William Smith, a senior teacher, died with grace.
William Smith, RIP!
William Smith Prior to the widespread availability of the internet and YouTube mathematics tutorials, South African students relied on William Smith to guide them through the intricacies of science and arithmetic via SABC2: The Learning Channel throughout the 1990s.
Smith was a math and science whiz who, unlike many other specialists, was also an excellent teacher. He was able to help students understand algebra, trigonometry, geometry, chemistry, and physics by using surprisingly easy techniques that were not covered in the classroom.
Smith, who passed away on Wednesday, worked as a television instructor for more than 16 years, reaching many young people in South Africa and beyond. For several individuals, his broadcast lectures were their sole source of excellent math and science education.
The Learning Channel reached as many as 100-million learners across Africa
Smith started creating instructional television shows for The Learning Channel in 1990 with financial support from Hylton Appelbaum, executive director of the Liberty Life Foundation.
Critics initially suggested the channel would not succeed, calling it a foolish notion. Since it had never been done before, the SABC was initially hesitant to provide Smith and his colleagues with a platform to teach lessons live on television.
However, the broadcaster quickly discovered that there was a sizable and international demand for these services. Cooperation through satellite with other African nations led to a significant boost in viewership.
For over 16 years, The Learning Channel maintained its popularity, attracting up to 100 million viewers daily throughout Africa.
When nearly everyone else had failed, he helped millions of students pass their math and science examinations with just a felt-tip pen, a whiteboard, and perhaps a few Smarties.
The legendary teacher claimed that although he was not very adept with mathematics in 2019, that might have been the key to his success.
“I would not have been a good teacher if I had always been a numbers person because everything would have been so clear to me. The worries and difficulties of the students would have irritated me. He remarked, “I would not have understood why they had trouble understanding basic concepts.
Smith and Jeremy Mansfield participated in the well-liked South African game show A Word or Two on television.
Alumni of Rhodes University
Smith, who was born in Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown), graduated with honors from Rhodes University with a BSc and a BSc (Hons).
His well-known parents were longtime supporters of Rhodes University. The fish’s remnants were given to his father, JLB Smith, by museum curator Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer. It was believed that the coelacanth had vanished from the face of the earth millions of years ago. Margaret Smith, his mother, was a talented and prolific fish illustrator, in addition to being an ichthyologist.
Smith finished his master’s degree at the University of Natal in 1962 in just seven months.
Prior to relocating to Afrox, he was employed at African Explosives and Chemical Industries (AECI). Then, Smith decided he would prefer to become a teacher, so he left the business and entered the education sector, founding Star Schools with the goal of offering high-quality instruction at a reasonable cost.
Over the next twenty-five years, nearly a million students of various colors were taught in his schools.
Praise for his ability as a teacher
Smith won numerous honors for his innovative teaching methods, including the very coveted “Teacher of the Year” title.
He was selected as one of the top three presenters on South African television in 1998 as a consequence of his performance on The Learning Channel.
Smith received two awards in 2005: the Impumelelo Gold Award for invention and a vote ranking him 86th among the Top 100 Great South Africans in 2004.
President Cyril Ramaphosa gave him the Order of the Baobab (silver) in 2019, just before his 80th birthday, as a thank you for his contributions to education and the “demystification of mathematics and science.” The orders are the greatest honors available to South Africans.
Smith received an honorary doctor of laws degree from Rhodes University in 2021. Vice-chancellor Dr. Sizwe Mabizela of Rhodes University noted at the time of the award: “The Learning Channel became an indispensable platform for young people in our country to receive interactive TV education in mathematics and science for almost two decades, thanks to his exceptional teaching skills and compassion.” He thereby assumed the role of national educator for all of South Africa.
An environmentalist
In addition to being an environmentalist, Smith owned the Featherbed Nature Reserve on the western side of Knysna. He lived there until 2008, when he sold the land and his business, which included Rivercat Ferries, a boat company that operated many vessels that cruised the Knysna lagoon and beyond.
A few years later, Smith and his spouse moved to Australia in order to be nearer to their three daughters and grandchildren.
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