Why I Will Always Be Glad

I chose K-6 teaching as my lifelong career.

Welcome to Denyse Whelan Writes Here.

I knew at around age 11 I wanted to be a teacher. Of younger kids. I always enjoyed baby sitting our neighbours’ kids, and my Year 5 teacher gave me some responsibilities that helped me learn I was GOOD at helping kids and I LOVED it.

But…of course….the teen years brought on some other distractions..a social life for one. The beach, movies, going to socials and dances and when my school work was being neglected, and yet my ambition remained to ‘be a teacher’ I did crack on…

as they say and managed, after a couple of offers, to get into a N.S.W. Education system where we became ‘bonded’ student teachers who could be sent anywhere in N.S.W. to teach. And I was glad of this opportunity. We did a very intensive two years of training to be able to teach all kids aged 5 to 12.

With Mum and Dad at my Teachers’ College Graduation.

On this day, 27 January, in 1970, I was at my first school. 6 hours from my parents’ place in Sydney and sharing a house with other teachers. It was a BIG learning curve for a spoiled girl..me! But I learned just how much I did love the job and I could have fun too…and by the end of that year, being in a social group of teachers from the local area, I met the man who would become my husband.

And yes, he was a teacher too. In a one-teacher school over the mountains from where I was, and he taught kids aged 5-12 in the same room.

A central school has grades K-12. I taught a K/Yr1 group.

We met Oct 1970, married next Jan & recently celebrated 54 yrs of marriage.

Why Teach?

Oh I can’t really explain it well because I see it as something I did/do because it’s a vocation/calling for me.

When I knew I wanted to teach, I just knew, and my personal and professional qualities went on to prove me right.

I liked interacting with the students, the families, the school staff and more.

I too love learning myself, which is why I went on various committees and lead teams, and completing 3 university qualifications whilst teaching/leading full time.

There is for me, a great energy in a school (if it’s lead well) that I can pick up and see what’s going on.

And to be honest, if you do not really like kids, longer hours of work out of the classroom and not getting a very big salary, then perhaps it’s not for you.

Simply said, it was for me…and still would be.

I get a kick out of being back in our granddaughters’ schools these days as visitors to open days and so on..but, as B and I say to each other afterwards, at 75 we could no longer do this. It takes lot of energy of all kinds to teach.

To be a teacher, and do it well, I believe you do need to have some back up support of a partner or at home because it is a wearing role. I did have that, and at times, my parents would help out when I was doing promotions and B was attending to other work. I also had a house cleaner and someone who ironed..back in those days.

Some Memories.

In 2020 B and I drove back to Tamworth and visited my school at Barraba and along the way stopped at the turnoff for when B would have driven back to his small school after visiting me. We did this to mark our 50 years of meeting.

The steps up to Barraba Central where I worked in 1970. Re visited 2020.

Tamworth in the background. Where we met in 1970, and where we had our first child in 1971. We revisited for old times sake in 2020.

About My Career.

B and I were both teachers. We taught at separate schools around N.S.W. and then in 1976-77 in a two teacher school at Weilmoringle. This WAS interesting. He was acting principal/teacher and I was the other teacher. We had Aboriginal Teaching Aides too. B was hitting his stride in educational leadership, doing courses and a degree and being awarded a substantive role back in Sydney to begin our life ‘in our first house’ in north western Sydney.

However, ill health , in the form of some devastating long term spinal conditions meant that over the next two years, despite surgeries, he had to retire for medical reasons and this began a change for me. One that was immense. We had also just had a second child.

Fast forwarding, because I don’t want to write a lot, B became well enough to pursue another self-made career by the mid 1980s and I was on my way career-wise with N.S.W. Public Education.

Teacher Photo Day shots. Mostly

Not a great shot..but I am Principal of Richmond PS here

I was a K-2 teacher, an executive teacher, an assistant principal, a deputy principal, a relieving principal and a substantive principal. Sadly work overload as a principal saw me leave under less than ideal circumstances. However after a year off “being retired but not loving it” I returned to my love…helping kids and teaching art & craft and English as a Second Language (to adults too as the years passed) and at age 60…FINALLY said “thank you, it’s been great but I am tired now, so I will retired to care for grandkids…” As I always LOVED doing when we could !

I will always be a ‘teacher at heart’ and I was grateful when I finally got the ‘correct’ retirement medal from the then Dep. Secretary of NSW Education in December 2018. Murat Dizdar is a ‘people person’ who is now in charge of N.S.W. Education. His work in ensuring I was given the “proper” retirement I had missed way back was appreciated by me.

And now, the photo I shared on social media today…..marking 27 January.

This post is dedicated to two men.

One is my late father. Dad encouraged me to get a tertiary qualification in teaching and to make it a career. This was not always the case for women raised in the 1950s and 60s.

The other, of course, is the man I met in 1970 who has TAUGHT me so much about life….learning…gratitude and love…

He is my husband….Thank you Bernard.

On our wedding day…”going away outfits” modern kids

Take care everyone and do share with me your story about your career!

Denyse.