Mrs. Bingham with our Grade Prep Class

As students around the world (Northern Hemisphere) prepare for their first day of school, there are also teachers who have been busy getting classrooms ready, lesson plans finished and are there with open arms to take in a new batch of  students.

Thank you to all those fabulous teachers who make their classrooms such a welcoming place and a world of wonder, exploration, and fun. So many of you leave big marks on so many of us students – even long after we’ve left your classrooms.

I’ve been so lucky to have so many wonderful school teachers. From my first ever, my grade Prep teacher, Mrs. Bingham, to my high school Principal, Sr Beth (although at the time I didn’t think that way), to all the greats in between.

Starting school can be scary for a four and a bit year old, but Mrs Bingham took that fear away with her welcoming smile, words of reassurance, and opening my eyes to the world. Anytime I walked into her classroom or I saw her (even until this day), I felt safe, important and like I could do anything.

I was fortunate to have Miss Merritt for two years.  She was one of the most caring and loving teachers ever. I wanted to be a teacher because of her. I still remember sobbing in her arms when she told me she was leaving our school.

Mr Lysenko and Mr Scerri literally risked their lives to save mine.

Mrs Rhoderick made history so much fun. Her classes were always rowdy, filled with excitement and there was a burning desire to find out more about our world by learning from the past.

Mr Kelso challenged me and opened my mind by, just like Robin Williams in Dead Poet’s Society, getting me to standing on tables and see the world from a different point of view – “Oh Captain. My Captain!”

Ms Romano imparted valuable life lessons. Teaching me to stand up for and back myself, and to use my voice, not only to help me, but others too.

And Sr Beth. My high school principal. I wasn’t her biggest fan but some of the words, from her many assembly lectures, have stuck with me. She always believed that us AMI girls could and would go far. She harped on about not boxing ourselves in and trying as many new things as possible – both in life and in our careers.

I was so privileged to have these amazing human beings cross my path. They saw only the best in me and pushed me to not only see it, but believe that I could be it too.

So to my teachers, and to every other amazing teacher out there, thank you for everything that you do. You make this world a better place. Here’s to an academic year that is all kinds of wonderful, not just for your students, but for you too!