Imhoff - the school, where three cultures meet

Half an hour's drive from our school, you come to the end of the wind-swept Cape Peninsula. Standing by the Cape Point lighthouse, you look far down to where two oceans meet. You might say that Imhoff School itself is where the waves of three cultures meet.  

A 5 minute taxi drive brings Xhosa speaking South Africans, a Zimbabwean and a Malawian to school. They all come from the cluster of shack houses called Masiphumelele, where illegal electricity cables hang across the streets; where dogs sleep in the dust and litter on the roadside; where fires destroy homes and take lives.

Even closer is Ocean View where Afrikaans (similar to Dutch) speaking people of mixed race live. Last year they burnt tyres and rioted at the turn off to Imhoff School, to show the government their frustration with the lack of houses. Many live in a cramped wooden hut in someone else's back yard. Many have no work, and drugs and alcohol are best sellers.

Further from the school, dotted between the mountains and the bays, are villages and towns like Scarborough and Kommetjie, famous for their surfing waves. Mostly 'white' English and Afrikaans speakers live in these areas.

There is a strong desire amongst our parents and teachers to include more children from Masiphumelele and Ocean View. But we get no money from the government and many parents sacrifice a lot to pay just for their own children. They find other ways of giving.

Recently, some set up a project in Masiphumelele where one morning a week they (physiotherapists, reflexologists, homeopaths and others) give free treatment to residents. We have also begun a 'buddy system' where a parent helps a sponsored child from his/her own child's class - lifting the parents to meetings, helping the child with homework, checking up that notices are received.

Yet there is so much more to do to make sure that such children get the best from Waldorf education. Bilingual adult assitants in the classes would help non-English speakers continue learning in their own language (vital for their sense of security and self-worth) while helping them to better understand the English. Then there is their health, extra remedial help and a Waldorf Kindergarten in Masiphumelele to act as a bridge to our school.

Many children of the township are nourished extremly one-sided, some are ill very often... Consider Sibulele, a quick, clever, funny 5 year old whose first English phrase was "Scuzi funny taybull" (Excuse me from the table). Specialist assessment could help show how he can control his energy, avoid hurting others and disrupting activities. A nutritional supplement would help him focus - but neither his parents nor the school can afford this.

It has worked for another boy who was adopted by one of our families. Orphaned at 5, he took months to stop gobbling his food and to trust that he would always get more later in the day. His inability to concentrate was greatly helped by daily supplements.

Consider a 14 year old girl who is often sick, has little energy, struggles to breath through her nose, and has strong mood swings. Her diet is mostly fat and white flour. Vegetables and fruit would help and so would regular
counselling. Her poor health means she cannot get the most out of her school-life.

So this is our school, the challenges we face and what we long to be able to do to make our school the one where not only three cultures meet, but where all thrive and grow strong together.

Yvette Worall

Confessions of a First Year Kindergarten Teacher

What a shock to my system! After my first day as Kindergarten teacher at Imhoff I felt as if a bus had driven over me and then reversed back over me again. Every muscle ached and I felt like an emotional zombie. All I craved was a quiet, dark room to rest my head and collapse into a heap.

One and a half terms have now gone by and I realize I’ve built up quite a bit of stamina - although I still need to sleep for at least an hour when I get home!

I have worked in many jobs in a variety of fields: at a five-star hotel, for an architect, in an international software company, as a kitchen porter, a farm labourer and even as a security guard in London. I can truly say that being a kindergarten teacher is the hardest job I have ever had! It is physically, emotionally, spiritually and intellectually taxing. I challenge anyone who thinks that work in the Kindergarten is a simple matter of "daycare".

For four and a half hours all my personal needs and normal bodily functions are put on hold while my entire attention and life force is devoted to my twelve charges. For those four and a half hours I become a surrogate mother, doctor, negotiator, nurse, housekeeper, rescue worker, interior decorator, peace and reconciliation arbitrator and professional wiper of noses and tears. (Oh yes, and don’t forget: dispenser of kisses and hugs!)

Creativity and Imagination are the tools we Kindergarten teachers use to create the magical atmosphere and space of our classes. A therapeutic story or song is like a homeopathic remedy for any tough situation. Despite the challenge they represent, the children are nevertheless the reason why this is a most rewarding vocation. I am grateful to their parents for sending them to my class and for putting them in my care.

They constantly surprise me. When I see them standing beside their parents or siblings I am shocked by how small they actually are. In the context of the Kindergarten classroom, each child seems enormous to me!

Sometimes, when a day has been tough or very tearful, a little gem comes my way such as when the little girl complained that a boy had been rude and had used a "square word". She was the one who explained that she needed to eat frequently because otherwise she would have "no blood sugar". A few days ago, another child told me she had to stay at home to look after her brother who was sick and had "the fluid"!

I am in awe of the community spirit and parent involvement at Imhoff School. At the end of last term just after our harvest festival, I walked out of the school gate full of pride at finding myself part of this school and community. I had a profound sense of belonging: that I had been the missing piece of the community puzzle. I felt that my coming to Imhoff had helped to create a beautiful whole.

Nicole Sparks

Donation key word: 4190 Imhoff or 2702 Imhoff sponsorship