World Teacher Day - October 5th
Kelly Norrington, Content Manager.
I became a teacher quite by chance. I left Edinburgh University with a good degree, expecting to get a job because I had a piece of paper saying I was worth something.
Unfortunately, due to a lack of actual work place experiences and professional networks, I ended up working in a bar (if only Uptree had been around for me back then!).
Deciding that life must consist of more than pulling pints for tourists in St Andrew’s Square, I paid off my student overdraft, packed a travel bag and went adventuring. For 5 years.
Somewhere along the way, in Thailand, I saw a job advert to be an English teacher in South Korea, with rather good pay. I applied, not knowing where Korea even was on a map. Remarkably, I got hired by the local education board so off I flew to the remote island of Jindo, south of the mainland.
Within a few weeks, I realised that I had a natural flair for connecting with children. It quickly became apparent to me that The Teacher Stare works globally on young people (and sometimes adults) regardless of any language barrier.
I returned to England two years later and completed a PGCE at Durham, taking my first teaching job as Acting Head of Department in a small country school in Derbyshire. In total, I have taught in 6 secondary schools in 3 countries.
Regardless of students’ language, culture, gender, religion or ability, what made my teaching career so rewarding were the relationships that I built with the young people I encountered. Many of these relationships were hard-won with strong-willed kids who fought against me week after week until they finally realised I wasn’t going to let them get away with anything but their best.
Some of my most treasured possessions are the leaving books I received when cohorts moved on and wrote me thank you letters. I’m sure that I will fade into obscurity for most of the students I taught but I do hope that, for a few at least, I will be that ‘favourite’ teacher we all have memories of from school.
So, from one teacher to another, I salute you all and your determination to bring out the best in young people across the world.
