Primary School Teachers in Riebeek Kasteel and Paarl
Sophie Carnegie - Founder
Sophie is the Founder of Carnegie House and has been involved in the schools since 2005. She holds a BSc (Hons) in Botany, a 3 - 6 year Montessori teaching Diploma, a Post Graduate Certificate in Education (UNISA) as well as various School Management certificates. Sophie believes deeply in the true potential of every child and teacher and has committed herself to providing education environments which are rich, stimulating, kind and safe for every child and teacher. She strongly believes that education - from the earliest age - is a preparation for life and that today's child growing up in today's and tomorrow's world requires so much more than a traditional approach to education.
Lizelle Joubert - School Principal Paarl and Junior Primary (6-9 years) teacher
Lizelle holds a teaching diploma and and an advanced diploma in remeidal teaching. Lizelle loves the child-centered approach of the Montessori classroom as well as the respect that is provided to every unique individual. Lizelle has a passion for working with children who have barriers . Lizelle has 15 years of working with children from preschool to Grade 3. She spent 4 years as the principal of a preschool.
Carika Strydom - School Principal Paarl and Junior Primary (6-9 years) teacher
Carika joined the foundation phase at Carnegie House, at the beginning of the second term in 2017. Before that, she taught at 4 other schools over a period of 6 years, including a school for special needs in education. Carika graduated in 2014 from UNISA, with her Bachelor of Education in Foundation Phase. Whilst studying through correspondence, Carika had a wonderful opportunity to start gaining practical experience at a school. It was then that she realised that she had indeed found her special calling. “Montessori is definitely the most inspiring approach to education that I have ever come across. My goal is to go far beyond teaching children and there is nothing more inspiring to me than to see the face of a child who has mastered a new skill.”
Jessie Graven - School Principal Riebeek Kasteel and Senior Primary (9-12 years) teacher
Jessie obtained a BA degree from the University of Pretoria, majoring in English and German and has many years of teaching experience, teaching mainly English at various institutions. At Carnegie House, Jessie re- discovered her love for Mathematics and thoroughly enjoys teaching the language of Maths as well!
Jessie loves teaching in an environment where each child’s potential can be developed and optimized. At Carnegie House this is of the utmost importance and learners are provided with every opportunity to grow and to learn independence and responsibility for their own choices. The core values of the school are sound and values that Jessie supports completely. Jessie is aware of the huge responsibility she has as a teacher and prays that she is inspiring children to become successful global citizens, following their dreams and making a difference while they are doing so. It is such a privilege to be able to share information with receptive young minds, and at the same time learn so much from them.
The wonderful, inspiring interaction with children and colleagues makes this profession so worthwhile and fulfilling. Being a part of the Carnegie House family has been a learning curve and a source of great joy to her.
Jessie loves teaching in an environment where each child’s potential can be developed and optimized. At Carnegie House this is of the utmost importance and learners are provided with every opportunity to grow and to learn independence and responsibility for their own choices. The core values of the school are sound and values that Jessie supports completely. Jessie is aware of the huge responsibility she has as a teacher and prays that she is inspiring children to become successful global citizens, following their dreams and making a difference while they are doing so. It is such a privilege to be able to share information with receptive young minds, and at the same time learn so much from them.
The wonderful, inspiring interaction with children and colleagues makes this profession so worthwhile and fulfilling. Being a part of the Carnegie House family has been a learning curve and a source of great joy to her.
Louwdine Steenkamp - Senior Primary (9-12 years) teacher
Louwdine is reaching her 10th year of teaching. Louwdine believes that teaching chose her. Teaching allows her to inspire the youth and also be inspired by them. One of the reasons she loves teaching so much is how much there is to learn from each other. She respects Maria Montessori for thinking out of the box and recognizing that every child is different. Montessori education has a place for all.
Children are special because they are our future and they don’t even know it - they are natural, fragile, humble beings for a moment in our hands and it is our responsibility to handle them with care.
Children are special because they are our future and they don’t even know it - they are natural, fragile, humble beings for a moment in our hands and it is our responsibility to handle them with care.
