I needed anything more. But, if I was being honest, I was probably a little unsure of my abilities and doubtful of whether I was up to the task. Then I started thinking that maybe there might be something good on the other side of this for me. I got curious about what might happen and decided then and there to accept the challenge. To fully commit to my goal and make sure I excel in my new role I knew that I needed to equip myself with additional skills and knowledge. That is why I decided to enroll in an Education Management course. I needed to change my mindset quite a lot when moving from primarily a teaching role to a more managerial one. I was
AT FIR S T I WA S A BI T SHOCK ED A ND IF I WA S BEING HONE S T I WA S UNSURE OF M Y A BIL I T IE S.
no longer working with young learners, I was working
with adults, but in many ways, I was still expected to be a kind of father figure even though the way you communicate with them is different. The challenge for me was to get to know each and every teacher, because as a manager, you need to know your people for them to deliver. Whenever you see that there is a work problem, it might have a personal aspect, and as a manager, you need to check in with your staff, sit down with them and give them the guidance they need to work through the problem. You can only do that if you know them well. After two years, I completed my Education Management degree and it was then that I realized that the administrative side of education was where I wanted to be. Not only was I enjoying my role as HOD, but the teachers under me and my manager were very supportive and encouraging. ‘This is the right fit for you,’ they said. That was the turning point for me. Soon afterward, I was promoted to Deputy Principal. After eleven years as Deputy, I knew that I wanted to be the head of my own school one day. But I also knew I needed to fully prepare myself by furthering my education. That was when I registered at The University of Cape Town (UCT) to
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