This story is written with the one thing that I believe is the key that unlocks the door to great teaching and inspired learning – that key is passion.
I would like to write about three teachers who not only inspired my learning but also influenced my life forever!
It was my first day at School – I was five years old and starting kindergarten. As I walked through the School gate – my heart pounding and my child mind full of anxious fears, it was Miss Brown, my Kindergarten teacher, who that day walked into my life and my heart. She smiled brightly, knelt down so that she could see my face, quietly told me that I was going to love school and that we were going to have so much fun together. She then gently took my hand and led me to the classroom where she introduced me to others in my class.
What made Miss Brown an Inspiring Teacher? Her obvious love for what she did best – teaching, and her absolute individual care of each of her students.
Miss Brown had the ability to make every child feel that he or she was “special”. She inspired confidence in the mind of a small child, she somehow turned our weaknesses into strengths and so our learning began and continued as she nurtured, guided, corrected, encouraged and entrusted us with the gifts she had to give – inspirational gifts that captured the mind of a child and that influenced the rest of our learning journey.
It was three years later when Mrs Harvey – Teacher of Grade 3 entered my life. She was very different in many ways to Miss Brown.
Mrs Harvey was older, quite strict – but there was something about her that quietened a room of noisy students the moment she entered. We were not afraid of her, but we did have a sort of reverent respect for her as she asked each of us a question relating to yesterday’s lesson. If we were unsure of the answer – Mrs Harvey always managed to make us feel that we had given her the perfect opportunity she needed to revise for the whole class, something that everyone may not have grasped yesterday.
Mrs Harvey was the one who encouraged us to be the best that we could be – she taught us the importance of taking pride in our work and rewarded each of us with a bright coloured dot – we were all treated the same.
I remember our first classroom open day, organised by Mrs Harvey where parents came to inspect our books – all parents looked at every child’s books so that if there was a child whose parent couldn’t come, they did not feel left out – that was the heart of Mrs Harvey.
I remember I was pigeon-toed and walked with my right foot turned in. It was Mrs Harvey who cared enough to take me aside at every break time, draw a chalk line on the cement in the playground and encouraged me to walk a straight line placing one foot carefully each side of the chalk line as I walked. Little by little under the encouraging eyes of Mrs Harvey I began to walk and run as any other child. As a child I didn’t fully understand – but as an adult I know that it is Teachers like Mrs Harvey who give of themselves to make a difference – Teachers like Mrs Harvey who inspire us so much that we want to keep learning forever.
It was then four years later when Mr Gormley – English Master at High School, entered my life. He inspired me so much that English became my favourite subject. Mr Gormley, even though older and seemingly staid, somehow managed to make what might have been the most ordinary topic come alive through the gift he gave each one of us – the freedom to be creative. With his guidance we directed our own learning, we participated in team debates around topics we ourselves selected. We presented drama plays to the rest of the School, we wrote creative stories which were read out to the class by Mr Gormley himself, in such a way that everyone’s writing was the best.
Mr Gormley was able to intrigue our inquisitive minds so that we wanted to learn more. It was Mr Gormley, who with passion for the subject he taught, inspired us to be the best we could be in both the written and oral use of the English language.
It is inspirational teachers like Mr Gormley who have the ability to help us climb to heights in learning that we never dreamt of reaching. I will be forever grateful.
Please share your inspirational stories of Teachers who have made a difference in your life.
Some of my most memorable teachers were in my final years of high school in international schools in India. The best of them imparted not only academic knowledge, but their life experience and skills- how to BE as a human being.
They were a diverse bunch, but looking back it seems to me that they all had things in common :
enough self -belief to be vulnerable, belief and trust in their students and commitment to the value of education, love of ideas and learning, respect for yourself and other people.
Our English and drama teacher came from an acting background in New York City and pushed us to express ourselves beyond cliché and standard phrases. He was openly gay at a time when this was not accepted socially – he showed us by example to not fear difference, but to embrace it.
Another English teacher whose great love of the work of James Joyce had even the most rambunctious boy in the class listening enthralled to the story of Stephen Dedalus.
Our Hindi teacher who took our class by train and bullock cart to his village on the Punjab/Haryana border so we could experience India outside of the city – we arrived in his village past midnight and sat around an open fire under the starry sky drinking chai that had been brewed on a pot on the fire, listening to the sounds of a rural existence and feeling our horizons expanding wider than they ever had.
Our French teacher – an avant-garde poet and musician who taught us to love the lilt and resonance of the language through music and songs, not just grammar.
Our history teacher who made sure that we knew the ebb and flow of history in the form of dates names,and events, but also made sure we understood history in a visceral way – in the faces and lives of the people and the old buildings around us and that we felt first -hand the connectedness of those historical events to current day happenings.
All of these teachers did a lot more than was required of them on the curriculum and went out of their way to “stretch” us intellectually, emotionally, and acted as life guides for us kids growing up into adults.
In a learning sense they were all strict and demanding – and I am grateful for the lessons I learned from them – academic rigour, good work habits and time management.
But the thing that I remember the most is not the names and dates and formulas, but the fact that they were all individuals first and foremost and not afraid to show it, and the respect and kindness they showed us students as we took our first steps as young adults.
I really enjoyed reading about your special teachers Hiromi, I almost feel like l know them because of the beautiful way you have written about how much they added to your learning and the experiences they provided which taught you how to be a human being and how to think. Thank you
Beautifully written Hiromi. I thoroughly enjoyed reading your the teachers who made a difference in your life. I believe that if we have a positive learning experience when we are young then it opens the window to our hearts and minds for further learning.
I remember my Hindi subject teacher a lot in my school. We fondly called him Sharma Sir. He was a jolly fellow, full of life , always cracking jokes and making all students feel good. This someone is someone who makes you believe in yourself when you have lost a little bit of confidence in yourself.
Confidence is so important for learning. No-one can learn when they are afraid. Thank you for telling us about Sharma Sir!
Avanti, you are so right. If we have a teacher like Sharma Sir, it makes such a difference. A bad learning experience can result in us putting up a block to further learning. How lovely when a teacher can make a difference and open up a whole new world. Thank you for sharing your experience.
I fondly remember my year 5 teacher Mr Kernett. He was the first male teacher I had and he was so engaging and the way he spoke to us was encouraging. I specifically remember him reading to us every afternoon before home time. He read with such expression that we hung on every word so much so that i still remember him reading The BFG and to this day I love books and reading. He was a great story teller and always told us stories from his childhood which made him approachable.
Vanessa, how wonderful that a teacher like Mr Kernett was there to engage you in learning and reading. I love to read stories like yours where the influence of a great teacher has made all the difference. I was not familiar with The BFG so I actually looked it up – I can now imagine the intrigue and anticipation that you would have felt as someone like Mr Kernett took the time to read to the class every afternoon before home time. You mention that he was a great story teller and that it made him approachable. I believe story telling is an important part of learning for children and for adults. Adults learn from sharing experiences and telling stories so as trainers and assessors it is certainly good to remember that through the sharing of relevant stories our students can not only learn from us as trainers and assessors, but also learn from each. We can also learn from our students.
My experience of teachers & learning has been the polar opposite. I didn’t have a teacher that took me under their wing. I was not nurtured or guided in a caring or respectful way. And that’s OK. I have taught myself once I reached adulthood. Through my early education experience I have learnt that if all you have is a hammer, then all you see is a nail. I never fit what a student should be & this has taught me that flexibility, adaptability & respect can sometimes be more important as it allows the ‘different’ student to learn the best way they can.
Toni, thank you for sharing your experience. As teachers/trainers and assessors it is so important to remember that we are in a position of trust and one of influence. As you say, every student is different and therefore flexibility is a must as students will have different learning styles. How wonderful if, as trainers and assessors, we can remember that each student is unique and every student is capable of giving their best if they are encouraged.
I’m afraid that I am in your boat Toni. I went to a very rough all boys High School in Western Sydney that most of the teachers probably wish they hadn’t been allocated to. If you were the least bit academically gifted you would cop a hard time from the other kids. I mean a really hard time. Most of the teachers recognised this and so tried to keep personal contact to a bare minimum. My favourite “teacher” there was our Rugby Coach who came to coach us from the local first grade Rugby Club. This man had no formal qualifications but was a great man manager. He instantly recognised everyone’s strengths and instantly recognised everyone’s weaknesses. He first worked with our strengths and made us all feel confident and like we mattered. Then once we were up and running and feeling good about ourselves he individually worked on each person’s weaknesses. We made two Grand Finals in two years under Kenny after being bottom of the league the year before. He helped turn me from a unconfident little boy into a man because he treated us as equals.
