Polarising or passionate: The world according to one of Qld’s most controversial and loved teacher

She’s the pink-haired teacher at Wilston’s St Columba’s whose methods have raised eyebrows. As the school bell rings on her 50 years in teaching, Elizabeth Kriesch reveals what makes her tick.

Teacher Elizabeth Kriesch. Picture: Mark Cranitch

Polarising or passionate. Outspoken or forthright. Controversial or fearless.

Whatever the perspective held, Elizabeth Kriesch makes no apology for being all these things and more.

As the school bell rings on more than 50 years’ working in Queensland’s education system – the last 31 at St Columba’s Primary School in Wilston in Brisbane’s inner-north – Kriesch knows her legacy speaks for itself, be it in the classroom, the staffroom or the union office.

Teacher Elizabeth Kriesch with the original St Columba’s school bell rescued and refurbished by her husband Kevin. Picture: Mark Cranitch

And the primary school teacher, known for her trademark shock of pink hair, ever-present microphone headset and big personality, who rejected more lucrative careers to change the world, one child at a time, would do it all again.

“There’s not another job in the world where I would get up every morning and be excited about going to. I love it. The excitement, the challenge, especially working with special needs kids,’’ beams Kriesch, 70, a pocket-rocket practically fizzing with energy and enthusiasm.

“Every year it’s a different group of kids and every year, each kid is different every day. It’s like being in a new situation every minute of the day, because no matter how well you think you know kids, you never really know what they might know, do or say.’’

Still, even as the last farewell celebration makes way for retirement’s promise of travel and new adventures, Kriesch has no plans to completely give up teaching or changing the world .

Elizabeth Kriesch in her Emus classroom at St Columba’s School, Wilston. Picture: Mark Cranitch

A curious mix of the traditional, modern and left-field, Kriesch’s methods have often raised eyebrows but her basic philosophy of “fun and purposeful” has remained constant since turning down a University of Queensland veterinary science scholarship to walk into Ascot State School as a fresh-faced, 17-year-old student of Kedron Park Teachers’ College.

“Every kid can learn and every kid has a place in the world. It’s very important to me that children see they have a place in the world and they develop essential skills for life,’’ says Kriesch, who later completed her education degree and graduate diploma in religious education while taking seven years’ out to care for her young family with Kevin, her husband of 48 years.

Son Paul, 41, is head of music at Churchie, while Mark, 37, is an online marketing executive.

Teacher Elizabeth Kriesch with her first teaching class, Virginia State School in 1971.

As paper replaced slates, iPads replaced blackboards and four iterations of curriculums superseded the original workbook she taught from, Kriesch cast a critical eye over every new trend, taking on board the worthwhile and disregarding the “hoo-ha”.

Her students learnt the fundamentals of reading, writing – including parsing, the ability to name and describe the roles of each component of a sentence – and arithmetic alongside computer literacy and research skills.

She uses red pen, dispenses feedback as often as lollies from the jar on her desk, and encourages discussion. Every child learns to hem and sew on a button. Homework is necessary “life work”.

Independence and self-responsibility is fostered, as she despairs of parents’ mollycoddling and the ever-increasing family responsibilities foisted on to teachers.

“I’ve got a very strong philosophy about what children need before they go on to create rockets. Children need to be able to crawl before they can walk and they need to be able to do basic things before they can analyse and philosophise and theorise.

“It’s great for people to be environmentally aware but if they can’t read a rain gauge because they’ve got no early mathematics, it’s useless.

“If you can’t read well, there’s no use holding a discussion about climate change because they can’t read the proper material to have that detailed discussion. I like to teach children to think for themselves.’’

Teacher Elizabeth Kriesch with an overhead projector she continued to use regularly in her classrooms. Picture: Mark Cranitch

Outgoing St Columba’s Primary School principal John O’Connor laughs as he describes Kriesch’s love of a debate.

He questioned her distribution of chewing gum during NAPLAN testing, only to later discover elite-level sports psychologists recommend it to hone focus and concentration. Kriesch shrugs, the school’s top scores speak for themselves.

“I just know whenever I see her at my door, it’s not going to be a quick discussion. It’s going to be lengthy and passionate,” O’Connor says.

“You always need to listen, because even if you might not agree with her initial ideas, she’s got logic and information behind them. It always makes you consider why you want to go down a particular path, and that’s the best thing for the kids.’’

