UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA (UNISA)
College of Education
⋄
THE FOUR ROLES OF A TEACHER:
THE CASE OF MS DIPHEGO
BPT1501 — Being a Professional Teacher
Assignment 1 — Semester 1 2026
⋄
Module Code: BPT1501
Module Name: Being a Professional Teacher
Student Name: [Student Name]
Student Number: [Student Number]
Assignment No.: Assignment 1
Due Date: 18 March 2026
Semester: Semester 1 – 2026
Unique Number: [Unique Number]
, UNISA | BPT1501 Being a Professional Teacher – Assignment 1
Introduction
The Norms and Standards for Educators (Department of Education, 2000) defines seven pro-
fessional roles that every South African teacher is expected to fulfil. These roles are not sep-
arate job descriptions but overlapping competences that, taken together, describe what it
means to be a complete and professional educator. The case of Ms Diphego, a grade 12
mathematics teacher at Reholegile High School, illustrates four of these roles with particular
clarity. Her twenty-year teaching career, her community involvement, her subject mastery, her
relationship-centred approach to learners, and her personal journey from pharmacy student
to award-nominated educator each map onto distinct NSE roles. This assignment identifies
those four roles and provides an example from the case study for each one.
Page 2 of 11
College of Education
⋄
THE FOUR ROLES OF A TEACHER:
THE CASE OF MS DIPHEGO
BPT1501 — Being a Professional Teacher
Assignment 1 — Semester 1 2026
⋄
Module Code: BPT1501
Module Name: Being a Professional Teacher
Student Name: [Student Name]
Student Number: [Student Number]
Assignment No.: Assignment 1
Due Date: 18 March 2026
Semester: Semester 1 – 2026
Unique Number: [Unique Number]
, UNISA | BPT1501 Being a Professional Teacher – Assignment 1
Introduction
The Norms and Standards for Educators (Department of Education, 2000) defines seven pro-
fessional roles that every South African teacher is expected to fulfil. These roles are not sep-
arate job descriptions but overlapping competences that, taken together, describe what it
means to be a complete and professional educator. The case of Ms Diphego, a grade 12
mathematics teacher at Reholegile High School, illustrates four of these roles with particular
clarity. Her twenty-year teaching career, her community involvement, her subject mastery, her
relationship-centred approach to learners, and her personal journey from pharmacy student
to award-nominated educator each map onto distinct NSE roles. This assignment identifies
those four roles and provides an example from the case study for each one.
Page 2 of 11
