MENTORS AND MENTORING

I have been extremely fortunate to have had AND to still have several mentors that has played a significant role in my development as a person and as academic.

During my Phd studies, Dr Johann McFarlane and Prof Paul Webb mentored me in so many ways. The success of my two Masters students can be attributed to these tow mentors' investment into my studies. I have learned a great deal from them and supervise in a very similar manner as they have when I was their student. 

Dr McFarlane has retired and Prof Webb is still playing a significant mentoring role. Through his assistance, I have been able to reach several significant goals that I have set for myself and ALL but one of them are yet to be achieved. The missing one is associate professor, but I am working on this and hope to reach it soon.

Prof Webb, who still plays a vital role in my personal development, is a real inspiration and driver in a positive sense - a gentleman that 'push' me to strive and achieve excellence in all that I embark upon. He is strict, but extremely fair. My management style has been influenced significantly by him. I am very fortunate to have someone of his caliber and stature taking me under his wing.

I have also been fortunate to be assisted by another 'old' colleague, a colleague that have also lectured me when I was at teachers training college and who now holds the HIV/AIDS Research Chair at the Nelson Mandela University, Prof Naydene de Lange. She has been an inspiration since college days and even now as one of the co-editors of the faculty's journal, Educational Research for Social Change, she is contributing to me personal and academic development on various fronts. I am so glad that our paths crossed.

Prof Alet Delport, the Director of the school of initial teacher education, has also contributed to my development on management and leadership within the faculty, as I serve as Head of Department (Head of Programme as referred to in our faculty) in her school. She also provides guidance as well as opportunities for me to grow as young academic.

At the moment, I am mentoring Miss Joy Turyangenda in ICT, as she has asked me to assist her with her module unit writing by providing feedback to her, as she see me as an ICT specialist. She has also asked me to assist her with her doctoral proposal as critical reader.