Michelle Roma Du Plessis
Cape Town
Summary
Innovative educator and creative arts specialist with expertise in teaching South African Sign Language and visual arts to deaf and hard-of-hearing learners. Designs engaging lesson plans and fosters inclusive environments to support learner development through differentiated instruction. Experienced in administrative roles within healthcare and media, showcasing adaptability and strong organisational skills.
Overview
23
23
years of professional experience
Work History
Teacher
Dominican School for Deaf Children
Wittebome
02.2024 - Current
- Plan and deliver engaging lessons in South African Sign Language (SASL), Life Orientation, Numeracy, and creative activities appropriate for pre-school learners.
- Create a visual, language-rich, and inclusive classroom environment that supports communication and early childhood development.
- Use differentiated teaching methods and learning materials to meet the diverse needs and abilities of deaf and hard-of-hearing learners.
- Support the development of learners’ confidence, independence, social skills, and emotional well-being.
- Assess learner progress and maintain records to support individual learning and development.
- Work closely with parents, caregivers, and multidisciplinary teams to ensure holistic support for each child.
- Vision: To provide quality education that promotes the language, communication, academic, social, emotional, and personal development of deaf and hard-of-hearing learners in an inclusive and supportive environment.
Creative Art Teacher
Mary Kihn School for Deaf
Cape Town
04.2022 - 01.2024
- Designed lesson plans that aligned with Mary Kihn School and provided opportunities for deaf learners to explore contemporary art and artists.
- Implemented differentiated instruction, tailoring lessons to meet the needs of learners with diverse learning styles and abilities.
- Encouraged student creativity and self-expression through open ended projects and discussion, resulting in increased learners’ confidence and engagement.
- Managed classroom behavior effectively using positive reinforcement and consequences to maintain a safe and productive learning environment.
- Co-teach with the SASL teacher the grammar, literature and culture of SASL.
- Do joint planning for presenting lessons.
- Act as Role Model for SASL.
- Support learners who are struggling with a concept and work individually with learners in order to acquire SASL.
- Assist with the preparation of worksheets.
- Assist with setting up of technology needed to present lessons, record learners or do assessments.
- Assist with assessing learners.
- After webcam or video recordings, save all material on one central memory stick, hard drive or disc presenting classes.
- Assist with development of signs where no signs/terminology exist.
- Share accountability for the outcomes of the SASL CAPS.
- Weekly evaluation of the successes and the failures.
- Vision - We believe in building the self-esteem and communication skills of children who are deaf and hard of hearing by providing the highest quality of services so they can reach their potential regardless of economic status. We strongly believe that parents must be actively involved and educated in this process as they are the key factor in the success of their deaf and hard-of-hearing children.
Administrative Clerk – Intern & Volunteer
Department of Health
Cape Town
08.2018 - 07.2019
- Managed patient folders at reception, coordinating appointments (new, follow-up and operations) to streamline administrative processes.
- Admitted, registered and discharged patients while managing all enquiries to enhance patient experience.
- Correct patient assessment and accurate data collection and records.
- Collect, collate and validate daily stats.
- Collected and organised all patient folders and files at the end of each day.
- Assisting deaf patients and interpreting to communicate with doctors, nurses and pharmacist.
- Collected, safeguarded and deposited state money, ensuring compliance with financial protocols.
- Vision – A Long and healthy life for all South Africans – to improve health status through the prevention of illness and the promotion of healthy lifestyles and to consistently improve the healthcare delivery system by focusing on access, equity, efficiency, quality and sustainability.
Media Library Assistant
ETV Studio
Cape Town
10.2013 - 08.2017
- Collating and filing music cue sheets for all scheduled programmes.
- Follow up with producers & advertisers on submission of music cue sheets.
- Compile music cue sheet report and check report against actual broadcast music broadcast on the e-channels.
- Download and log all music cue sheets from website production distributors.
- Compile report of movies and series music cue sheets to be ordered.
- Monitor outstanding deliveries and liaise with couriers regarding all deliveries and collections.
- Return /destroy rejected material or expired licensed material on regular basis and return materials to the distributor on request.
- Vision – E.tv is the first and only free-to-air commercial TV channel in South Africa and the largest English-medium channel with 15.2 million viewers to date.
Quality Control and Filing Clerk
South African Express Lines
Cape Town
02.2013 - 06.2017
- Retrieve, sort, clarify and receive files.