Paediatrician Dr Lauren Watson, wife Lynnelle and their sons Oliver and Max (front), dressed as their favourite teacher, Elizabeth Kriesch, at one of her many retirement parties. Picture: Lauren Watson

Dr Lauren Watson and wife Lynnelle were“curious, nervous and sceptical” while eldest son Oliver was “petrified” when they learnt he was to be part of Kriesch’s Year 3 Emus class.

The three soon fell under “her magic spell”, which continued the next year with youngest son Max.

“She goes to extremes to make learning fun but has very firm and high expectations, and makes this very clear to the kids,’’ says Watson.

“She is firm but fair, will call a spade a spade but never hold a grudge … and loves each and every child individually with genuine sincerity.

“As she shared her vast and colourful life experiences with us, each day was like a fictional bedtime story when you hold your breath waiting to hear what happened next.

“Her outstanding leadership is very much respected by all, but her greatest contribution has been her natural talent for teaching every child, no matter how small, to respect and value their education, to be proud of themselves and to have fun learning in the big wide world.’’

Kriesch laughs recalling students teasing that she should change her name to Mrs Google as she knows so much and shares so many of her personal passions with them.

“I love learning. My favourite thing to do is read the handbook of something. I love knowledge. But I like learning to be fun and I like it to be fun for me. I don’t want to be bored senseless (in the classroom).’’

Decades of school camps meant Kriesch’s students learnt to chop wood, build fires, make damper and fish, as well as touring farms and open-cut mines.

She loves an excursion, especially to the Ekka where students have collected ribbons in photography, mapping, writing and art.

Teacher Elizabeth Kriesch dressed as Tina Tuff, from the book by Margaret Clark, for Book Week 1992.

With a theatrical flair inherited from ancestors, trapeze artists Sakuragawa Rikinosuke and his adopted son Ewar Dicinoski, the first Japanese immigrants to Australia, Kriesch has led music, choir, dance and drama productions.

St Columba’s won Junior Rock Eisteddfod so many times that they were relegated a demonstration school no longer allowed to compete.

“I’m very competitive,’’ grins the woman who once led a team of staff and parents through a series of crazy obstacles on TV’s Almost Anything Goes, precursor to popular game show It’s a Knock-out, to raise money to build Ferny Grove State School’s hall.

Elizabeth Kriesch received life membership with Queensland Independent Education Union for her career-long commitment. Picture: QIEU

Similarly, she’s “not one to whinge about something without doing something about it, and I always seek out the best way I can do it.’’

Growing up marching alongside father and Australian Workers’ Union executive Hugh Dicinoski, it is perhaps not surprising Kriesch was awarded life membership to the Queensland Independent Education Union recently, just a year after receiving the Emma Miller Award for her women’s rights advocacy.

QIEU organiser Susan O’Leary says Kriesch’s “forthright and fearless” leadership in addressing the “enormous challenges” faced by women across her career would be missed, alongside her “special ability to nuance how a union issue is actually a teaching and educating issue’’.

Teacher Elizabeth Kriesch was given the Emma Miller Award by the QIEU for her work for women's rights.

“Teaching is an incredibly demanding job and to be working full-time right to the end of her career, in the chapter representative role, never contemplating stepping down, building the strength of her members, bringing young people on to the chapter’s executive, I got a shock when she told me her age because it doesn’t seem to fit with her energy and her persona,’’ says O’Leary, who worked alongside Kriesch for 12 years.

Social justice, critical thinking, independence and capability were actively fostered by her father and mother Jean Dicinoski, an active member of the local Catholic parish, “who were always helping people”.

Hugh, a mechanic and Queensland Rail employee, taught Kriesch, sister Catherine, 72, and brother Hugh, 63, fishing, shooting, camping and other bush survival skills he gleaned growing up on properties near Cunnamulla, while seamstress and tailoress Jean taught them sewing, cooking and gardening.

Kriesch got her first job at 13 and was taught to divide her earnings into thirds for board, saving and spending on the likes of the black and gold leather thongs she coveted.

Teacher Elizabeth Kriesch in her Emus classroom at St Columba’s Primary, Wilston. Picture: Mark Cranitch.

While Kriesch is looking forward to spending time with grandchildren Lily, 9, and Ben, 5, travelling, painting, becoming a Brisbane Greeter and joining the Red Hat Society, she’s not ready to give up teaching.

“I’ve always had a dream to work in prisons and with street kids. I haven’t figured out how I’m going to do it yet, but that’s never been a problem for me.

“There are people whose lives haven’t been as fortunate and happy as mine. Some end up in jail, some end up dead. For some, education is the key to moving on to a better life.

“Maybe I could save one. One would be a good thing.”