My Dad's retiring today. He's a Geography teacher. He's taught the whole of his career (34 years) at the same school - www.wyvern.hants.sch.uk. He is one of those teachers who I really believe are born to teach. The comments people have made when they have found out he is leaving are testament to this; comments like 'the place won't be the same without him', 'it's the end of an era' and 'does he have to go?'. I've never know him to be anything but a teacher career wise, and that's crossed over into home life too. He teaches me daily, not in an attempt to make me a better educated person, but because teaching is what he is - finding answers to why things are the way the are, or work the way they do. Finding the story behind something rather than just the basic answer.
I feel sad that he's leaving. I understand his choice to finish now, and support his decision 100% being that it is what he wants to do. Over the years he's taught my friends, my family, my work colleagues, even parents of friends. I've never heard anyone to have a negative thing to say about his lessons, or his teaching or manner with the students. I'm immensely proud of my dad, the geography teacher. Now, when people ask what my dad does, I'm still going to say he's a teacher, because he always will be. Only now he's not on a salary for it!
Dad leaving Wyvern today is a loss for the students yet to reach his classroom; but an exciting step into another part of his life. I hope it brings the happiness he deserves.
4 comments:
This is a really, really lovely post - your dad would be so touched to read it and know how you felt, I'm sure.
Please pass on my very best wishes for a happy retirement. Wyvern will miss Mr. Wickstead!! xxx
Your Dad sounds just like my old maths teacher (if you get what I mean). It's a hackneyed old phrase, but "no-one forgets a good teacher".
I hope he enjoys his retirement, he sounds as if he has put in the hard work and effort to deserve it.
I went to school to watch his farewell speech. Jenn, you'll know who I'm talking about - Mr Jones did it. It was lovely, a very humbling experience. I cried, a lot! I got him a card and couldn't decide what to write in it, so I printed off my blog yesterday and stuck that in it instead. Made him tearful, bless him. I'm so proud of him, I hope he knows how much!
Funniest thing is, my dad retired yesterday too. 25 years at the same school, his first and only teaching job, and you really could say much the same things about him. Fancy that eh?!
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