Maylene Mentu

I am currently working at the College of Cape Town as a Life Skills Lecturer for the NCV Electrical and Robotics faculties.

The NCV program is for three years, and I teach the subject to Level 2, Level 3, and Level 4 students.

I am the only Life Skills lecturer at my campus, so I teach all the classes.

I have attended the following workshops and training:

1. CIVICS training

2. Disability training

3. Currently completing a CIVICS certificate through Higher Health

Being an educator at Kasselsvlei Comprehensive High School has been an absolute game changer in my career.

I taught Life Orientation (including Physical Education) to grades 8 to 12.

I taught English to Grade 8 and Grade 9.

I was the teacher liaison officer for the RCL, and I was in charge of Grade 8 discipline. I took pride in planning things for the school, such as Grade 8 Fun Day and the Mr. and Ms. Kasselsvlei modeling show, of which I was the master of ceremonies.

When starting at this primary school, I was appointed to a maternity post. After four months, the school extended my contract. In the last two months of 2021, I taught English HL to four Grade 6 classes, and Life Skills to five Grade 6 classes. In 2022, I was then moved to grade 5, where I taught all the subjects (classroom teaching) for Term 1. In Term 2 and 3, I taught Grade 7 Life Orientation, Grade 6 English HL, Grade 6 Life Skills, and one Grade 5 Physical Education.

Class sizes vary between 40 – 45 learners, these learners all come from poverty-stricken households and most learners do not have the full support from parents and do not receive the proper care they supposed to get. Therefore, I believe it was my duty to fulfill that learner with a passion for education and make that child believe that he or she is better than the circumstances they might find themselves in.

My administrative duties included setting up assessments and examination papers, along with the various memorandums. I was given 48 hours to mark scripts and record marks. I filled out SNA’s, completed registers (hardcopy and online), and completed result analysis, etc.

I was part of the following committees: Sports, Discipline, First Aid, and HIV/AIDS committee.

I started a dance society at the school, which the learners thoroughly enjoyed.