- Work out percentage on Financial Card on every file.
- Assist in training of other clerical staff and manager in handling key documents.
- Observing files for the final checking before handout to Operations Manager.
- Sort material in accordance with filing system used.
- Collect materials to be filed from company and staff.
- Keep accurate records of files.
Single View Customer Co-Ordinator / Documentation Support / Bookings Administrator / Documentation Clerk
Safmarine
Cape Town
01.2003 - 02.2011
- Started at Safmarine as Documentation Clerk (Jan 2003 – Oct 2003) and was promoted to Bookings Administrator (Oct 2003 – Dec 2004) and then to Documentation Support (Jan 2005 – Nov 2007).
- From Nov 2007 to Feb 2011, worked as Single View Customer Co-Ordinator before being retrenched.
- Started in data capturing and auditing; moved into processing e-bookings, e-transactions, e-stats etc. and ended up working on Maersk (MDWS) Documentation Workflow System; Auditing responsibilities and reporting; and Monitoring of area offices etc.
- Compiled and distributed CAT reporting accurately, meeting all deadlines.
- Sent YMP and YMPe servers to designated recipients.
- Managed daily SCV activities, ensuring operational efficiency across the team.
- Updated SCV documentation and provided project support.
- MAR to support inland tariff updates.
- Approver for Cluster re: requests for updates – both Safmarine and Maersk.
- Captured data accurately for record-keeping purposes.
- Maintaining data records in SCV.
- Conducted audits to verify data deletions, ensuring data accuracy and integrity.
Education
Multilingual Education and Literacies - SASL
WITS University
Johannesburg, GP12-2019
Sign Language For Families - HI Hopes - SASL
WITS University
Johannesburg, GP12-2018
Sign Language Education & Development Course - Engaging in short conversations with a Deaf person on a familiar topic, using SASL, Performing everyday communicative tasks, using South African Sign Language
SLED
12-2012
GCSS, MGM, Lotus notes - Complete Microsoft Packages
Safmarine
12-2009
Matric - English, Mathematics N1 – N3, Typing, Business Economics, Physiology & Accounting N1 – N3
Dominican School for the Deaf, Wittebome
12-2000
Pastel Accounting - N1 – N3
GA Accounting and Software Package
12-2000
Interns Training Workshop - Health
WESTERN CAPE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
11-2018
Communication Skills - Media
SABIDO eAcademy
06-2014
Conduct Outcomes-based Assessment - Assessor
College of Cape Town
Athlone, WCSkills
Visual Arts teaching
- Curriculum planning
- Classroom management and learner support
- Learner assessment
- Inclusive education
- Learner collaboration
- Teaching organisation
- Creative problem-solving
- Teamwork and professional collaboration
- SASL communication
- Art mediums expertise
- Drawing, Painting, Sculpture, Mixed Media and Craft
- Teaching organisation
Custom
- Jill Wilmot, Principal, 021-447 0310
- Felicity Du Plessis, Operational Manager, Health Dept., 021-797 8171
- Tracy Peters, ETV Manager, 021-408 4549
Timeline
Teacher
Dominican School for Deaf Children
02.2024 - Current
Creative Art Teacher
Mary Kihn School for Deaf
04.2022 - 01.2024
Administrative Clerk – Intern & Volunteer
Department of Health
08.2018 - 07.2019
Media Library Assistant
ETV Studio
10.2013 - 08.2017
Quality Control and Filing Clerk
South African Express Lines
02.2013 - 06.2017
Single View Customer Co-Ordinator / Documentation Support / Bookings Administrator / Documentation Clerk
Safmarine
01.2003 - 02.2011
Multilingual Education and Literacies - SASL
WITS University
Sign Language For Families - HI Hopes - SASL
WITS University
Sign Language Education & Development Course - Engaging in short conversations with a Deaf person on a familiar topic, using SASL, Performing everyday communicative tasks, using South African Sign Language
SLED
GCSS, MGM, Lotus notes - Complete Microsoft Packages
Safmarine
Matric - English, Mathematics N1 – N3, Typing, Business Economics, Physiology & Accounting N1 – N3
Dominican School for the Deaf, Wittebome
Pastel Accounting - N1 – N3
GA Accounting and Software Package
Interns Training Workshop - Health
WESTERN CAPE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Communication Skills - Media
SABIDO eAcademy
Conduct Outcomes-based Assessment - Assessor
College of Cape Town