AFFECTIONATELY known as ‘Mom G’, ‘Mrs G’ and ‘Ma’ to pupils at Toti High School, teacher Lyn Glanvill will retire at the end of the term, Friday 12 December, after 16 years at the school and 43 years in the teaching fraternity.
“I haven’t really thought about retirement, but I am going to miss coming to school,” she said.
Lyn has taught an array of subjects such as English, Afrikaans, history, geography, social science, life orientation and was also the school counsellor. Teaching was not just a career choice for Lyn but a vocation.
“I decided teaching was for me in grade 6 while attending Roodepoort Town School. I taught my sisters and the neighbourhood children. I hated the school holidays.” After matric, she earned a degree at Wits University and education qualifications at the Johannesburg College of Education.
Her first post was at Pretoria Girls High School, where she taught Afrikaans and history. “I absolutely loved it.” After teaching at various schools in Johnannesburg, the Glanvills moved to Toti in 1991.
After holding three locum posts at Toti High, Lyn taught at Holy Family College for five years and followed-up with a seven-year stint at Adams College in Adams Mission.
In 1998, she returned to Toti High after being offered the position of counsellor.
“I started school at the age of five-and-a-half and exactly 60 years later at the age of 65-and-a-half I am leaving school,” said a jovial Lyn. She has not only been a teacher to pupils, as many of them see her as a ‘mom’ figure.
Outside of the classroom, Lyn was involved in a number of extra-curricular activities such as hockey, bodyboarding, catering, chess and managing the softball team.”You get to know the children on a different level during these activities.”
Lyn advised those thinking of taking up teaching to be passionate about it. “Don’t let it be a second choice. My second choice was nursing. I also qualified in first aid, combining both my career aspirations.” At sports events, she treated many an injury, being the first aider on duty.
One of her career highlights was helping pupils obtain 8 As after taking over a matric class in the middle of the school year. “I had no matric experience. I was petrified. But I told myself I knew what I was doing and, by the results, proved to myself that I am able to take up the challenge.”
Lyn’s strengths were not only in school, but the community too. For 10 years she was actively involved in the Toti Trauma Room and worked closely with Colleen Ross, the founder of Safecare, a forerunner of Amanzimtoti Trauma Unit. She was a Sunday school teacher at St Winifreds Methodist Church, involved with the Girl Guide unit in Toti and Brownies in Warner Beach and a member of Kingsburgh Lions Club.
However, she is by no means taking a break, she is still active in several organisations, but said ‘it’s now time to walk my dog’. Lyn has two children and two grandchildren. The Glanvills eventually plan to move to Johannesburg, as all their family live there.
