Teachers be like . . .
Just wanted to give a big shout to all the teachers out there doing inspirational things with their students. It’s easy to hate on teachers, there’s a lot of negative stereotypes out there:
– teacher said, ‘you’ll never make it, you’re headed for jail!’
– teacher said, ‘people like you can’t learn.’
– teacher said, ‘get out of MY classroom!’
I have no doubt there are teachers who say stupid things like this. But I’m so thankful for the many teachers who encourage, believe, inspire . . . in unseen ways, the little things they do every day that show love and make a REAL difference.
I was reminded of this when reading a post by Kiwi rugby league winger Roger Tuivasa-Sheck this week.
To all our teachers and parents out there – keep planting those positive seeds in our students. We might not see much at the time but who knows what effect we are having that will bear fruit in the future. There have been many students I’ve worked with over the years who I wondered if I was even making a difference with, some even left school early, only for them to contact me later and say thanks for something I may have said to them or done that has impacted them.
Thank you Mr Max White, Mr Trevor Thwaites, Ms Sue O’Rorke, Mr Warren Lincoln . . . and the other teachers of Viscount Primary, Arahanga Intermediate and Mangere College who believed in me, challenged me, expected the best from me, were patient with me, showed grace and played a part in the journey of who I am today.
