Teachers in Melbourne’s north were amongst hundreds honoured on Sunday, June 19 for their service to the public education system over the years.
Mill Park local, Laureen Adderley has spent the better part of her teaching career watching the children “learn and seeing the bulb light up when they suddenly understand it…I love it.”
Ms Adderley retired this year after having spent over 45 years in the teaching profession but has a hard time staying away.
“I have just recently retired so I won’t be continuing, although I have gone back and done some casual relief teaching at the same school, just to sort of keep my hand in a bit,” Ms Adderley said.
“I’m starting to enjoy my retirement.”
The former assistant principal said it felt “very good” to have her service recognised by the department.
“You get reward in teaching from the children and from the parents and from your colleagues, but you don’t get that real recognition in any other way, except this way to be given something that the department says you’ve done really well for your time in teaching.”
Another teacher who had their service recognised was Gladstone Park resident, Karen Relf.
Ms Relf has been teaching for 40 years and said she was “very pleased” with her award.
“It was lovely to have my years of service recognised as it is always great to feel appreciated,” Ms Relf said.
She began teaching in 1981 at Broadmeadows Technical School before leaving to have her first child.
In 1991, Ms Relf was offered a position at Taylors Lakes Secondary School and has taught there ever since.
Becoming a teacher had always been a dream of Ms Relf’s.
“I became a teacher because I always loved school. When I was little, I had a blackboard at home and I used to play school with my four siblings,” she said.
“I was very fortunate, too, to go to a great local high school – Niddrie High School – where I had very good teachers who inspired me. I am still in contact with my Form 6 English teacher after all these years.”
