• My Zone Careers

Fourteen years of guiding young minds

• 17 Hours Ago - 2025-08-29 00:00:00

Francouis Pretorius

For more than a decade, Lauren Stainton-Traut has been a steady and nurturing presence in the classrooms of St Paul’s College.

Now in her 14th year at the school, the Grade 1 teacher has built her career on a deep love of working with children and a belief that teaching is far more than simply delivering content.

Stainton-Traut’s path into education was not a straight one.

“I always knew that I wanted to work with young children,” she says.

After completing her degree in psychology with the intention of opening her own practice, life steered her in another direction: teaching. A teaching qualification followed, and as she says with a smile, “the rest is history.”

Her teaching philosophy has remained consistent: learning should inspire curiosity, critical thinking, and a lifelong love of knowledge. In her classroom, children are not just students; they are individuals with unique strengths, challenges and perspectives. She strives to make every learner feel valued, safe and motivated.

Over the years, Stainton-Traut has seen education evolve in significant ways. While the core content of lessons remains largely unchanged, methods of delivery have shifted. Teaching has moved from a teacher-led model to one that prioritises student-centred learning and skills development. Technology, she notes, has played a transformative role, opening opportunities for collaboration and flexibility but also introducing challenges around exposure and supervision.

Daily joy and inspiration

What Stainton-Traut cherishes most about Grade 1 are the small, daily joys. “I enjoy the innocence of the Grade 1s the most, their ease in loving and forgiving,” she says. Watching their rapid academic and social growth is deeply rewarding. From helping a child take their first steps in reading to seeing their confidence blossom, each day brings new milestones. “A Grade 1 teacher gets at least 20 hugs a day,” she adds warmly, “and yes, I love hugs.”

Her classroom is an environment where kindness, respect and empathy are modelled and expected. She believes in listening to her students, taking their concerns seriously and celebrating both progress and achievement. Songs, games and stories make learning engaging and fun, while also fostering resilience and confidence.

Proud moments, Stainton-Traut says, are countless. They can be found in the smiles of children who finally understand a concept, the drawings gifted by her students or the enthusiasm they bring to class on a Monday morning. “If I look closely,” she says, “there are proud moments every day.”

Beyond academics, she weaves social and emotional learning into her teaching, recognising that young learners thrive when they feel secure and supported.

This holistic approach is reinforced by the strong sense of community at St Paul’s. With only two classes per grade, teachers know every child personally, and the school’s ethos of uplifting every child and leaving no child behind shapes a culture of care, respect and collaboration.

Adapting to learning needs

Stainton-Traut’s teaching methods have evolved, becoming even more student-centred. Today, she incorporates differentiation, group work, hands-on activities, and technology to better support diverse learning needs.

She also recognises the vital role parents play in their children’s education, describing them as partners in the process.

Open communication and collaboration with families remain a cornerstone of her teaching practice.

To those entering the profession, Stainton-Traut offers this advice: “Teaching is a journey, not something you master overnight. Focus on building strong relationships with your students first. When children feel safe, respected and cared for, real learning can happen.”

Looking to the future, she is eager to continue growing within her profession.

Alongside her teaching, she owns and runs CrEd, the Creative Education Drama Academy, which she has led for the past six years. The academy reflects her passion for creativity, confidence-building and holistic development in young people. Whether through leadership roles at St Paul’s, further studies, or even the challenge of teaching older students, she remains open to new opportunities. What remains constant is her commitment to nurturing the next generation.

For Stainton-Traut, teaching is not just a career; it is a calling. Fourteen years in, her passion for guiding young learners remains as strong as ever, and her impact is written in the confidence and curiosity of the children who pass through her classroom.