Rozanne Henry- Junior Primary (6-9 years) teacher
Rozanne trained as a mainstream primary school teacher and taught for a number of years. Rozanne has also received training to work with special needs children . Raising a child’s self esteem and making them feel safe and held is something she came to feel very passionate about. For her this is key to any kind of learning. Rozanne came to witness how much a child thrives on gentle, nurturing presence from an adult. She believes wholeheartedly in educating not only the mind of a child but expanding their abilities for other life skills too …abilities such as emotional resilience, creative expression, love for nature, kindness and the skill to return to a place of peacefulness. Rozanne also believes that these qualities help our children take up their place in society as healthy, conscious individuals who then interact in meaningful ways with others. Mindfulness is therefore something she deeply values as part of educating our children.
Mika Malherbe - Senior Primary (9-12 years) assistant and coding
Mika discovered her passion for teaching in 2017, whilst living in Vietnam as an English teacher. After returning to South Africa, she was presented with the opportunity to introduce children to the basic foundations of coding and loved seeing how the children reacted to learning through gamification strategies. She believes education needs to continuously adapt and technology needs to be incorporated into the classrooms to support that adaptation. Technology is not going away and therefore we as educators need to use this tool to further encourage learning in the classroom and show children how to use it responsibly. In the beginning of 2021 she officially joined Carnegie House Independent School as the senior primary teaching assistant and coding teacher. She is currently studying Montessori Early Childhood Development and firmly believes in the vision of Maria Montessori, that children deserve a learning environment that will provide the best opportunity for their natural development.
Chantelle Grobler - Junior Primary (6-9) years assistant and Art teacher
How long have you been teaching?
Chantelle has been teaching for nine years, working mainly with children with learning difficulties. She is passionate about working with children with learning difficultties or children that need extra help. She loves teaching because it is so varied. Each day has its own challenges. One day a child may struggle and the next day they will just grasp a concept. The Montessor approach takes the children's individual needs and assisst them in their own personal way. It teaches learners to be independent and skills that can actually assist them in their adult life. A child will say it just as it is, they won’t say things to spare your feelings. So if you have a bad hair day they will make sure you know about it. But the day a child tells you, you look beautiful, you know you can believe it! I appreciate the brutal honesty of a child. |
Lynelle Radyn - Junior Primary (6-9 years ) assistant
Lynelle has been teaching for 2 and a half years as an assistant teacher at Carnegie House. She is currently studying a BEd and enjoys teaching the children new knowledge everyday. She learns a lot from the children and teach her patience. She enjoys listening tot he their stories and seeing how passionate they are about life. Montessori education teaches independence and responsibility from a young age.
All children are special. It is the small things. Coming to tell you how their weekend was. Drawing pictures for their teachers. Wanting to show how neat their work is. The excitement in them if they are done with their work.
All children are special. It is the small things. Coming to tell you how their weekend was. Drawing pictures for their teachers. Wanting to show how neat their work is. The excitement in them if they are done with their work.
Johan Theunissen - Sports, technology an STEAM
Johan has been involved at Carnegie House since 2014. Johan has completed the Sports management course through Unisa, the Learn to Swim course and he holds a Level 2 cricket coaching qualification through Cricket South Africa. Johan teaches physical education to all children and also teaches technology and STEAM classes to the Primary children. Johan loves working with the children and, while guiding them, to also learn and discover more about the modern world we live in with them. Johan is a firm believer in the saying that “teamwork makes the dream work” and therefor respect and sportsmanship are very high on his list of expectations.
Dina Isten - Aftercare Primary
Dina has worked for Carnegie House over the last 12 years. She has had many roles in the school - general assistant ,toddler and preschool assistant as well as aftercare assistant. Dina loves her job as it allows her to work with children who she believes are the most precious commodity on this earth.
Dina has worked for Carnegie House over the last 12 years. She has had many roles in the school - general assistant ,toddler and preschool assistant as well as aftercare assistant. Dina loves her job as it allows her to work with children who she believes are the most precious commodity on this earth.