Students that influenced my life…

As I reflect on the students I'd met during my lifetime of teaching on two different continents, I realised that their life stories had enriched me as much as I hopefully helped to broaden their own horizons, discovering the joy of learning and the power of knowledge.

The practicum High School teacher – Russian Language and History

Slovakia 1988, Modra

Renata – a female student from a small winemaking town called Modra

The first year of teaching – Year One teacher in experimental school under American endowment

Slovakia 1990, Bratislava

Andrej – a year one student of Slovak father and New York African American mother who moved from Darwin Australia where the student was born back to his father’s hometown for one year

The first year of teaching in Australia – Pre-primary class of students with English as a second language

1994 Beaconsfield Primary School Fremantle: Svetlana – a girl of Serb origin

1995 Mandurah English as a Second Language mixed class – a boy from Somalia

1996 Rockingham year six class in mainstream Primary School – a boy from Manchester

1997 Kwinana year six class in mainstream Primary School – a boy from the outback

Year Six Islamic College Perth

1999 Saranda – a girl of Kosovo origin

Year Six Rockingham Education Support Centre

2000 Fabian – an indigenous boy from Broome

2004 Michael – an adopted boy of mixed indigenous and European origin

2007 Jordan – an adopted boy of European origin....