My Year 11 and 12 Ancient History teacher was Mrs Cameron. Her passion and knowledge of the past inspired me to want to learn more and more. We took a field trip to the library at the University of Sydney in Year 12 which opened up my world to the volume of books out there on my favourite subject! I visited the library a number of times after that on the weekend to read and study more and add to my knowledge base. I did not do that with any other subject.
I still love history to this day and I am very thankful to Mrs Cameron for gifting me with her love of learning about the past.
Kirrilee, I wish more people had a “Mrs Cameron” to inspire and create a desire to learn more. As you say, a teacher like Mrs Cameron can open up a whole new world for a young mind. These are the teachers we never forget and feel forever grateful to. Thank you for sharing such a lovely story.
One of the teachers that influenced my life forever was Miss Elizabeth Jones who was my music teacher from year seven to year ten at high school. She was completely dedicated to her students. The music room was always open for the girls who belonged to the choir, did elective music or who just wanted to be where there was music. We had choir practice every morning and every lunchtime and as a result of her inspired and tireless teaching, our small choir sang in some wonderful places in Sydney. She was always looking for opportunities for us to experience music in broader and deeper ways. We sang choral music from many different eras, including a challenging twentieth century work by Australian composer Eric Gross. He conducted the premier of one of his works which he had composed specifically for our choir and the St Andrews Cathedral choir. What an experience it was to be part of that concert! Miss Jones would pick us up and drive us home from rehearsals if transport was a problem, she did whatever was needed so we didn’t miss out on experiences that would benefit us, not just musically, but to help us gain confidence and blossom.
It’s very nice to read about your beginnings with music and choir. I remember a certain teacher at my high school (who was also my choir mistress) who was one of the only teachers that I have ever known who could actually break their instructions down into technical steps to explain HOW to do something, not just WHAT to do. And I’ve had Enya’s “Orinocho Flow” stuck in my head ever since! 😉
“Teachers who influenced my life ” Well, let me cast back through the ages to when I was just a little boy of about seven or eight years old. If I recall correctly the year was approximately 1965 or ’66, I was in either 3rd or 4th class, I was very small in stature, had bright red hair, was covered in freckles and as skinny as a robbers dog. My teacher’s name was Mister Saul. He was an imposing figure of about six foot three inches (I am afraid the metric system had yet to be introduced to this country at that time) and also presented a less than welcoming demeanor. He used to take great delight in dragging students up to the front of the class for presentations and I recall vividly my embarrassment at having to comply with this, especially his mirth at any show of hesitancy or nervousness, which I so easily portrayed. This memory has scarred me for life, but it has at least instilled in me a sense of sympathy. He was not the only teacher to impact my life but was certainly the most memorable.
Thank you for sharing this Harry. I too had a teacher who was rather intimidating; both size wise and also his personality, when I was 9 years old. We take the good and learn from what was not so pleasant I suppose to ensure we do not let others feel the way we did. We instead show kindness, compassion, care and love.
Rest assured at ITTA that we will look after you and also make you feel safe.
It is refreshing to have someone like Harry post a description of a negative experience that has ultimately had a positive outcome. Because I too, cannot remember ever being inspired by any teacher and yet I have ended up one! Like Harry the strongest memories are of the bad experiences.
Probably the standout and the one that did the most damage ( at the time) was in Grade seven when I had Mr Walters as a class teacher. I can still remember how he used to rant and rave at the noisy trains that went past and drowned out his teaching ( it used to fascinate me how he went redder and redder as he got more angry and I now have the knowledge to understand why!). What he did however was something that was to change the direction of my studies and determine my choice of education and profession. For as a primary school child I was an avid reader (of everything and anything, quite frequently under the desk at school) which in turn had completely turned on my imagination and ( I think) developed my writing skills . So during my time in his class I wrote this fantastic, imaginative essay only to be hauled up in front of the class and be accused of plagiarism! It turned me completely away from arts subjects into the world of mathematics and science, a course that has been very satisfying but somewhat limited in the ways that the imagination can be used.
I could relate at least five similar ‘negative’ experiences, that collectively have on reflection, steered my choices in what I did, and made me determined that if I ever became a teacher that I would never repeat the same behaviours !
Thanks for your comments Sharon, as you have said, negative experiences can also be a great teacher. My philosophy is that if you can create a learning environment that is relaxed and comfortable the student will feel safe to learn.
Learning is a life long experience, and so the “teachers” with whom I have crossed paths over the years have been many and varied. Some remembered, unfortunately many more forgotten, but all have influenced my life and dealings with other people in one way or another.
The memorable ones always had a passion for what they taught, were always prepared and able to answer your questions and encouraged you to go just that little bit further than you had previously. The maths teacher who used “real life” examples of formula to make them interesting, the English teacher that would encourage me to think about what I was writing and add depth to the pieces.
Having said that, thinking back now, there were some not so great teachers that have also influenced me by giving me examples of how things shouldn’t be done. The teacher that would come in and instruct on how to do something just to return to class the next day and say that yesterday’s class was all wrong, the teacher who would sit at the front of the class and read from the text book.
As a teacher / instructor, I know which category I hope to fall into for being memorable.
Thank you Gavin for sharing your experiences. You are so right – the teachers with a passion for what they teach are able to motivate their learners and create a desire for “learning more”. As you say, the teachers we had who were “not so great” have hopefully showed us how “not to be”. I love this quote: “A great teacher takes a hand, opens a mind and touches a heart”.
Gavin, you are so right. I notice that your Maths and English teachers both applied what we think of as the adult learning principles, although in my opinion they apply just as much to children.
We need to know why we are learning. We need to see how that learning applies to us. We need to learn from experience and activities. Great teachers understand the difference between providing information and facilitating the achievement of knowledge.
I can remember particularly a couple of maths teachers who constantly asked questions of the students to keep track that they were picking up the lesson – and if a student gave a wrong answer the teacher would make sure they were asked another (easier!) question later in the class so that they could maintain confidence – I thought that was great.
Another high school teacher stood out for me because he had worked ‘in the real world’ – which was quite rare. I valued his insights because of that, and his experience added variety to his lessons.
I think it is so important to build the confidence of your students. This resonates with me on a deep personal level. I do remember having a Math Teacher in high school whom actually dropped his face into his hands and shook his head when I asked a question one day. A question that yes may have been obvious or simple but the answer meant me getting the method right or not. This has stuck with me ever since, I cannot believe a teacher like that exists. Supporting your students and creating a safe learning environment is fundamental to student growth.
Thanks for sharing Laura. Supporting students and creating a safe learning environment is fundamental to student growth. Asking questions is learning and growth.
Rather than commenting on teachers, I will comment on a number of incidents which have influenced my thoughts about teaching.
When I was in 4th class (aged 9), I was in the B class with Mrs P as my teacher. Mr C, the teacher for the A class was a big man and was very gruff – pupils were scared of him. One day both classes were combined for our craft lesson. We had a colouring-in task using a printed drawing with black lines. The 3 best pieces were selected to display to the whole group and for a merit award. I was standing in front of the group holding up my work as one of those 3 pieces and then Mr C said that I could not be considered because I had not coloured the lines and that I could not get my award. I remember thinking – how can I colour the printed black lines? I felt cheated and humiliated. Mrs P came to my defence and debated with Mr C in front of the group why my piece should get an award, which I was finally given. Mrs P had shown empathy to me as a pupil and had the courage to stand up for me in public. There were other incident during the year where she similarly stood up for pupils she felt were not being treated fairly.
I studied level 1 maths for the HSC; there were about 16 of us in the class. Every Thursday in the last 8 weeks leading up to the HSC we sat a past paper test for 3 hours. The following morning at 8.30 Mr K would go through the results with us. Overnight he had marked all the test papers and created a learning exercise to pick up on any trends in our errors. That was a huge task which he did in his own time, as he had other teaching obligations as well as us. He was committed to doing what he could to get all of us (the brilliant and the not so brilliant) through the HSC, and we all did.
Another experience was with my high school French teacher. Mr M used the cane and the threat of the cane as motivation to learn. His methods worked on many of us because we were doing HSC papers in year 10 and ultimately finished the HSC being able to speak and read French well. Whilst his methods would not be permitted today, the “fear” factor is a powerful teaching motivator for some and a de-motivator for others.
Malcolm – you have made some interesting and thought provoking comments. Some of the key things that make for great training/teaching are:
*being given opportunities for practice, because we learn by doing, not by being told
*the attitude of the teacher and whether they truly care about the people they teach and have a passion for their subject
*fairness in the way we treat all our students so that they don’t feel cheated and humiliated
I’ve always thought that good teachers are born – not made. If you don’t have the right mind-set and don’t care, you will never be a great teacher.
