Carmen Williams
My name is Carmen Williams. I am currently the Deputy Principal of Littlewood Primary School.
I was trained as an INTERSEN teacher and graduated from Hewat College of Education in 1996 and have 26 years of teaching experience.
When I graduated in 1996, it was uncertain times in the new South Africa and permanent jobs for teachers were not available as the country was in transition. For seven years I went from school to school as a substitute or in a contract position.
During this time, I gained valuable experience teaching at different schools, under different leadership styles, and also in different grades. Many times I was thrown into the deep end without mentoring and support. Thus mentoring has become a core concept to me. It also means that I appreciate the valuable experience I am currently gaining from working with the PPA principals in my role as Secretary and Mentor.
Many times I was given the worst classes that no one wanted to teach. This formed me into a well-balanced disciplinarian, being able to handle any type of behavioural problem.
I love sport and was the Netball coach and umpire for many years.
I was appointed as an ELSEN (Educator for Learners with Special Educational Needs) and moved between Littlewood and Alpine Primary schools.
Thereafter I was appointed as the Foundation Phase HOD (I was not trained as a Foundation phase teacher but my sister Janine Griebelaar physically taught me everything I needed to know about teaching in the Foundation phase) at Littlewood Primary. I achieved a diploma for Systemic Test in grade 3 for Language and Mathematics and was asked by the Curriculum Advisor to share my good practices with other teachers in our circuit. I was identified as a Lead Teacher in the Foundation Phase and trained other teachers in Mitchell’s Plain with the new curriculum, CAPS.
My eldest son has a learning disability. He went to Mitchell’s Plain school of skills and I served on the SGB of the school as a parent member, first as the secretary and then as the Chairperson. I was also privileged to serve on the SGB of Littlewood Primary for 12 years as the secretary.
As the Deputy, I am teaching in the INTERSEN phase and mentor the Foundation Phase HOD’s. I am the CEMIS administrator of our school.
I have been teaching at Littlewood Primary for the past 19 years and I love my school and the community where I teach.
I am passionate about teaching and honour it as a calling. As a child I attended Hillside Primary and Cedar Secondary schools. Through my schooling years, I was blessed with excellent teachers who paved the way to my rewarding career.