Source: Post Primary Teachers Association (PPTA)
PPTA president Jack Boyle thanks our members for the difference they have made in our nation’s schools.
Every day I am inspired by the efforts of our kaiako. Teaching is such a powerful profession. It’s characterised by care and professionalism alongside a deep commitment to young people, their whanau and our wider society.
Whether it’s engaging our ākonga through scaffolded learning in a subject in order for them to gain understanding and mastery or guiding them through life events and challenges so that they develop resilience and confidence, we’re there for them. We make the difference.
The strength of our country grows through teaching
Teachers are our nation builders – the strength of every profession in our country grows out of the knowledge and skills that teachers help to instil in our children.
This year, perhaps more than ever, those efforts have been so important. With the impacts of Covid-19 on our students and communities we have found those reserves of courage, of care and commitment to keep young people connected and learning.
We’ve moved to online learning while they were away from school and found alternatives when this wasn’t possible. We’ve changed learning programmes and assessments to mitigate the impacts of time away from school. We’ve counselled and supported, guided and soothed, motivated and encouraged our students – all while dealing with the consequences of the pandemic ourselves, within our own whanau and communities.
Your efforts have made a powerful difference
To all of you who have gathered together learning resources and delivered them to the homes of your students, those who have called and emailed parents to check how your learners are getting on, those who have rearranged classrooms to keep a 1m distance between desks, cleaned after each lesson, run catch up sessions, developed Individual Education Plans and re-marked work looking to recognise the learning that has happened outside of formal assessments.
To all of you who have with grace and good humour demonstrated your commitment to education and the learners we serve – thank you. Your efforts have made a powerful difference.
Humbled and grateful to have stood alongside you
As I come to the end of my time as president of PPTA I feel both humbled and incredibly grateful to have stood alongside you as you have continued to move mountains for the tamariki mokopuna in our nation’s secondary schools.
Of course, teaching has never been easy, and it never will be. But for all the very real challenges, those brought to the fore this year, those we have raised over the last four years and those to come, I am so optimistic about where we are going. Why? Because of the teachers who will lead the way. It is you who will shape the state of this profession—and the future prospects of our children.
Māku te ra e tō ana; kei a koe te urunga ake o te rā.
