​​​The Western Cape's top teacher, Llewellyn van der Ross, never planned on a career in education. “I didn't choose teaching, teaching chose me," he says of the “epiphany" he had in Grade 12 that saw him study education and return to his former school, Tuscany Glen Primary in Eerste River, as a Grade 7 teacher.

Van der Ross, who will graduate with a master's degree in education from Stellenbosch University (SU) in December, says his passion for teaching stems from his love of reading. “Literacy is the bridge from misery to hope," he says, citing the words of former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan. Reading was the spark that changed his life's trajectory, he explains. “I was raised by my mother, a single parent who worked long shifts in a factory to provide for our family. Her sacrifices shaped me profoundly. She taught me the values of hard work, resilience, and the belief that education could open doors that seemed, to us, otherwise closed."

Now Van der Ross, who grew up in Wesbank in Kuils River, can open doors for the learners who pass through his classroom. Unable to see himself in any other profession, he adds that coming from the same community as the learners in his class has given him an edge when it comes to teaching. “For me, teaching is not merely a profession; it's a calling to create spaces where each child feels valued, seen, and inspired to dream bigger than their circumstances."

He focused his research for his master's degree on the effect of learning losses linked to the Covid-19 pandemic with a specific focus on reading comprehension. This after he noticed that while many of his learners could read, many struggled to read with meaning. “I strive to innovate within the classroom by introducing programmes like 'Reading for Meaning' clubs and incorporating digital storytelling."

But for Van der Ross, teaching goes beyond the books and the blackboard. In his classroom, he strives to tap into the emotional needs of each of his learners so that he can teach with understanding and empathy. “First, I have to reach the heart before I can teach the brain."

Tuscany Glen Primary is not a resource-rich school, and the learners make do without many of the facilities other schools enjoy. Yet, each classroom is filled with inspirational messages and colourful posters highlighting aspects of the curriculum. It's evident that teachers like Van Der Ross do their utmost to prepare the school's more than 1 000 learners for high school and beyond. As Van der Ross proudly shares, many of his learners have gone on to study at universities.

Van der Ross says he chose to do his postgraduate studies at SU because the University is “recognised as a forerunner in research" and has “embraced transformation". He has high praise for his supervisors, Prof Christa van der Walt and Dr Shannon Bishop-Swart, and for SU providing  the opportunity to study multilingualism for a period at Humbolt University in Berlin.

He says he will share the celebration of his upcoming graduation with his mother. “It's difficult to put into words the pride and gratitude I feel. This degree represents her sacrifices, my hard work, and the dream that education can break cycles and build futures."

Commenting on the recognition by the Western Cape Government as the provincial winner of the National Best Teacher Award, Van der Ross says, “Never in a million years did I think I would be recognised as the best teacher. It was an overwhelming moment."

While the accolade “means the world to him", the hard work never stops. He's happiest in his bright-yellow classroom adorned with inspirational quotes and descriptive words, where he can share his love of reading with children while instilling in them the confidence they need to thrive.

“Every child deserves a champion," he says with a smile. 

Video and photo credit: Stefan Els