My story is about when I first started studying at university. I did a low level math at school and as a result after completing a trade and wanting to study engineering, I had to do bridging math with complicated equations to improve my standard. By chance a friend who grew up in the same small town in North Queensland was enrolled in the same engineering course. We were not good friends at school and had very little interest in common. He was very good at math and offered to tutor me while we studied together and worked on assignments. Not being academically inclined his assistance was invaluable and gave me the confidence to achieve good results which allowed me further opportunities in life and assisted me in achieving high level results.
I have always been grateful and would probably not gone on to further studies and had the confidence in my own ability to pursue the career I have now. We still keep in touch even though we have not seen each other for 30 years.
Patrick – your story shows a number of things – other than how grateful you are to your friend. One of the things we know as trainers is how much our trainees learn from one another. When we start thinking we are the only fount of knowledge, that’s when we fall by the wayside as trainers, especially when we have adult learners who have a wealth of experience, diverse perspectives and a range of strengths. I do think that you will find it an advantage as a trainer that you are “not academically inclined”. The secret in VET is keeping it real.
My story is not about me but rather 2 teachers that have entered my daughters life over the last few years. My daughter is a gifted artist and very good at thinking outside the box, but she also has some learning and behaviour difficulties which has meant she has struggled to fit the “norm” at school. She is getting them under control now but her very early years at school were full of difficult times. I remember finding out that 2 of her teachers who shared the class had advised her next year teacher that she was “a monster”. Luckily for her, that teacher was so kind. Mr N took me aside after she had been in his class a few weeks and told me his daughter was similar to her. He then proceeded to find ways she could contribute and participate using her talents which helped with her behaviour and I think this is when she really started to enjoy learning. Despite my best efforts, she still struggles with her confidence and she was able to build her confidence with the assistance of a more recent teacher. Mrs G would again find ways to emphasise what my daughter could do so well and helped her spread her confidence to other subjects by her unyielding belief in my daughter and what she could achieve if she wanted too.
I loved your story Anna. It goes to show that empathy is absolutely essential in a teacher. Everybody has their strengths and weaknesses and the good teacher will build upon the learner’s strengths, giving them opportunities to achieve something that develops self-esteem and confidence to take risks and accept challenges.
I’ve often thought that good teachers are born – not made. They need certain characteristics (such as empathy) which you can’t train somebody into having. They need to care.
Picture this………….I enter a large room, the music is pumping, the atmosphere is stimulating and the trainer has this big smile on his face. I feel excited, my feet want to dance but I’m feeling fear and there are butterflies in my stomach and my hands are a little shaky, this subject is a bit out of my league (LEADERSHIP).
Fast forward to that night, the next morning, next week, next month, next year and now five (5) years later. As I retell my experience and learning from that room on that day, to anyone who would care to listen, I can here my voice filled with passion about my topic, I recall passing on links to youtube videos we viewed, I step through processes to my audience like they are mine. I want to teach them everything I learned in that one day into a 20min conversation.
Now that was a great learning experience!
I want to be this teacher!
Peri – That sounds like a truly enthusiastic teacher, and they are the best! As you say, it makes us want to emulate them. They are role models for the rest of us. I truly believe that the only way to be a great teacher is to have real enthusiasm for your subject.
I notice that this teacher used a range of delivery methods too, which maintains momentum and engagement.
And how important is it to smile!!
I have fond memories of my Year 3 teacher, Mr Rodley. He just had a natural way of making learning fun to the point you didn’t realize you were working. His love of literature cemented my already growing love of reading, every afternoon he would read a story and every student hung off every word or expression. I currently am a parent helper in my children’s classroom and some of the teachers are inspiring, by how they delivery their material and make the learning in real terms that the children can use in their everyday lives.
Teachers can definitely shape our desire to learn more and it is wonderful to have so many different techniques and personalities to bring out the best in our educational journey.
Melissa, there are so many schoolteachers who become jaded and just go through the motions. So it’s great to hear about one who made learning fun – and that’s because he saw learning as fun.
I also had a teacher in primary school who used to read to us. It prompted my own love of reading. He would stop at an exciting point in the story (to be continued) but I couldn’t wait so I would get a copy of the book and read it myself.
A great teacher is inspirational – changes lives.
I have two teachers that I remember quite well.
One was in primary school, in Grade 5, his name was Mr Robertson. He encouraged us as a group to explore and grow, to be imaginative and use what we had to our strengths. It was around the time of the South Korean Olympics, so we were doing a project about words and actions and then linking them to what was going on at the time. He was very encouraging and supportive.
The second was a TAFE teacher, Georgy. I was returning to study after a 10 year absence, wanting to learn something different outside of the work that I was doing. He was strict and at first quite frightening. On the first day, first lesson he made us all sit an exam to understand our base knowledge in criminal justice and he used that base knowledge to build our strengths. As a mature age student I could understand the learning curve that was needed for this subject was quite steep, but achievable. Georgy was understanding, fierce, expecting but also phenomenally dedicated to his work. He would answer any question, even if you thought it was a silly one, to make you understand the course and what we were learning. I was ecstatic to get a 98% for one of the final exams I sat at the end of semester! Since then I have contacted him a number of times and had lunch and a chat, he has been a great mentor.
Beth – your comment shows that great teacher/trainer/mentor/coaches come in many forms.
Mr Robertson clearly realised the importance of linking learning to something real that has meaning for the learner.
Georgy’s approach was to challenge his learners – which I thoroughly approve of. I believe that when you challenge your learners and they succeed, this provides a sense of achievement and motivation.
I have good memories of a teacher I had in high school he was a science teacher Mr white, one lesson in particular I remember he showed us a “cool card” it was a laminated card that had your name on it that was labled cool card, I was a big deal to receive one just like when you received your pen licence. he told a story of how he had given one to a student years ago and how this student approached him many years later that he had held on the the card this hole time I how ever have lost my card but he was my favourite teacher he made lesson fun and I always enjoyed them. He had a great way to teach a lesson.
Bec – I like your Mr White’s approach. He was treating you like “real people” rather than just a number – and of course we respond so much better when we feel that we are valued.
You also said he made the lessons fun. That’s a good point. We learn best when we enjoy learning.
When you begin to train your hospitality trainees, some of them may not have been happy at school so will be negative about learning. You will have to get them out of that mind-set at the start and make them feel valued, the way Mr White did with you.
After reading the post and everyone’s responses I began to wonder who that special teacher in my life has been and I had trouble deciding! The teachers that I remember the most clearly were those that I had in primary school and those that I had in Year 11 and 12. Those in between are a little blurry!
There are two teachers that stand out most clearly in my mind and coincidentally I had both of them in Year 3 but at two different schools. Moving schools (and states) was the norm for me throughout my primary and secondary education.
My first Year 3 teacher was Mr. Hughes and he was fantastic. He drove a blue van and was so rock n’ roll that he wore sunglasses inside! It turned out that he had an eye condition that meant he needed to wear sunglasses inside but to an 8 year old these things are not understood. Mr. Hughes was so much fun, he played guitar all the time and used to sing times tables and old rock n’ roll hits to the class. The one I remember most clearly was ‘Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini’. Once a week we also had times tables races, you could compete to see who could recite a times table the fastest and your name would be recorded on the blackboard as the record holder for that week.
In stark contrast to Mr. Hughes was Mrs. Ryan. I’d known Mrs. Ryan since I first started primary school and she was known for being strict. After spending 6 months in the tropics with my sunglass wearing, guitar wielding rock star teacher, my first day in Mrs. Ryan’s class was the exact opposite. It was a cold, rainy day in the middle of July but ominous weather aside, I loved having her as my teacher. In hindsight I can see that she was probably just an introvert like me and enjoyed a quiet, structured day, funnily enough also like me! At that time my brother and I ended up in the same class as we were only a year apart and Mrs. Ryan made sure we were settled back into our old school and picking up our old friendships. It was also in her class that we first learned to use computers. The school had a small number of laptops and would take turns touch typing with a tea towel over our hands; ‘The quick sly fox jumped over the lazy brown dog.’ Funny how these small things that happen to us when we’re young feel so significant later on!
Ali – what a contrast between these two teachers. Mr Hughes knew that we learn best when we are having fun. Mrs Ryan knew that, in order to learn, a student must feel secure.
In other ways both these teachers were very similar – they both truly cared about you not just as “students” but as actual human beings.
Teachers – particularly those teaching the young – have a huge responsibility. As you mentioned “Funny how these small things that happen to us when we’re young feel so significant later on!”
The teacher I had for Grades 4, 5 and 6 was Mr Brown. He was a very tall, large man and had a big beard and glasses. He spoke loudly and sneezed even louder. Initially I was quite scared of him, everyone was, and I tried really hard with my school work just so that I wouldn’t get in trouble. After a while I realised that I was trying really hard because I wanted to, because I wanted to do a good job for him and I wanted him to be proud of me. Mr Brown was no nonsense. He was very strict, but fair and gave praise where it was warranted. He was extremely passionate about birds and sports and history and treated everyone equally, boys and girls, young and old, fast and slow. He would always be found on the side lines at the school sports barracking for us louder than our own parents. He encouraged us all to do our best, and we always wanted to do our best. He encouraged us to be inquisitive and to find things out for ourselves and expected nothing less than our very best at all times. He expected good manners and respect both for him and our classmates. He really was one in a million.
