12 May From MathMom to qualified teacher
“I want to be remembered as a kind person who always strives to give her best for children,” former MathMom René Stoltenkamp says as she reflects on her time in the programme, and her growth since. René graduated with a bachelor’s degree in education in March 2023, a dream come true after years of hard work.
When René finished school, she was uncertain about her future. She vaguely knew that she wanted to work with children one day, but necessity drew her to the workforce: “I grew up in Elsies River with my parents and two siblings, and because of our circumstances, I knew I should go out there and work towards a better future for us.”
Moving from one position to the next, René finally joined MathMoms in 2018 and it was here that she discovered her purpose. “Everything changed for me,” she says about joining the programme, “I enjoyed the time I got to spend with the learners…I wish I had this opportunity when I was in primary school, but being able to create something for learners that not only helps them academically but supports them emotionally was something I am grateful to have been a part of.”
René is no stranger to adversity. During her time as a MathMom, she lost her brother: “I was devastated, but because I was working with learners who needed me I had to show up for them. I was able to put my hurt aside and be there fully for learners who go through circumstances they should not have to go through. All of this was possible because of our TRE (trauma and tension releasing exercises) training.”
René’s resilience, strengthened by the support she received through TRE, helped her to overcome other challenges as well: her naturally quiet nature and hesitance to speak in front of others, her fear of taking charge, and balancing her work as a MathMom with her personal life and the studies she started pursuing.
After her first year at MathMoms, she decided to enrol for tertiary studies with the goal of becoming a qualified teacher: “The goal I set for myself was to pass with distinctions every semester.” She flourished as a student at Two Oceans Graduate Institute, and describes her recent graduation as phenomenal – “I was so excited and overwhelmed with gratitude.”
René is now a teacher at Eurecon Primary School in Elsies River. She hopes to be an extraordinary teacher, one who gives her all to the learners and equips them with the ability to take on the world: “I am after all shaping the minds of our future leaders!”