We believe that learning happens best in a fun and hands-on environment in which learners can get dirty and use their bodies. Our holistic approach to education gives each learner the opportunity to succeed – not only academically, but socially, emotionally, spiritually, and physically as well. With small classes and trained assistants, each child can be given individual attention and care, ensuring the best foundations for formal schooling.
Our classrooms are beautifully decorated and fully stocked for creative and innovative learning. Each child has a locker in which to keep her personal belongings, each class has its own bathroom, and the large classrooms allow for ample space for both indoor play and academic activities.
Our large, beautiful, outdoor facilities are well kept and full of apparatus to help every child explore their skills and play for hours on end! Different enclosed playgrounds for each grade ensures better monitoring and safety for all rooms.
Our passionate staff are experienced, creative, and enthusiastic about learning and aim to make the classrooms a fun-filled, inclusive space for all. At St Michael’s we have an open door policy with our parents and believe that, in order for children of flourish, caregiver and teacher need to have open communication and mutual respect. We love what we do. We love children, and we love to see each child succeed and develop into the best version of themselves.
Why did we become pre-school teachers?
Teaching young bodies requires a little bit of chaos, lots of love, magic air kisses and a lot of madness and most importantly, FUN! This basically describes Teacher V.
The reason I became a teacher is because I want to inspire learners to think beyond their comfort zone and to challenge them to reach their full potential. I want to make a real difference in the lives of children in order to create lasting fun, creative and enjoyable memories
– Teacher Vicci (grade R)
There is a million reasons why I love what I do, even though we have a fair share of challenges along the way, but the feeling you get when overcoming these challenges never fails. Just when you start running out of patience or come close to giving up, your learners have a ‘breakthrough’ and see how thei skills develop and how they grow and mature. These rewarding moments also make you appreciate the funny moments along the way, like when a child says to you, “Teacher, I was hypnotized in my Granny’s church” (instead of baptized). Or when you ask the learners to draw a picture of their weekend and a child colours the whole page black and says to you, “but Teacher, it was loadshedding that day”. The funny and rewarding moments definitely outweigh the frustrating ones. Being flexible and exploring different teaching methods to assist learners with different learning styles keeps me excited and of course the ability to multi task helps a lot too!
– Teacher Michelle (grade 00)
What do you want to be when you grow up? Ever since I was five years old, my answer has been – a teacher. Pre-School teaching to me, is like the build up to a rollercoaster. Everyone is so excited when they get their ticket. They arrive mostly giddy with excitement and a little apprehensive. Make sure everyone is strapped in tight. Make sure everyone is ready to go, does everyone have a seat buddy? Off we go … A slow and steady incline to the top. Anticipation for what is to come. Excitement of the unknown. Then boom. Off they go on an adventure for which I know I prepared them. I can hear their joy and watch their experience from a distance. Twists and turns for which my lessons helped them brace. A year full of excitement and fun. Lots of screaming and laughing – and of course someone is always crying!
– Teacher Cassidy (grade R)
In my classroom my top priority is to care. Beyond that: to try and help plan the learners’ day. To encourage and inspire, to guide and support. To give of my skills, time and energy. BUT, most importantly to give LOVE!
My day consists of helping to validate and name emotions, and to: “Help me do it myself”. So, even when my pre-school day becomes tough and exhausting my mantra is, “when life gives you a blue Monday. Dip it in glitter and sparkle all week!”
As Pre-school teacher I have to be creative and flexible to be part of an exceptional teaching team. I am fortunate enough to be part of one in the SMS Pre-School. So, making your classroom and learning activities fun and memorable, remains with learners, sometimes for the rest of their lives.
– Teacher Dianne (Grade 000 – Pre-primary Head)