I have kept in touch with Mr Brown over the years. To this day I am still proud to tell him of my achievements and I often thank him for everything he did for me.
Hannah I am so glad you have kept in touch with Mr Brown over the years. This kind of teacher is so rare, so valuable – and deserves to be thanked.
I hold my grade 4 teacher Mrs W in very high regard. Mrs W always spoke in a soft but firm manner, a softness similar to my mothers. Going to school was always fun, she would always develop unique strategies to assist you in areas of difficulty or self doubt.
I had difficulty fitting in as a new student at the school, she would often come and find me in the school yard just to check I was enjoying my recess or lunch.
Mrs W was exceptionally passionate about teaching, and it has always stuck with me how much easier it was to learn when the person teaching enjoyed what they were doing.
I still remember her little rhymes for times tables and fractions, 20 years later I still sing them in my head if I have a mental blank.
Gabrielle, it’s amazing what a difference a teacher like Mrs W can make. I notice you say she was exceptionally passionate about teaching. If you look at many of the other comments in this discussion, you will see that a passion for teaching is a theme that runs through the whole discussion.
I’ve always said that good teachers are born – not made. Teaching is a vocation – not just a job – and to do it well you must have a passion for it.
I so agree with the comment that good teachers are born – not made. Same goes for Coaches and Leaders. And without passion you have nothing.
I had some really lovely teachers in high school. They were all quite passionate about what they were teaching, which is great to see. I remember two of my English teachers were especially very kind and nurturing to the students. My IT teacher was a very kind man also who took time to help anyone who was struggling.
So your keywords Alisha are:
*passionate
*kind and
*nurturing
These seem to me to be a good start on a list of keywords that describe a truly great teacher (whether schoolteacher, university tutor or VET trainer).
Wow, so many people have had some very inspirational teachers! I always had great teachers in both primary and high school. My favourite was Mr Torpey, who taught me for years 3 and 4. He encouraged us to do the best we could in everything and to support our friends who needed extra help with their lessons. I guess this is where I learned to enjoy sharing what I had learned and spent a lot of time tutoring my friends . Knowledge is only valuable when shared.
You make a good point Sharon. Sometimes we learn better when we teach others. I went to school in England. We had a class of 44 pupils and it was a low socio-economic area. My teacher used to ask me to help other pupils who were struggling with reading. Maybe that’s where my passion for training comes from!
During my high school years, my most influential teacher would have to be Miss Channing. I remember her with a kind face and warm heart.
She would often take the time to explain things to me individually. During this time I went away on a family holiday but before I left Miss Channing tasked me with completing a ‘journal’ of my travels and experience.
I remembered this being and daunting task, however, I discovered along the way that it became the best holiday ever. I researched places I had been and collected memorabilia and collated them all into a scrapbook. When I returned I presented this to Miss Channing.
Even though it wasn’t part of my ‘school marks’, Miss Channing graded it an A+. This taught me to cherish and pay attention to places that I go because there might be things that you find interesting.
What great story Helena. It goes to show the importance of thinking outside the square. Miss Channing clearly was a very inspirational teacher.
I always remember my middle school teacher, Mr Street. He was a science teacher and really extended you as a student, it was so much fun in his class. I made some of my best friends during those two years.
In Primary school there were several teachers who were great role models and educators but it was my Maths teacher in Year 10 who encouraged me the most. Maths isn’t my best subject but every day she said something positive to me … I ended up getting the lowest mark for Maths in my HSC but in saying that, I totally believed I could do it and I owe that to Mrs Maclaren.
What an interesting and thought-provoking question. I’ve really had to reflect back deeply on my time in institutions to pluck some examples from my hazy memory! I would not say that the majority of my examples were of stellar or exemplary teaching, unfortunately.
I do remember my yr 8 teacher, Mrs Griffin, being wonderfully supportive of my love of reading. She allowed me time in English class to read independently whilst the class completed other work, aware that the set work was too easy for me.
Similarly, I remember my yr 11 English Teacher Mrs Stasiukynas urging me to apply for English Extensions 1 & 2 for my HSC, which I did do, and enjoyed immensely – particularly the opportunity to compose my own major work of a small novella (30,000 words).
As an example of poor teaching I recall the day my dreadful yr 9 Science teacher, Mr Whitehouse, pulled me up out of my chair by my ponytail because I’d been helping the boy next to me, Jack, with his work (Jack was dyslexic and had learning difficulties). Following this incident and particularly in my postgraduate teaching studies I have learnt of the value of peer-assisted learning, and supporting/facilitating this amongst my students wherever practicable.
There are so many fond memories of teachers in this blog it is quite heartwarming to read. I can also associate with some not so fond stories of teachers who leave their mark on a child due to a lack of care or patience also.
This question has taken me back to year three, at a small rural public school in 1983. Since then I have seen my own children go through school life and each had their favourite teacher, mine though, was Miss Prentice an no one came close to her.
Miss Prentice was new to the school and no one knew much about her, over the year though she was to make her mark and every child wanted to be in her class.
Miss Prentice must have been in her early thirties at this stage, she was soft and funny with a quirky sense of humour. I remember every morning looking to the chalk board with anticipation as she would draw beautiful, coloured murals with instructions of how the day was going to pan out. Every mural filled the whole board and made those spelling lists and maths tasks blend into oblivion.
Miss Prentice was musical and loved nothing more than a spontaneous sing along. As she played her guitar we would match her voice with enthusiasm and vigor. She based every task on the ability to create “warm fuzzies” whether it be in ourselves through pride or towards others through positive actions. I don’t ever remember her yelling but she could be stern if need be.
Most of all I remember she gave out scratch and sniff stickers! This was a whole new level of reward to us. She didn’t just give out the one type either, she had so many it was total excitement to open the page and see what sticker you had received then lean over and see what sticker your friend had been given. They were all different and I don’t think any one ever went without a sticker, for that would be absolute devastation.
For many years after I was set on becoming a teacher, I thank Miss Prentice for instilling that in me and I would certainly look to her for inspiration.
Thanks
Rebecca
This is a great story Bec and one would hope that everyone could have a Miss Prentice as their teacher for at least 1 year.
Amber, from what you say, I think you are a natural teacher, because you found yourself helping others when you were at school.
It would be interesting to ask those people who have a passion for teaching, training, coaching and mentoring whether they have a similar history of helping others to learn when they were at school.
I have a feeling there’s a correlation here.
I went to thirteen different schools in three different countries until I finished my HSC. It’s really hard to choose which teachers had a big influence on my education, but perhaps my first two years were the building blocks of my foundation in learning. How could I ever forget Mrs Kelso teaching us how to read, and Mrs Darby who taught us numbers. Their lessons have always stuck in my mind and helped me right from the beginning, so that whenever I was a “new girl” at yet another school, the adjustments kicked in so that I could catch up with the new peer groups.
Anne I’m surprised you can remember any one teacher in so many different schools. It seems to suggest that these two teachers were really memorable.
I suspect that the changes you experienced made you very resilient. “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”.
Your comment also reinforces the importance of literacy and numeracy, as a building block for all other learning.
I remember up until grade 3 I hated reading. We were always made to sit down and have reading time for half an hour each day where we had to select a pre-determined book and read through it then report on it. At the time I could not understand why they were making me do this – what was the point?- I thought. I resented being made to do something that I could not see the value of, after all I could read fine…
However in grade three I met Mrs Davies – and the way she taught was magical. Literally. She read to the whole class the book ‘Harry Potter’, but it was not the book itself that I enjoyed at the time, it was the experience. Rather than forcing me to read a book I had no interest in with no explanation as to why she took the time to set up the environment. She made a corner of the classroom a ‘reading nook’ with cushions on the ground and a purple table cloth and actually showed to us the experience that reading could be, and I was in raptures. Suffice to say that ever since that experience you will be hard pressed to find me without a novel in my hands. And it is this that I attribute to my love of learning and Academia.
What a great experience Karena, and amazing how one teacher has changed your whole outlook on reading and learning. It must have been very special if you still remember the reading nook and the colour of the tablecloth. I enjoyed reading of your experience.
The teacher who I found most inspiring during my time at school was my Grade 2 teacher, Mrs Green. She was an older, stern woman, with crazy curly grey hair. She was very strict, stern, and sometimes even “scary”. But, as strict as she was, she was also equally caring and passionate. Mrs Green’s main passion was science, and was constantly planning hands on science activities, that had us thinking outside of the box and embracing our creativity.
