Farewell to Josephine Gopie, Euphrasia Munyoro, Nanine Gaynor and Zezethu Ngcwama

Josephine Gopie

When did you start at Imhoff?
Around nine years ago I began helping for one week a month in Playgroup. A Norwegian family who had children at Imhoff introduced me to the school – Ann and Ketjel. Soon I was working two weeks and then the following year I assisted. After another year I worked in Kindergarten with Joy. In 2013 I helped in the toddler class with Caron and I loved that. It was the sweetest year. Then back in 2014 I went back to Kindergarten to assist Jen Johnson as we had enough children then to open a third Kindergarten. It was a lot of work building a new Kindergarten and even the garden was just sand at the time but we took on the challenge. I worked for two years with Jen and also held Aftercare. Then Jen went travelling and her post became available and I applied and got the teaching post. This was a good moment for me.

What were the challenges and gifts of working in Kindergarten?
To be a class teacher was a big responsibility and I learnt a lot from my colleagues. I appreciated the help of teachers and parents who supported me and told me, ‘Don’t stress, Josephine’. I worked closely with families I had known since Playgroup. When we started the garden was just a sandy heap and we had many work parties and together with the school created the space we see today.

How has this year been for you, working with Nanine?
It’s been wonderful working with an experienced teacher and, with her magic complementing mine, it’s been a good relationship. I have appreciated her warmth and gentleness and she has helped me to grow in my personality.

How are you feeling about leaving Imhoff?
It is sad having to close two classes for the first time since being at Imhoff. However, I am making the best of my circumstances and going to the Eastern Cape.

What are your plans there?
I have been building my house. In the future I hope to build a home for children, a safe place for them, and to teach again.

What do you love about children?
They make me laugh and I forget about my troubles, being with children.

What will you miss about Imhoff?

I will miss the warm hugs from my colleagues each morning when I arrive for the morning verse. We have such a special connection herewith each other. I will miss the children.

Thank you, Josephine, from the bottom of our hearts, for the warm, jovial and embracing love you have brought to Imhoff, to the children and to the parents and teachers all these years. We wish you happiness in the future.

Nan Raubenheimer, on behalf of the pre-school teachers

Nanine Gaynor

I am really grateful for the time that I spent teaching Kindergarten this year at Imhoff.  It was heartening to share with the children the year’s seasons, moods and festivals.  It was a real privilege to get to know the children. These beautiful angels inspired warmth and creativity that gave all of us the opportunity to grow a little that we would not otherwise have had.  This I shall sorely miss.  As I will sorely miss Teacher Josie, who generously shared her class, space and heart with me. The year was rich with challenges and blessings, moments that I would repeat a hundred times over and some painful ones, best experienced once only, and all part of growing.

Working with the angels, seasonal materials, spirit beings, fairy tales and festivals is such a rich and fulfilling way to meet the Kindergarten child and gives their imaginations much material to play with in healthy, nourishing ways.

I also greatly appreciated the opportunity to work with supportive colleagues who sincerely live by Steiner’s pedagogical practices, where our aim is to educate in reverence and love.  I hope very much that there will be some opportunity in the near future for me to return to Imhoff Waldorf School as a Kindergarten teacher.

Nan Gaynor, Kindergraten teacher

Euphrasia Manyoro

I have shared our Kindergarten class with Euphrasia since the beginning of this year. We got along right from the very beginning.

We are going to miss her in every way. The children adore her, as they see her deep love and affection for them. Euphrasia has a light, playful nature and they thrive on it.

I am so grateful that we have shared this special time together. We have become close friends and I appreciate her wisdom and intuition. Euphrasia is serene, elegant and calm at all times.

Consistency is her middle name and her inner strength is extremely comforting for all of us.

I wish her a new journey filled with abundant love, laughs and peace of mind. May Euphrasia, her three sons and her husband be blessed beyond what mere words can describe.

Caroline Joseph, Kindergarten teacher

Zezethu Ncgwama

Zezethu has worked at Imhoff Waldorf School in the Pre-school for the past three years. She has worked with children from ages three till seven, and was much loved by them all. She has always been an earnest, efficient and hard worker with a warm heart and a great love for children. She quietly goes about getting things done whilst all the time being aware of the needs of all the children. She developed a perfect instinct – knowing when to help and when to allow them to try and manage for themselves. Zezethu also makes the most beautiful crafts. She is sincere and has a wisdom far beyond her years. She is beautiful both inside and out, and we wish her every success into the future. She will be greatly missed by all who have known her.

 

Laura Moss, Kindergarten teacher