WITH 575 pupils under his wing, Crawford College Preparatory School’s newly appointed principal, Alan Angel, said he’s ready for the task ahead.
Alan is a local Durban Norther and former pupil of Rosehill Primary School, Chelsea Preparatory School and Northwood School.
He said he always knew teaching was what he wanted to do, adding that he stayed in a res at Edgewood College in Pinetown, where he started off by studying high school teaching.
During his first year completing his practical studies he taught senior primary pupils at Chelsea Preparatory School.
“It was then that I decided to change my course, focusing mainly on maths, which is my favourite subject to teach,” he said.
“I love problem solving and showing children that with hard work, any math problem can be solved.”
Alan then taught at Glenashley Preparatory School for many years, before joining Crawford College La Lucia in 1999 as the school’s sports coordinator and Grade 6 teacher.
In 2005 Alan left teaching for three years.
“I never regretted leaving teaching for a while. It was important for me to realise that teaching was where I needed to be. It just reaffirmed my passion for teaching,” he said.
In 2008 Alan returned to teaching at Crawford College La Lucia, in the high school section, and in 2009 Alan was appointed as the preparatory school’s deputy principal.
At the beginning of this year, the preparatory school’s principal, Owen Kuyper, moved to the college’s head office in Johannesburg. Alan was then appointed as acting principal, but in the second term was appointed as the principal.
“For me it is amazing to see the difference a teacher can make in a child’s life,” he said.
“We, as teachers, have such a great opportunity to show children that they can achieve anything they put their minds to.
“Every child is so different and they keep challenging us. It is important to note that a teacher can have a positive or negative influence on a child’s schooling career,” he added.