I have many fond memories in Mrs Greens classroom whether it be growing mushrooms in the cupboard, raising a family of fish, keeping an ice cube frozen in a container I designed, or creating an interactive poster about water usage.
Mrs Green taught me that learning can be fun, interactive, and embrace creativity. She taught me that all students have their individual strengths that can be drawn upon. I learnt that not all learning in school is from a book. She encouraged us to approach us with our own ideas and think outside the box.
*approach her with our own ideas and think outside the box.
A beautiful, inspiring story about your Grade 2 teacher Laura. Thank you for sharing. Teachers like Mrs Green we never forget.
I have fond though distant memories of my Year 6 teacher and my Year 10 English teacher. I don’t remember too much about the content of their classes but I strongly recall feeling valued and respected as a student.
In more recent times, I’ve really enjoyed the teaching in a Language Development subject from Uni. The teacher provided relevant and authentic material and examples to help explain new concepts. The class activities were varied and enabled learning interactions between students in class and online. Feedback on particular assessment tasks was constructive and timely. It was a nurturing and stimulating learning experience.
Teachers who influenced my life forever – I have been fortunate enough to have many influential teachers in my life. However, those who taught me the most or influenced my life the greatest were not traditional teachers within the education system. One that immediately comes to mind is my Piano teacher, Mrs bloom who taught me from 6 years old to 12 years old. I had 2 lessons per week with Mrs Bloom, at her house in the local area that I grew up in. She was an older lady, whom I felt very comfortable with but also highly respected, she had an unspoken way of enforcing rules and expectations upon me without having to be harsh or forceful, I knew what was expected and I liked her far too much to ever disappoint. We would have two, one hour lessons each week. She taught me how important it was to practice to improve your skills, to be precise and most importantly be passionate about what I was doing. Mrs bloom moved interstate and that is when I truly noticed my love for her as a teacher, as i regret to say I am now 26 and have not continued piano lessons, I don’t believe i will ever find someone to compare to Mrs Bloom but i also now exactly what she would say to me “Learning is what you make it of Laura”.
Another influential teacher in my life has been my Aunty Kathleen. Kath shares the same passions as i do, Literature, Teaching and Psychology. Kath used to be a University Lecturer before working for the government and now at 57 years old has returned to university to study counselling and Psychology. Throughout VCE I studied both Literature and Psychology. Kath was my main mentor, my greatest supporter and my strongest competition. She taught me how to write and be creative, how to structure essays and put together responses. I will forever treasure our catch ups that continue to teach me so much.
I definitely had many influential teachers throughout Primary and High school whom will stay in my memories forever However, these are two teachers who were a part of my life in a different way.
A beautiful story about two teachers who have influenced your life.
Amazing results when you have a passion for what you do.
What a beautiful story about two very influential women.
The key words I take from your story Laura are ‘practice’, ‘passion’ and ‘creative’.
I believe as a teacher these are some of the most important things that need to be passed on to students.
It is difficult to say with certainty which one teacher has been the most inspiring or most influential. Having had many teachers from many fields, the ones that resonate most are the ones who have imparted real life, practical advice to me.
In high school our metal work teacher, Mr Moncrieff, was an older man of short stature, grey hair and a furrowed brow. His standard ensemble was a dark blue (presumably asbestos-lined) jacket and welding boots accompanied by a piercing gaze, one that without hesitation could stare down an army drill sergeant. He had a booming voice with the power of a thousand public address systems. He was absolutely terrifying.
They say your reputation enters the room before *you* do and Mr Moncrieff’s was no exception. Nobody was going to muck around with this bloke. As high school teenagers we were keen to test the limits, but not in his class. He wasted no time in explaining that most items in the rooms were dangerous-come-potentially lethal. The ground-rules were set pretty quickly and unsurprisingly the class worked like a well-oiled machine. No games or gossip; just make your colourful tray or dog tag and get out. But the man was practical. He taught us the subtle difference in how a change of elbow angle while polishing a piece of ABS plastic would be the difference between ripping your arm off – or not. Arguably extreme, but practical.
Slowly, I found him to be patient. He was encouraging by about year ten (four years from having first met the guy) we developed a good rapport. The turning point was when he inspected a small surfboard I had fashioned and mused, “Mmm. That is a good job. Yes. A good job.” It wasn’t – it looked like something a recycling bin spat back out but importantly, the recognition was was there and I stuck with his classes. As time carried on he would occasionally share a joke with us. He had some really funny gear too, but would never divert his gaze from the 10,000 RPM polishing wheel with the dubious-looking safety guard.
I suppose it’s fair to expect teachers to take all forms. Perhaps it sounds trite; Mr Moncrieff was not the kindly-worded, soft spoken nurturing type, but he taught me about mechanical safety. And he embodied the ‘Three Fs” – firm, fair, and (on even seldom occasion) fun.
Teachers that have been influential to me over the years stand out from all the others purely by the way they made me feel. In my first year of high school I had a maths tutor who eased my anxiety by learning all about me and making me laugh and feel comfortable learning and asking questions as we went.
The next teacher that comes to mind would be my high school english teacher that encouraged me to explore my creative side and express myself.
My most favourite teacher has been an on the job teacher. This teacher gave me confidence and practical skills which I use today.
Leanne, fantastic to hear that the practical skills you still use today.
My school life was mostly very pleasant, but I have to admit there is not one teacher who really stands out for me in a warm way as others have written. I have had many examples shown to me of the ways not to teach and those examples are incredibly helpful, particularly when I reflect on how some teacher’s made me feel. Maya Angelou once said ‘…people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.’ My son who graduated from high school in 2016 and was privileged to be a student of a wonderful example of a teacher who imparted his deep knowledge and love of mathematics. This teacher had an incredible ability to get to know and get to the heart of each and every student he taught. My son would say that this teacher was very strict (with a National Service background!), having a high expectation of his students to acheive their best as an education is an amazing opportunity. He also said that he was very kind and understanding of every student in his class. He knew what each student was interested in, what they struggled with and how best to encourage them. He nurtured their potential and they all knew he cared about them.
That is the kind of teacher who inspires me. Seeing my son’s face light up when he spoke about this teacher was very gratifying. I knew he was in safe hands. I want my students to feel they are in safe hands too.
I recall repeating Year 3 because of ear infections and tonsillitis for most of the year. Miss Lollback said that because I had missed a lot of school and possibly not being able to hear completely that I had trouble pronouncing many vowels.
So during my second time of Year 3, I remember every Friday morning Miss Lollback or Lollie-legs was what we called her as she had long legs, would select a few students to go out to the front and read out aloud to the class and I was ALWAYS selected EVERY Friday.
Sometimes I would try and tell my mother that I was sick on Fridays but she knew. And now when I reflect, if it was not for Miss Lollie-legs pushing me to read in front of everyone, I think I would of had a lot of challenges through my schooling years.
So in a round about way, thank you.
The most influential teacher in my life was probably my year 7 coordinator who was the one of the most kind hearted and happy person I have ever met. She was so welcoming and all ways had the biggest smile on her face, she made everyone feel special and took the time do get to know all of us. I guess the reason why she stands out is the way she connected with me and taught me to go about life staying positive even in stressful situations
I have always thought Scott that a real teacher is born – not made. If you have been born with natural empathy and truly caring, then you will be a good teacher. If you haven’t, no amount of training will turn you into one.
I distinctly remember my Year 11 Geography High School teacher Allan Hatte. He was so passionate about geography and Australia in particular. He used to bring in his slides of his days travelling and jump on the desks singing and dancing. He was so well loved and respected by his students. When he passed away recently it was a testament to him and his teaching that so many of his past students attended his funeral.
The most inspiring teacher from my younger days that I would like to mention was strict, harsh and often a little intimidating but it was his teaching style that got me the grades. His name was Mr Archibald and he was my year 8 & 9 mathematics teacher. He never wrote notes or formulas on the whiteboard but instead would ask us to write them down as he said them aloud. I look back to this now and think his method was fantastic. He never repeated anything which definitely would keep our attention and we were forced to think about what we were writing down. He may of given me detentions for quite silly reasons and often would talk about the old days when he was able to use a cane and the level of discipline that was available to him but he did have such a passion for mathematics and teaching that I can appreciate.
Wow Jess! And I notice you finish with talking about his passion for mathematics and teaching – which I believe is the most important thing whether you are a teacher or a VET trainer.
Styles of teaching can be different but the passion always needs to be there.
I had good teachers and thank them for playing a major part in enabling me to attain my goals. My daughter is in Year 1 and her current class teacher is an excellent teacher. Although she is stern, she is caring and shows empathy to all her students. I can see a big difference she has made to my daughter’s personality as she has become more confident, responsible and has marked improvement in her academic result.
