Imogen McKillop: My Australia’s Best Teacher nomination made me feel valued in my darkest days

Imogen McKillop has revealed how receiving an Australia’s Best Teacher nomination gave her joy in the face of personal tragedy.

2023 Australia’s Best Teacher nominee Imogen McKillop explains how the recognition brought her joy in a very tough year.

Last year was undoubtedly one of the most difficult periods of my life.

Losing my Prep class teaching partner and dear friend Ange D’Amelio to brain cancer in 2022, as well as my younger brother the year before, made 2023 incredibly painful, and their absence is felt every day.

But I am grateful for the support, encouragement, and solidarity of loved ones and the teaching community. It helped me navigate through my grief and continue to make a difference in the lives of the young students under my care, who were also dealing with the death of their teacher.

While the pain of loss never fully dissipates, I’ve learned that time does offer some healing. My nomination as one of Australia’s Best Teachers served as a reminder of the resilience of the human spirit and the importance of community in overcoming adversity.

It reinforced my belief in the power of education to uplift and inspire, even in the face of personal challenges.

Imogen McKillop with some of her 2023 students at St Peter's Primary School in East Bentleigh in Victoria. Picture: Josie Hayden

Being recognised raised my confidence in my teaching abilities and cemented my sense of value in the profession as a whole.

I wish all teachers could have the chance to be recognised this way to shine a light on the hard work they do and the dedication they put into their profession.

Small gestures that show an appreciation of teachers have a big impact.

It made me reflect on the good things I was doing and sparked heartfelt conversations on the joys and challenges that come with teaching.

I think back to my Dad, who was also a respected teacher for his whole life and how he was celebrated upon his retirement. They awarded a scholarship in his name and while you never expect these kinds of grand gestures, when they come, it is an honour.

The Australia’s Best Teacher nomination gave teacher Imogen McKillop and her young students some much needed joy in a difficult year. Picture: Josie Hayden

Last year as part of their learning, the Grade 6 students had to write a congratulations letter to someone. Quite a few, including students I have never taught, wrote some really sweet letters to congratulate me on the award.

I felt so valued and appreciated.

I love being a teacher. I have never wanted to be anything else. I love that no day is the same, there’s a lot of fun and creativity and I love seeing children learning or grasping a new concept. I am really invested in everything they do.

So, please, thank a teacher today if you can. They deserve it.

* Imogen McKillop is a teacher at St Peter’s Primary School in East Bentleigh

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Originally published as Imogen McKillop: My Australia’s Best Teacher nomination made me feel valued in my darkest days