The Thami Xulu Foundation, in partnership with the Squaring the Education Pyramid Institute (STEPi), brought a message of compassion, understanding, and purposeful teaching to educators during a special workshop on August 22 in Lambton.

The workshop brought together teachers from Rondebult Primary School and School of Affirmation, with a focus on helping educators better understand their learners and strengthen the way they teach by putting love, empathy, and compassion at the centre of education.

The initiative recognises that teaching goes beyond delivering lessons and completing the curriculum.

ALSO READ: Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation supports 1 848 vulnerable families in Primrose

“Teachers play an important role in shaping the emotional, social, and academic development of children, and understanding each learner’s individual circumstances can make a significant difference in the classroom,” said Pumeza Macingwane from STEPi.

Through the Teaching with Love programme, teachers were equipped with practical strategies to recognise the unique potential and journey of every learner.

The workshop encouraged teachers to look beyond academic performance and consider the emotional and social factors that can influence how children learn and participate in the classroom.

The organisation’s philosophy is rooted in the belief that children do not all start life from the same position.

Differences in family circumstances, access to resources, and opportunities can have a profound impact on a child’s educational journey.

ALSO READ: Watch: Dis-Chem Foundation helps keep the NSRI ready when the ocean calls

STEPi’s approach seeks to address these inequalities early by promoting an inclusive education system informed by brain development, early childhood literacy, positive psychology, and social-emotional learning.

The workshop placed teachers in scenarios that some learners and families find themselves in, encouraging educators to reflect and lead with compassion while recognising that every learner has potential.

For the teachers who participated, the workshop provided an opportunity to reflect on their own teaching approaches and consider how greater understanding and empathy can create a more positive learning environment.

“STEPi emphasises that when teachers feel valued, supported, and emotionally well, they are better positioned to inspire their learners. Its philosophy is captured in the belief that happy teachers can change the world, with the positive impact of a supported educator extending to the learners, families, and communities they serve,” explained Macingwane.

ALSO READ: Wami Foundation founder empowers learners

The partnership between the Thami Xulu Foundation and STEPi therefore highlighted the importance of investing not only in learners, but also in the educators who guide them every day.

The workshop also provided teachers with practical teaching strategies and tools that can be applied in their classrooms, helping them respond more effectively to the different needs and learning journeys of their learners.

Importantly, STEPi’s Teaching with Love workshops are SACE endorsed, allowing participating teachers to earn Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points while gaining skills that can contribute meaningfully to their professional development.

In addition, participants received hampers containing tools and guidebooks covering what they learned in the workshop to assist them in their classrooms.

“The workshop served as a reminder that education is not simply about what is taught, but also about how children are taught and how they are made to feel in the process,” said Thami Xulu Foundation founder Thami Xulu.

The teachers expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to learn and grow in their profession while being armed with tools to become better teachers.