There is no ‘one’ teacher for me that stands out above the rest in terms of influence. However, in my early years I had a lot of support from my teachers. I wasn’t the best student (good kid, very disruptive) but my teachers always stood by me, believing in my potential. Every parent teacher night was the same. My marks were ordinary, I’m not doing my homework or I’m not productive in class but it was always followed by a generous comment about my ability but I’m not applying myself. Looking back now it seems like it was a plea to my parents to spark something in me. I’m thankful to my teachers for giving me more time than they needed to. Sometimes just having someone believe in you gets you through. I do wonder what they’d think if they saw me now. My approach to life is a stark contrast to when I was at school and I hope they’d be glad to know their faith in my ability wasn’t misplaced.
I have fortunately had many good and great teachers throughout my life, in both my formal schooling and extra-curricular activities. There are too many to be able to name them all.
However, someone who has almost definitely had a permanent impact on me is Mr Dallimore, who was my year 11 and 12 modern history teacher. He has an absolute passion for the subject, and this passion was infectious. Mr Dallimore was able to get us all engaged and motivated about learning the content, but also to develop a deeper love and interest in his subject. He shared experiences of his own travels and learnings, and encouraged all of us to go out and explore the wider world after we finished school.
In the classroom he took time to get to know each and every student, and when assessments rolled around he also took the time to give us personalised feedback and encouraged us to improve and develop our knowledge for next time.
Laura, This teacher was a great role model for everyone aspiring to be a VET trainer.
You have summed up the key things that make for excellence in teaching.
There were several teachers who were influential in my life but the one I remember most was Mr Breen. He was strategically gruff and had a reputation as being strict and harsh. I had him for English and he was indeed both strict and harsh but the trait I remember most was one that he was not widely known for.
My school was a boarding school and in my first year there my Grandmother died. I was fourteen years old and found out about it on the public phone. I burst into tears and immediately went to an area that was out of bounds at night as I knew this was somewhere I could be alone. Mr Breen approached me and asked why I was ‘out of bounds’ and I told him what had happened. He took it in silently and then walked over and stood next to me, stared off into the distance and told me how he knew how I felt – his twenty year old son had died the year before.
He was a teacher but in that moment he was also a parent. A grieving parent. We talked for about half an hour and after that night we had such a strong mutual respect. I guess he taught me about resilience but he also taught me about empathy. All are traits that I value highly to this day.
Simon, tears welled up in my eyes when I was reading the original post, yours sent them rolling down right away. I can still vividly remember some conversations I had with some teachers that greatly influenced my life, and I often find that I interpret new meanings into their words as I get older. Some were words of encouragement and some were of criticism, but they helped shape who I am today. I visited one of them recently and told her that I still remember our chat from 25 years ago, and what impact it still has on me now. She laughed and said she had forgotten all about it. But this is what makes the role of a teacher so sacred, their seemingly trivial words and actions bearing huge weight on the minds of students, and they will carry them for the rest of their lives.
The teacher who made an impact on my life would definitely be Mr Youssef, who was my Chemistry teacher. He always took the time and effort to make sure you understood everything, even if it meant one on one sessions after school during his own time.
He had multiple ways to teach, so if some of us wouldn’t understand the “traditional” method he always would come up with different ways to communicate with us and would adapt to us.
He was a class favourite and even 10 years later I still remember how much passion he had for his craft.
I don’t really remember my primary school teachers all that well and my teachers at high school, all but one, really let me down.
Mrs. Alison was my English teacher for year 8 or 9.
I was a “naughty” child though I also happened to be very good at English but lacked the enthusiasm for school and learning in general.
Mrs. Alison could see my potential and gave me chance after chance to redeem myself. I was a surly little emo kid, but she used to always take the time to tell me how clever I was and that I could do so much with my life. I never did get myself together at that school, but once I left and went to a different school for Year 11 and 12 I took that encouragement with me and did really well in my HSC.
I’ll have to find her one day and let her know she made a difference.
There have been several influential teachers in my past. In year 6 Mr Crossley made me earn my pen license – I was a very messy hand writer and often my answers to questions were marked wrong because he just couldn’t decipher my hieroglyphs. He introduced me to calligraphy of all things in a bid to improve the level of my output. It worked of course, his passion was transferred to me through the flowing ink and I came to love calligraphy. On the way, I got better at hand writing and that has stayed with me all my life.
In my first year at High School it was Mr Swan who earned my admiration. He was a very stern old-school mathematics teacher who would enter his class in silence and simply stand at his desk in front of the class. He would wait for as long as it took, until the room fell silent and still, before he spoke. He would then explain that he would not waste his students time with words of discipline as too much time has already been wasted. He would then commence teaching. By the end of the term – students were shushing each other even before he entered the room. The idea that time is precious in all parts of life has stayed with me.
Passion, knowledge and mutual respect have been key to me – but I also think teachers need to get a kick out of helping other people be successful in order to be great teachers.
It was so long ago since I was at school, so long ago that capital punishment eg: the cane, was part of the school discipline.
So on a much happier and positive note I will talk about my daughter’s experience.
When she first started school she was only there for the 1st term then we moved far away, her new school was very daunting for me but not her, her teacher took her by the hand and introduced her to everyone in the class individually and also to all the other class rooms in the school, it was a very small country school. This gave Carly the confidence to concur her fears of the unknown and there was no stopping her after this. Over the years Carly got lost with peer pressure then her studies feel, she changed schools often but that was not the solution. Then one day I heard about our local University having a program for year 10,11 & 12 students, where they can attend their final years at school. This school treated the students like adults, this is what Carly needed. Over the first few months was new and somewhat confronting for her (respect for the students) this is something that she hadn’t experienced in a long time. Then it was something that the year adviser told them “if you want to learn we will teach you, when, where and how long. It is up to you”. Carly walked into school one day and said to all of her teachers “I am ready to learn now, do you believe in miracles cause that’s what it is going to take for me to get better than a D”. 6 months into her first year there (year 11) she started tutoring lessons in all of her subjects, she would start school an hour earlier, tutor at lunch time and stay back after school for 1 hour. Her teachers gave her the time, encouragement and respect to make her understand & improve everyday. When Carly was at the end of year 12 she was excepted into University on a principle recommendation for her efforts. Her final marks were outstanding and she achieved what she first set out to do and more, A’s in all of her subjects. I strongly believe that if it was not for her teachers at the University with their belief in her and her teacher in kindergarten (Mrs Powell) giving her the confidence, then she would not be where she is today (An Emergency Nurse) saving lives.
This is a wonderful story about your daughter’s journey Julie. Thanks for sharing.
The change to the local University provided opportunities for Carly and they were ready to embrace her to start that journey. I still have goosebumps reading how your daughter asked if they believed in miracles. They certainly did!
A beautiful story and look where Carly is today, an Emergency Nurse. Well done Carly.
My Fifth Form Social Studies Teacher Mr Riley was the teacher I recall from my early years of education. He had the ability to provoke debate to enhance our learning, challenge our views and embrace other cultures and beliefs.
Mr little, year 10 Mathematics, helped me understand and simplify mathematics.
Mr Johns, provided e with guidance during some rough times at school.
Miss Thomas, explained English easily to understand and supported you through each subject.
Gosh – wish I had had a maths teacher like him. A good teacher can make the difference between a person loving or hating a subject.
Thank you for the shared stories about teachers who have influenced you all. The teacher who has left the greatest impression on me was my first Anatomy teacher Joel Morrell.
After completing high school I was unsure about what direction to take so took a gap year; during this time I got the travel ‘bug’ in big way and continued travelling for another six years. It was in my mid-20’s I decided to begin studying for a Diploma of Remedial Massage (DRM) and having been out of the classroom so long it was not an environment where I felt entirely comfortable. Some of the first classes I did for the DRM were Joel’s lessons in anatomy and physiology; he was so knowledgeable and passionate about the human body it was infectious (excuse the pun). Whilst the information he presented was incredibly challenging I was determined to excel and committed to large amounts of reading outside the classroom in order to understand it. This culminated in me achieving a score of 100% for one of the exams and I still recall the conversation I had with Joel when he told me the grade. He told me how happy he was with my grade, that I was destined for greater things and should think about further study. I wasn’t a great student at school and had never really considered University study as an option; however the conversation with Joel stuck with me and upon completing the DRM I enrolled in University. I really thrived at University and was eventually offered a scholarship to undertake an Honours Thesis. The conversation with Joel all those years prior left such an impression that I mentioned him in the acknowledgements section of the Thesis document that I submitted to the University.
Thank you for sharing this inspiring story. It made me remember my math teacher, which I did not like and my Literature teacher, that went far and beyond to read us books that were not in the curriculum.
I am lucky enough to have very fond memories of most of my schooling, with majority of the teachers being passionate, supportive and motivating.
