I was speaking to my bestie about a recent heartbreak and she said something so beautiful that it inspired this blog post. She said,
Those kids will remember the love you gave forever. I still remember the teachers who cared about me and saw me for who I was, not just a problem. You may have been one of the only people who cared about them, and so you taught them unconditional love. Taught them that they are a human being, not a problem to fix. That will stay with them as they enter new relationships and environments…
This really helped me to accept and move on from my time working in secondary education. I thank her for her beautiful words and the love she has shown me over the 11+ years we’ve been friends.
Here are some of my own experiences of the kind she shared above:
Primary school teacher years 4 & 6
When I was in Year 4 and Year 6, I had Mr Hewitt as my teacher. I will remember that incredibly tall, charismatic man forever because he introduced me to my lifelong love, Harry Potter. He would read us chapters in the morning or as a treat if we were good and hardworking. We all respected him so much and listened intently to the story. He would put voices on and deliver the action with gusto. Before the time of audiobooks, he was my first experience with entertaining oral storytelling.
Thank you, Mr Hewitt, for caring to share those stories with us and showing me what magic could really feel like.
Secondary school teachers
I have been very lucky to have a lot of great teachers. My English teachers have been incredible, which was so important for nurturing my love of reading and writing. I still have my copy of Dracula from my year 11 teacher, which she gifted me at the end of the year (we all were given books). She inscribed mine with encouragement to keep writing, as she had read my novel about vampires back then! What a kind thing to do!
My language teachers, Mrs Garcia (Spanish) and Mrs Cornelius (Japanese), inspired my love for other cultures and languages. Their passion for languages and engaging manner of teaching made me look forward to their classes and enjoy language-learning to this day. Mrs Cornelius brought in Japanese items like a traditional kimono from her time living there, which added a little extra to our experience in the classroom.
My PE teacher Mr Parfitt (who I later worked with in my first role in a school!) supported my athletic pursuits. He ensured I got an A* in GCSE PE because he marked me for my performance in athletics (100m sprint and high jump). He didn’t need to do that, but that care and extra effort meant a higher grade for me.
My Media and Film Studies teacher Ms Parker was someone who believed in my work and kept in touch after school. She once used my work to showcase the “right” way to layout and deliver the assignment. As embarrassed as I was being the shy girl back then, I also felt amazing and will never forget that. I felt so confident. Like floating on air. I was good at something, and someone noticed. That’s an incredible feeling. I also can still hear her laugh to this day, meaning she wasn’t afraid to be herself and share in a joke with us during our lessons.
Last but definitely not least, my form tutor Mrs Jaggers. I felt safe with her. Cared for. Understood. She helped me to get a job in the school when I was 25, and that set off a career in education for me that I will value forever. She, alongside Ms Medina and Ms Lowe, also supported me through my mental health decline (anxiety and depression) and insomnia during my GCSEs. Ms Medina let me try to sleep in her office during exams! Ms Lowe gave me reiki massage to help sooth my anxieties. This extra love and care will forever show me that there are good people out there.
Thank you CTC Kingshurst Academy for hiring amazing teachers who all supported my love for learning, my self confidence, my mental wellbeing and passions.
Counsellor at work
Ms Beddoes was the school counsellor at my last workplace, but she acted as a confidante, friend and support system for me during my hardest times. She was employed to support the students, but she offered her services to the staff, too. She said that if her door was open, we could speak to her. She was incredibly kind, fair, patient, and funny. Lending her ear to me made getting through the day easier when my emotions were high and my mental health was low. When I left, she gave me her personal number to check in when “the inevitable anxiety” hit. What a thoughtful thing to do.
Thank you, L, you were amazing and I’m so grateful for the support you gave.
Take time to care – please!
I’ll leave you with this message: take time to care. These people I’ve mentioned today didn’t need to go that extra mile. They could have showed up to work and just did the bare minimum. They could have been strict and detached. They could have chosen to care less. But no! Because they chose to care more, their impact is imprinted on me forever. I look to my time in their classrooms or in their presence and smile. I remember what it feels like to be valued, to be seen, to be enjoyed, to be safe. And that’s a crucial thing to instil in a child, but also in everyone you meet.
You could be the difference in their life, and isn’t that the greatest gift we can give?
Sincerely,
S. xx
S. R. Crawford 