New deputy looks to God for wisdom
“I always wanted to be teacher, except for a brief moment in my childhood when I wanted to become a radio announcer.”
EVANDER – Ms Telanie Flemming, the newly appointed deputy principal of TP Stratten Primary School seeks God’s face daily for wisdom in her task as an educator.
“He is my anchor and guide,” said the 58 year old who has an abundant love for children.
Ms Flemming is firmly rooted in this area. Although she was born in Namibia, she grew up in Bethal and matriculated at Hoërskool Hoogenhout.
“I always wanted to be teacher, except for a brief moment in my childhood when I wanted to become a radio announcer.”
Her first teaching post was at Jim van Tonder School in Bethal where she spesialised in educational guidance.
She commuted to Jim van Tonder daily for 11 years until her own children were of school going age.
Ms Flemming married her high school sweetheart, Mr Herman Flemming, and have two daughters, Julinda (32) and Madelein (30).
“And they brought home wonderful husbands who I have taken on as my sons,” said Ms Flemming. Her husband is her safe house and pillar of strength.
“She applied for the position as a department head at TP Stratten Primary School back in 1993 and has been teaching at this school ever since.
“I am as part of the furniture here as the antique cupboards in my office,” she teased.
She went through all the changes and challenges that the school faced during the past two decades, as it changed from parallel medium to double medium and then to an English only school.
“I have worked with children who really struggle to keep up with the mainstream educational system, as well as those tested for superior intelligence. The most rewarding thing for me is to see the look on a child’s face when he or she succeed at something.
“It is the best feeling to see their reaction when they finally grasp a concept.”
The thing that breaks her heart is when she sees troubled little faces.
“The hardship in some homes is depicted on these faces. It pains me when a child cannot live the life of a child, but has to carry the burdens of an adult.”
Ms Flemming teaches Afrikaans and economic management science to the Grade 7 learners.
She is also a former maths teacher who is now content with her new position as deputy principal and has no aspiration to become the principal or moving to another school.
“I refer to this school’s personnel as the 2km people – they do not just walk an extra kilometre to help, but are willing to double that effort. It is the team work from every person on our staff – from teacher to cleaner – that makes us great.”
Her role model is her mother, Ms Skatjie Pretorius. “I am blessed to have such a loving and caring person as my mom.”
