History in the making: rocky road to matric success through teacher’s eyes

As the 2025 year kicked into full gear Johannesburg history teacher Sharon Ackerman at once experienced the release of results for the matric class she has nurtured for five years and welcomed the new crop of pupils she will be guiding through their high school journey. 

Ackerman, who has been teaching for 25 years, is head of Northcliff High’s history department and a grade tutor at the large, well-resourced public school. 

The school assigns grade tutors to each new intake of grade 8 pupils, with the tutors serving as the link between the children and their parents and the school. The tutors follow their assigned group as they move through the grades, mentoring them until they finish matric. 

“I am so delighted with the performance of one of my boys who started here and basically got promoted through the grades because of his age, just scraping by and never really passing properly,” she said. 

But along the way the boy's attitude changed from “don’t care” to focused, and he began to apply himself. His teachers, encouraged by the change, banded together to help him. 

“He was battling with languages — with English and Afrikaans being second and third languages for him. And we discovered he had poor eyesight and couldn't read properly,” Ackerman said, discovering the challenges that were uncovered by the teachers as they began to work intensively with the boy. 

“We realised this because he had no problem with classwork and understanding, just when it came time for tests and exams he would always flunk no matter how hard he tried,” she said.

Teachers offered him extra lessons every day, they petitioned the Gauteng education department for permission to have a person read exam questions to the boy, and they got his papers printed for him in large print. 

“The thing is that disadvantaged kids don't have money, and they don't even know what resources they need to do well. They cannot easily get diagnosed with dyslexia or have their eyesight properly tested or go through a system that picks up their challenges,” Ackerman said, expressing gratitude at being part of a well-resourced government school. 

She said the changed attitude of the boy compounded by concerted efforts by his teachers led to him getting glasses, extra lessons, reading lab access and all the assistance he needed. 

“I worry about the schools with no resources and have no idea how they manage,” she said, commenting on the reward she was feeling over another girl who had struggled through every year of high school and, with a huge sigh of relief, had managed to pass her final exams.

You can never judge a child from the opinion of others. Now we have the new group coming in and the knowledge that there is merit in every child

—  Sharon Ackerman

The girl was timid, lacked confidence and came from a hard family background. But she worked hard, teachers supported her efforts, and she made it through. 

“It's those situations that make teaching so worthwhile. This feeling after seeing all the effort — from all the teachers and all the kids — this sense of accomplishment. That's why we teach,” Ackerman said. 

“The bright kids from stable families can manage. For us, it's the kids who look like they'll never make it — those are where you can have an impact. My boy came here from primary school with a rap sheet and a report that he was trouble. He openly said he had been told that Northcliff High is a racist school, so that is where we started.”  

But the boy's attitude changed over time, he warmed to the school and one day told Ackerman: “I actually love this school.” 

“His whole trajectory changed. He became a prefect and got full colours for running. He made us realise you can never judge a child from the opinion of others. Now we have the new group coming in and the knowledge that there is merit in every child.” 

And so — happy and already a bit tired out by the return to work after the long year-end holidays — Ackerman and her charges start the next five-year cycle that will end in the class of 2029 matric exams. 

“There's no hope of riches but you get to make a difference, and it's good. You see children become mature and grown-up, and it's surreal because one day you see them in the shops, married with children. 

“Some of the children I have taught have gone on to graduate and come back to Northcliff High as teachers, and now they're my colleagues. It's great. Teaching makes you young.”