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I remember my Prep teacher, Mrs Wardle. I know that not everyone can remember their Prep teacher, but I can. I can’t remember anything about what she taught me, but I remember feeling cared for, safe and comfortable in her presence. She was such a kind woman. I also remember my Year 11 Maths teacher, Ms Mazlow. She was a bit tougher on me and a bit less gentle with my shortcomings than Mrs Wardle. I can’t recall much about what “Maz” taught me either, but I do remember her giving up a couple of recesses to help me with … something. I also remember that she refused to let me drop Maths as a Year 12 subject. She actually changed my subject selection form against my wishes! I remember feeling the presence and pressure of a Teacher who believed in me and saw more in my potential than even I did. I genuinely remember both Mrs Wardle and Ms Mazlow fondly. And I think they both contributed, with some significance, to my becoming a Teacher too. And that influence isn’t about the results they achieved with me (I barely passed Year 11 Maths) but about the way they both made me feel. What I note as curious was that nothing about the way they made me feel was particularly onerous for them. Influencing through emotion needn’t always be hard work. Just be mostly kind. And, when you can, demand effort. Be remembered fondly, somehow. It’s perhaps the biggest influence you can have. Keep fighting that good fight, |
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PS. Heaps of people let me know that they couldn’t get to the workshops we recently ran in Melb/Syd/Bris (for reasons stretching from timing, to geography, to selling out and to Covid). So we’re going to take these babies online in the mid-year break so your school needn’t miss out. Deets below:
Would love to see you there. Want to subscribe to Adam’s Home Truths? Simply subscribe here. |