LINA GODHBANI

The sound of laughter can always be heard from the IT classroom on the second storey. Mr Elmar Henning, St Michael’s new Computer Literacy, IT and CAT teacher has recently joined the family. Having taught for twelve years at St Michaels’ brother school, St Andrew’s, he did not find it difficult to adjust to the eager and excited girls at St Michael’s.

No one wants to miss his classes – it feels like entering a completely different environment: learners feel at home when they have discussions on the different current events going on in the world, and things they should keep abreast of. They find themselves spellbound at the end of a lesson; they roar with laughter at his words, and this is all due to a little technique he likes to call ‘humour’. They giggle at his jokes and sarcasm, a much-needed break from the stress that comes with school.

Although his classroom is a place for fun and laughter, his realism is something learners use to pull themselves back and ground again. ‘Go into the world with your eyes open,’ is a phrase often repeated by Mr Henning who constantly tries to ‘prepare learners for the real world’, and they can’t help but admire him for his endeavours.

Of course, this isn’t the only good work he has accomplished in his career. He also has an honours degree in English. He has made many memories as a teacher, one of them being to work alongside one of his previous students as equals.  

All the various ventures in life doesn’t take meaning away from his words ‘The culture and feeling at home is here.’