Star teacher of the week: Leopord Indongo

My journey as a teacher began in 2020 at CJ Brandt HS in the Khomas Region. I’m currently responsible for English and Oshiwambo for grades eight to 12 at Okahandja Secondary School.

Everyone has a passion for a certain profession, and so do I. Ever since I was young, I have always wanted to become a teacher.

My teachers were compassionate and friendly towards learners, and this ignited a passion for becoming a teacher.

When I was young, I used to write on walls and doors in the house, and with these imaginary classes, I began to believe my intuition that teaching was a calling.

During high school, I was always available to help explain certain concepts to my peers.

Although I passed grade 12 with points that qualified me for a lot of courses, I didn’t think of any field of study other than education because my desire to teach a Namibian child overweighed other professional options.

Teaching is a very exhausting profession. It requires one to be strong because every day you are faced with new challenges. Working with ill-disciplined learners is the most excruciating thing about teaching, because you first have to make sense of their bad behaviours and understand why they are behaving in that way.

Often, our workplace is difficult as teachers are approached by angry parents who arrive to fight and insult teachers when we try to correct their children’s bad behaviours.

Teaching learners who don't want to help themselves is also difficult.

This generation will make you work the hardest and harvest nothing; they make us feel dumb for even trying because they are not willing to put in the effort. It's a struggle, but we push and carry some of the learners, although the plan was to carry them all to success.

They say discipline is the mother of success – imagine teaching learners who do not have discipline; at the end of the day, you will harvest failure.

There are many reasons why I love teaching.

Through teaching, one learns one or two lessons every day.

It's an amazing feeling when you instil knowledge into a Namibian child because you open their minds to the world they live in. It’s through teaching that we foster a rapport with people from different walks of life, which connects us to the world. Shaping someone’s life is significant. I always look forward to seeing my learners progress in life because I don’t want to send them into the streets but into the workforce so that they can contribute to Namibia's development.

In life, there is always a Plan B if Plan A doesn't succeed.

If I couldn’t have become a teacher, I would have become a journalist. As an eloquent individual, I have always wanted to address the masses through different platforms of communication, such as television.

Writing has always been my ultimate passion, and it’s through writing that I would have kept the masses abreast of what was going on in the country.

In this profession, one has to be motivated in order to achieve greater heights.

I believe in motivation that comes from within because it comes from the bottom of my heart. Seeing a smile on the face of a Namibian child motivates me to push harder to make sure that they excel in their academic work.

Seeing learners put in more effort also motivates me to go the extra mile to make sure their efforts bear fruit.

A positive work environment motivates me to get up every day filled with energy and ready to deliver.

I am inspired by outstanding leadership because it helps me grow professionally and be a competent teacher.

Lastly, a rainbow team always inspires me in this profession because I believe in diversity. It's constructive when different minds come together to explore different ideas, provided that they reach mutual concessions.

There are various activities I indulge in during my leisure time. In solitary moments, I watch movies or have fun with friends on social media, but at other times, I grab a book and read.

Those are the indoor activities I enjoy while embracing the beautiful ceiling of my house. On other days, I step beyond the horizon of my house and explore the mesmerising nature outside. My fondness for exploring knows no bounds.

I have achieved a lot in this profession.

I always work hard to make sure that I achieve my goals. In 2020, I obtained a 98% pass rate in English higher level of L1-L4.

It’s one of my greatest achievements, and it has helped me become the best teacher I can be.

My learners were able to enrol at universities of their choice, especially part-time learners who were able to improve their English results.

To prospective teachers, teaching is a divine appointment.

It's never too early to study teaching to help you understand the ups and downs of the profession.

Familiarise yourself with the education laws and codes of conduct.

Delve into your psychological and emotional weaknesses because working with learners requires emotional intelligence. Teaching does not just entail sharing knowledge; it goes beyond that.

One has to practice acting 'in loco parentis', which is a Latin term meaning 'in [the] place of a parent' or 'instead of a parent'.