The 2 people that made the most positive impact in my schooling and my life were my primary school principle Mr Whetton and my 5th grade teacher Mrs Stewart.
While both were passionate and motivating teachers, it was their kindness, support and empathy that has stayed with me through my life.
From a young age I would write cards and letters to Mr Whetton and show him work that I completed in class. Even though, he was running the school and extremely busy, each and every time he would hand write a note and deliver it back to me. Even after my schooling Mr Whetton would call into my work place to ‘catch-up’ on what was happening in my life and see how I was going. I treasure these inspiring notes and often read back though them.
Mrs Stewart was very similar, she always took the time to listen and support me in school matters and personal ones and we have stayed in contact to this very day.
Sometimes it is not just about what what a student is being taught, but knowing they have support, they are valued and respected can be just as significant in their learning journey.
Wow, this one for me is hard. I had many influential teachers through out my school life. The most influential would have been through out High School.
I had a rocky up bringing, my parents sat me down at the end of year 10 and said ” Nicole you are to dumb to go onto year 11 and 12, do yourself a favour and go out and get a job.”( I was an average student) I had wanted to be a nurse, just like my mum for as long as I could remember. This as you could imagine was quite a confidence breaker.
With out the faith and the confidence my high school teachers instilled in me I would not have succeeded to go on and become and Enrolled Nurse.
Since that time I have gone on to do many things, However I did come back to doing my diploma in Community services( working in Community Aged Care as a lifestyle Facilitator) which as lead me to the path of now working as an Education Support Officer for TAFE NSW.
This has now opened the door for me to complete this course in Assessment in training in the hope that I can go on to teach and hopefully instil the same faith and confidence to inspire my students to go on and do great things.
Not to bad for someone who was to dumb to go on to year 11 and 12 I would say.
Not all teachers reside in classrooms, sometimes the teacher can be the person we work with, live with or hang out with.
As a chef i find the teacher to be a group of chefs/owners who have passed on their knowledge and experience to me.
Beginning with Old Sam and his son Jim who showed me not only the basics in cooking but how to present myself on the plate. (clean tidy plate means clean tidy chef/kitchen)
Another owner called Sam who really opened the door for me in the chef world. Sam spend a few years honing my skill set while teaching me the economics of running a business.
The 2 Sam’s where like fathers figures. Kind to a young man, but also firm.
One other man worth a mention would be Tony. Great man, great chef, but he was the original Gordon Ramsey. Tony brought fire to every kitchen he entered and also the fiery temper. He taught me how to be tough in the kitchen and never to quit.
Though all the teachers i have had and still have during my career i have learned some really valuable lessons, but the most important lesson i learned was.
Always remember the important things people teach you and forget the bad.
During school I was not the most dedicated student and admittedly not the easiest of students to get along with or a student that took well to following instruction. However I was lucky to have one teacher called Mrs Dickon’s. Mrs Dickon’s was my English and History teacher from year 7 to my final year in year 12. Throughout this time Mrs Dickon’s always made me feel like I was a valuable part of the classroom and to be honest probably was a little bias and more lenient on my classroom antics (class clown). She would often bribe me, secretly of course, with promises of chocolate at break times to complete set tasks and ensure that I did not interrupt the learning in her room. Although this was originally a great gimmick in my mind and ensured a regular intake of chocolate I actually began to learn and become less of interruption to others learning. Eventually the chocolates stopped and payment turned in to decent marks and self satisfaction.
During this time Mrs Dickon’s would always encourage my potential and comment on how the future is not dictated by someone’s past but by what they do in each moment of every day. During one of these many chats Mrs Dickson’s came to support me in a meeting I had with the school principal about my behaviour and I was potentially looking at a long suspension. She told me that I need to work on my timing. I looked at her and thought, what is she talking about? She followed on to say, “Scott you need to manage the time between the stimulus and your response”. These few simple words did not mean a lot to me back then but as time went on I would often reflect on what Mrs Dickson’s said during this meeting and finally realised that we all have time to consider how we react or respond before we are met with something that challenges us. Simple concept but such an important part of everyday life.
Sadly Mrs Dickon’s passed away some time back I never got the chance to let her know how she had impacted positively on my life and how I still remember those few simple words that I still try and live by each day. Some times as trainers, mentors, teachers and positions of leadership we can make a huge difference in people we lead, train and educate. Sometimes this can happen through a few simple word or actions.
In thinking about teachers that influenced, changed and guided my life, I have to start with my mother. Unfortunately she didn’t have the opportunity to complete high school and go to University, but, if she did, she would have been a Teacher. In my opinion, acknowledged I probably have some bias, she would have made a great Teacher. Some of her characteristics that I think she had that make me believe this to be true were patience, ability to really listen to what you were really saying and without you realizing it at the time, allowing you to walk away from asking a question with a purpose and direction to seek out the answer to the question yourself, rather than just being given the answer. Now in my role as a trainer of staff in a health service, these are some of the characteristics that I myself apply to training and realize on reflection that I gained these skills in the first place from my mother. Thanks Mum.
The next Teacher that influenced my life was my Grade 7 Teacher Mr Tate. Mr Tate wasn’t actually a very good Teacher from the perspective that he seemed to have a standard lesson plan, which he delivered with the same method to everyone in the class and in reviewing and marking tests/lessons, the result you got in a test or exam would have been related to whether you understood well, or not, the information presented, rather than as a direct influence from Mr Tate’s teaching. The standard, old fashion one-way delivery of teaching, which was the ‘normal’ schooling style in the 70’s. However, he added into his lessons and classes informal conversations and comments around learning being part of life. This one concept, which I now look on as being most valuable, has to be attributed, at least in part, to my Grade 7 Teacher.
The final teacher in my life was my previous manager, Ms M. In a workplace, doing a job for which you are being paid, you sometimes forget that the job can be looked on as being just a job to make ends meet or can be a most wonderful opportunity to spend the day learning. Having someone constantly challenging your thinking and decisions, constantly asking is this the best way to do something, or is there a better/quicker way or constantly asking what do you think and really being interested in your opinion, inspires you to constantly think and learn and seek out information. It also means, when you reflect on it, that you have been taught something new today from someone who took the time and effort to allow you to learn and I think that is a quality that makes a good Teacher. As a result, Ms M most definitely has to therefore be in the top 3 Teachers most influential in my life.
The most inspirational teacher I have ever had was my TEFL Trainer, Beth. She was my first introduction to the world of teaching English as a Second Language and her passion, dedication and professionalism inspired me. Although it took me quite a while to find my feet as a teacher, and discover my own passion for teaching, it was Beth who set the standard for how a teacher, trainer and a fellow human being should be and the role we have to play in people’s lives.
my finest memory’s of a teacher was in a work environment as a hairdresser apprentice ,they were Hong Kong Chinese and had a very different way to teach , practical ,training was hard and fast lots of determination ,compassion and empathy .
I have been very fortunate to have had many great teachers in my life. One of the most inspirational was my Grade 1 teacher who was very gentle with me and encouraged me at every step, this gave me a love of learning.
I agree Jacinta, I always like reading a thoughtful, well written piece that will provoke thought and/or provide inspiration. This is a positive way to use social media.
I was fortunate to attend a school with many amazing teachers who all cared for me in their own way, but there’s one who takes the cake. Mr Reiher was a quirky, loud, gangly comedic type that radiated fun and clearly just genuinely loved working with kids. He was my Grade 5 home room teacher and every day was new and exciting. He sought out methods of teaching that were ‘outside the box’ and kept us from just having our heads buried in books. In particular, I have such fond memories of building a big model city as a class. We each were given a profession, there was a classroom currency, weather patterns etc. There was so much interesting learning tied up in the process, both academic and real life. For example, it’s the first time I remember coming across the concept of insurance (to protect our little homes in case of natural disaster, of course). It’s amazing to think that something from 20 years ago can still stand out so clearly in one’s mind. It goes to show the scale of the impact that teachers can have!
This is a delighful post Luke, thanks for sharing. Like many of the other posts to this BLOG it highlights the impact a teacher can have on their students.
My most inspiration teacher was not my actual teacher but rather my high school principal, Mrs Maidens. She was angelic in the way that she spoke and the way in which she presented herself. Her motivational speaking was the inspirational part. Mrs Maidens had a way of speaking to a crowd and making you feel compelled to strive harder for what you wanted and what you believed in. She believed in the “greater good” and by following this motto she gave hope to her students and to her school. She was a beautiful lady who took the time out of her busy day to engage with classes and students in the playground.
A great memory Kristy. Mrs Maidens would have been a good example to staff and students. The best kind of principal to have.
My Greatest teacher memory was an English teacher I had in Year 7. Miss Cleary was her name.
She was our drama teacher as well, & we had a wonderful experience, writing acting & directing our own little plays.
