Retiring teachers share their experience and wisdom

100 years of combined experience retiring from Fraser Coast teaching.

COMBINED EXPERIENCE: Retiring teachers (L) Kathryn Henricks, Linda Buxton and Bob Staib. Photo: Stuart Fast

WITH more than 100 years of combined teaching experience between them, retiring Urangan State High School teachers, Bob Staib, Kathryn Henricks and Lina Buxton have shared what they loved about their careers.

Mr Staib explained he was retiring next year after 40 years in the job and said he took up the mantle of teaching at 17 after being inspired by his own teachers.

He said making a difference in students lives and educating them to think differently made the job special.

“The depth of the interaction of everything you do with a child is an incredible privilege from my point of view.”

Ms Henricks became a teacher to make better use of her science degree in teaching maths, and is now retiring after 31 years.

“It was the best move of my life, it’s such an honour.”

She said the best things about teaching were to see students understand the material taught to them and to pass on her mathematics knowledge to the next generation.

Ms Henricks said it had been a privilege to teach and she was grateful for the teaching opportunity.

Ms Buxton became a teacher after being encouraged to pursue the career at a jobs fair and is now retiring after 36 years.

“For me, its been relationships with the staff and key relationships with students. That’s has made my life, my job, my career as a teacher amazing.”

“It’s being able to make a difference in a lot of people’s lives.

When asked about their words of wisdom to the next generation of teachers, Mr Staib said teachers needed to have robust character and build their skills to deliver the best for their students.

Ms Buxton encouraged them to be resilient, from good relations and communicate with their students.

“I’ll miss the people, but I’m excited for the next chapter, what ever that will be.”

Originally published as