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… Read more »
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 enjoyed reading about the difference that teachers can make in our lives. My life has been enriched by numerous teachers. Three that made a huge difference to me were: Ms Val Pinder, Mr Robert Sjolund and Mrs Jan Buerkner. Val Pinder was an inspiring woman who taught me Italian in Year 7. She had a rare disability that caused her muscles to become bones and she was wheelchair bound but she didn’t let this stop her! She was patient, knowledgable and she had a sense of humour. She taught me that anything is possible. Robert Sjolund was another teacher… Read more »
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… Read more »
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… Read more »
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… Read more »
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… Read more »
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… Read more »
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… Read more »
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… Read more »
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… Read more »
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… Read more »
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… Read more »
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… Read more »
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.… Read more »
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… Read more »
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… Read more »
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,… Read more »
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… Read more »
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… Read more »
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… Read more »
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… Read more »
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.… Read more »
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… Read more »
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… Read more »
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.… Read more »
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… Read more »
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… Read more »
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… Read more »
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… Read more »
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.… Read more »
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,… Read more »
*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… Read more »
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,… Read more »
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… Read more »
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… Read more »
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… Read more »
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… Read more »
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… Read more »
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… Read more »
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… Read more »
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… Read more »
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.… Read more »
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… Read more »
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.… Read more »
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… Read more »
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.