An Intern Experience

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." The College has the staff, skills and experience to develop and train potential professional educators thus Making a Difference in the educational sector in our country. Our intern programme provides work experience helping students put their education into practice, develop their leadership skills, and opportunities to be mentored, and acquire the skills and methods needed for effective teaching and classroom management.

Report by Enos Phosa and Nicole Davidson on behalf of Boys’ College 2022 Interns

Being part of the 2022 St Stithians Boys’ College staff has been a gratifying experience for us interns. During our introduction to the staff in front of Chapel, as the newbies of the Saints Family, in January (feels like just yesterday), we were assured that our internship would be a rewarding experience, equipping us with the preparation and the skills necessary for the start of our teaching careers and beyond. On that Chapel stage, that assurance, may have meant different things to each one of us - fast forward to end of the year (the end of the internship for some) there is absolutely no doubt of the fact that we have had a first class internship experience, under the close guidance of highly experienced and knowledgeable professionals, who spent hours on end facilitating the transformation of first time mildly inexperienced aspiring teachers into the group that we are today.

A valuable lesson we take away from this year is that of SERVICE, because that is exactly what we are dedicating our professional careers towards. One of the seven pillars of St Stithians is that of Community Engagement, with the boys and the staff encouraged to participate in the service of improving the surrounding community. In term one we took part in a community engagement activity where we joined the Grade 8s and 9s during their community service hours at Vuleka School.

In the last week of term two, we separated into groups and went to different schools in the area to complete a week of community service which included teaching classes and coaching sport. During that week, we were expected to integrate ourselves with the school environment and fully commit ourselves to the betterment of the students.

No one expounded the importance of service better than Mrs Frankiskos, Deputy Head: Academics in the term three skills sessions we had with her in which she workshopped interview skills, CV and cover letter writing and general classroom management tips, among other things. Together with the dozen other impact sessions, we had this year, it is safe to indeed say we are truly equipped and ready for this journey of service.

Thank you to the Boys’ College leadership, staff members and mentors as well as the Thandulwazi team for a fulfilling and most remarkable internship experience. Our lives have been touched in a special way.