How Mindjoy’s AI Educator Grant Program Helped Sydneigh Couch Achieve Rapid Success in Teaching isiZulu

For Sydneigh Couch, an IsiZulu teacher at St. Mary’s DSG with eight years of teaching experience, the journey into language education was not entirely planned. What began as a temporary step into the classroom eventually became a clear calling. Over time, she developed a deep passion for teaching IsiZulu, stepping into a space where dedicated specialists are few and the need for quality education is high — an undeniable challenge but one she embraced.

Like many educators in this field, she quickly encountered a persistent challenge: a lack of tailored, high-quality resources that could actually be effectively implemented in her classroom. Teaching a class with a wide range of language abilities meant she couldn’t rely on one-size-fits-all materials. Instead, she was constantly adapting lessons or creating new content from scratch to meet her students’ needs.

Early Attempts with AI

Sydneigh was first introduced to Mindjoy a few years ago, but at the time, she didn’t quite have the knowledge, understanding, and tools she needed to get the most out of it. She could see the potential, and she knew she wanted to use it in her classroom, but the "how" stood in the way of her success.

That initial setback didn’t discourage her though. Instead, it motivated Sydneigh to learn more, and when she stumbled across Mindjoy’s AI Educator Grant Program, her intentions were clear — to better understand how to use the platform to create meaningful, tailored learning experiences for her students. She could see what Mindjoy could do. All she needed was a little more assistance to get the most out of it.

What made the difference this time was support and clarity. With guidance on how to design and implement AI tutors effectively, she was able to rethink her approach and apply the tool with purpose.

A Breakthrough in the Classroom

Shortly after beginning the program, Sydneigh introduced a new AI tutor to support a poetry section her class had been struggling with. She carefully designed the tutor to act as a poetry lecturer, guiding students through the material in IsiZulu and encouraging them to think more deeply about what they were learning.

The results came quickly — even more quickly than she had hoped.

Within a week, there was a dramatic improvement in performance. Students who had previously struggled were now engaging with the content more confidently, and they were successfully demonstrating their understanding in assessments.

And in the most tangible terms, Sydneigh saw an almost overnight shift from a class that was struggling, to an incredible 95% pass rate in a test she gave soon after introducing Mindjoy. Not only was this pass rate significantly higher than before, but students also excelled, with 80% of those who passed achieving an incredible 100%.

The turnaround was both measurable and deeply encouraging.

Building Confidence and Independence

The shift wasn’t just academic; it was also evident in behavior. At first, students were unsure about how to interact with the AI tutor — not totally unusual at the outset. They hesitated, asked for instructions, and needed reassurance. But, as Sydneigh continued to work with them and encouraged exploration, that hesitation quickly began to fade.

Students grew more confident in asking questions, testing ideas, and working through challenges independently. The tool became something they could rely on; not just for answers, but for guidance, too. It created a learning environment in which curiosity and critical thinking could thrive and be enjoyed.

A New Perspective on AI in Education

Through this experience, Sydneigh’s perspective on AI in the classroom changed significantly. What stood out most wasn’t only the accuracy of the IsiZulu, but the way the tool supported learning. Instead of encouraging shortcuts, it pushed students to engage more deeply with the material.

It also allowed her to support a wider range of learners more effectively. Students who needed more help could receive immediate guidance, while those who were more advanced could explore content at a deeper level. This kind of differentiation, once time-consuming to manage, became far more accessible.

With this success behind her, Sydneigh is now focused on expanding what’s possible in her classroom. She’s working toward building a library of resources that can be reused and adapted, as well as exploring new ways to use AI for assessments and lesson preparation.

Her work has also sparked interest among her colleagues. As the only teacher currently using the tool at her school, she has begun sharing her experience and is preparing to present it more formally in the near future. There’s growing curiosity about how similar approaches could be applied in other subjects.

For teachers who are unsure about integrating AI into their classrooms, Sydneigh offers a straightforward piece of advice: just try it. Her experience shows that the biggest shift often comes not from the tool itself, but from understanding how to use it effectively.