It was probably the first time I had the confidence to stand before my peers & allow myself to be vulnerable & be totally out of my comfort zone.
As a child from a domestic violent household, these classes allowed the escape I needed to face a very cruel world that I inhabited.
Your Miss Cleary sounds like a beautiful, intuitive person that was very invested into understanding her students and invested in the students both on a professional and personal level.
During my high school years my health/PE teacher Mr Ebbles was the most influential teacher. Having served in the military he was a firm teacher with strict rules, but he was fair. He catered for all learning styles and helped us understand the importance of respect, honour, mateship and looking out for one another. He was always encouraging students to step out of their comfort zone and try something new and was a big advocate for volunteering in the community. He never gave up on a student, even the ones that other teachers would say were too difficult to deal with.
For the most part I have been extraordinarily lucky with the teachers that I have had throughout the course of my education. I had wonderful inspiring, caring teachers in primary school that taught academics alongside human compassion and community spirit. In high school I was entranced by English and introduced to Jane Austin and Pride and Prejudice. At Uni I had teachers that really cared about us as individual students (which I am assured is not the norm) and spent break times sitting and chatting with students. My great fortune is in having a teacher for my father. A teacher who truely loved his work, and who still brings open minded curiosity to everything he does.
Two events, although very small, that stand out for me were moments where I realised that I could widen the scope of my view and my expand my thinking. The memories have somehow remained clear for me over the years.
The first in primary school art class… Our guest teacher (a parent of a class mate) was teaching us how to paint trees and was showing us that you could leave gaps between your paint marks, letting the paper show through to give texture and shape to the trunk and branches. This revolutionized my thinking and made me see that what wasn’t ‘there’ was just as important as what was.
The second event occurred while I was discussion about abnormal psychology with my Professor and lecturer. My lecturer was talking about a person he was going to meet with who saw colours when hearing words – a condition described as a disorder. I made the point that rather than it being a disorder it was an extra ability and I thought there should be better term than ‘disorder’ and my lecturer immediately backed me up supporting my position in front of my Professor. This was actually a small thing but it taught me a huge lesson: that the accepted understanding of anything is not ‘set in stone’, people write books, people make mistakes, we need to adjust our understandings in the presence of new evidence, and that there are as many different ways of understanding the world, as there are people in it!
Thanks for sharing your experiences Emily, I really enjoyed reading your post and sharing in your learning.
When I graduated high school, I was lucky enough to be awarded an athletic scholarship to a university in America. At the very tender age of 17, I travelled across the world by myself and began tertiary education in an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar people. It was very daunting and frightening to say the least. With a little bit of tough love, a very clever professor took me under his wing and not only helped me with my academic pursuits, but gave me a nudge to find my feet and make my new environment a home. I made the Deans honour roll that year for academics, but more importantly (to me..) I found friends and settled into life outside of my comfort zone.
The teacher who I recall had the biggest impact on my life was Mr McCartney. In year 4 I was in his composite class which consisted of years 4, 5 and 6; we lived in a small country town at the time and I was diagnosed with ADHD.
At the time I liked Mr McCartney but never really knew why and in retrospect he took the time to find out what my learning style wasv(kinosthetic) and as best he caught taught me that way.
My Year 8 teacher kickstarted influencing me. In after school homework sessions he made ‘making a timeline’ become entertaining when he rolled out toilet paper and marked a timeline; then hung it on the board. He opened my mind to the creative ways of explaining concepts to people. But the most impressionable person I met was My Year 12 English teacher. She was a thoughtful and kind person with a lot of students yet, always had time for me. We were asked by her to choose a serious life subject to write a large essay on. The key topics for the class were – Abortion, Suicide etc. topics that related to us teenagers and had a significant impact on us. The following class she pulled me aside and asked me to walk with her into the empty room beside our classroom. She showed me to a table which was loaded with lots and lots of cut outs from newspapers. All of the newspaper clippings were about Aboriginal related issues. As the only Aboriginal student in her classes, she felt I needed to learn more about my cultural, my people, the challenges, issues and barriers that Aboriginal people faced and asked me if I wanted to write about one of these topics instead of the other topics. Her gesture was the first to manouvre me toward wanting to do more for my people. I have been Nursing and doing many other things that has helped Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and to Close the Gap. Mrs W. was the best teacher… ever.
My most memorable teacher was my Year 8 English Teacher Mr Kelly.
I remember Mr Kelly to be an older gentleman with balding grey hair who just oozed passion for teaching English. I was always excited to get to English class in eagerness to soak up everything Mr Kelly had to offer.
One particular thing that stands out in my memory is the way he would read chapters in our recommended texts. Mr Kelly was engaging and intense, and I enjoyed the experience of being able to take my mind to another place through his fantastic ability to tell a story.
Mr Kelly will always be the man responsible for my love of books and storytelling.
When I first thought of contributing to this blog, I was concerned that no inspirational stories, such as those shared above, came immediately to mind. Then, upon reflection, several names floated to the surface of my memory, like treasures from the deep. As I explored these memories, I realised it was the incidental lessons that these teachers imparted which have made them stand out amongst the rest. It was Miss Russ, in infant school, who taught me about kindness. Mr Patterson, in high school, empowered me to have courage and conviction. In university, Professor Cullen showed me what it means to have compassion, and Professor Harrison instilled in me the value of clear communication.
These are the lessons I’ve taken with me throughout my life and, every day, it’s the people who surround me – family, friends, colleagues, even strangers, who help me to embed and apply these lessons. I believe that if you’re open to learning, everyone becomes a teacher and every experience, every interaction, can become a valuable lesson.
These are great lessons Karla, thanks for sharing.
My most memorable teachers were the ones who pushed me out of my comfort zone.
I was always trying to find the easiest of ways to get through my schooling without having to put to much effort into it.
My year 8 science teacher commended me on my observation skills when it came to working out how my caged mouse was able to escaped from his cage. This comment encouraged me to look at learning as a positive experience.
My year nine math teacher just plain terrified me into learning! Looking back it makes me wonder if he loved teaching or wanted to preserve his reputation as high achieving teacher, either way both outcomes were successful.
As a 15 year old shy student it took a lot for me to stand up in front of a class to speak. On one rare occasion I did stand and speak in front of my geography class, some class mates made negative comments about my ideas. The teacher was quick to quell the comments by saying I like the way you think.
These three teachers taught me compassion, perseverance and to venture out of my comfort zone.
I remember very much my grade 6 teacher who was a man by the name MrPHILLIPS a hard teacher but fair who’s strong teaching ethics have helped me through life along with several high school teachers to many to mention. As i left school and started work i have had many great teachers and still have many great teachers around me as we are all learning something new all the time by people no matter how small or great the learning experience
Growing up in Coffs Harbour during the 1970’s, I was fortunate to attend a primary school that had some great teachers. One teacher in particular that I have fond memories of was Mr Eggins. Looking back I now realise that Mr Eggins had the qualities and attributes that make for a good teacher, role model and coach.
I was quite shy as a young lad, especially in the classroom. The thought of standing in front of my peers to read out loud or to make a presentation would fill me with fear and dread. Mr Eggins had the patience and demeanour to help me build my confidence and self-esteem – qualities I would need in spades to be class captain that year and school captain in my final year of primary school. And of course it also laid the foundation for employment later in life.
As a primary school kid I was a typical boy. Mostly restless and distracted during class with one eye on the wall clock and the other one peering through the window at the sun streaming down outside. My real passions lay outside the classroom, playing football, cricket and anything to do with athletics. Fortunately Mr Eggins also enjoyed his sport. He was very generous with his time and was keen to provide guidance and encouragement. The confidence I subsequently gained on the sporting and athletics fields helped me in the classroom and I thank Mr Eggins for the part he played in these formative years.
The concept of ‘yin and yang’ aptly applies to my parents. Although far from perfect (what parents are?), they did provide me with a stable, loving and mostly happy up-bringing. My father being a true Dane was a gregarious and larger-than-life individual. He taught me how to laugh things off and to interact with people with humour and in good spirits. He had a big heart, was a good judge of character and mostly let me just get on with things as I grew up.
My mother (the opposite force to my father, yet complimentary and interconnected), was more reserved and refined, which perhaps reflected her British upbringing. She taught me life skills, such as how to cook and look after myself. There was never any fuss. If I was feeling a bit off-colour and didn’t want to go to school, she’d simply say ‘you’ll be alright by elevenses’ and hurried me out the door (although this back-fired on her one day when the school rang to say that I wasn’t well with suspected tonsillitis and to please come and pick me up..).
I’m forever grateful for the duality of my parent’s influence with my upbringing. Although I certainly didn’t appreciate it at the time, I can now reflect and acknowledge how it’s provided me with life-skills to be both a husband and father and to just get on with things.