I never wanted to be a teacher.
After four years, I resigned from my dream job in Alice Springs.
I knew I could teach. I had now been teaching for 19 years.
I had successfully taught in one of the most rewarding and challenging teaching environments.
I had no job to go to.
It was an opportune time to bond again with my wife and three sons. Yirara College provided me the opportunity 5 days and 3 nights a week to interact with indigenous Australian kids aged between 12-17. I taught them, coached them, laughed with them, prayed with them and listened and learned about their life.
The time at Yirara College helped establish the type of teacher I was and the type of teacher I wanted to be. What I had learnt as a teacher worked with students.
My reasons for leaving Alice Springs never wavered during our 5500km road trip back to Queensland. I loved the vastness of this country and for those who love a travel itinerary, here goes. Alice Springs to Coober Pedy to Port Augusta to Adelaide to Port Fairy to Melbourne (via the Great Ocean Road) to Forbes to Dubbo to Newcastle to Coffs Harbour to Tweed Heads to Sunshine Coast.
It was time to move on. I had no job and no idea what I was heading back to. The only thing I knew was that I was heading back closer to my parents (thanks Dad and Mum for giving us a place to stay for 5 months!), family and old friends.
Not having a job certainly plays with your emotions and your spiritual life.
Partly you worry, get anxious and just pray and hope a job miraculously lands on your lap.
Partly you get excited to be living the life of a stay at home Dad, taking the boys to the beach, improving your surfing, reacquainting yourself with family routines and trying to step in and “be” the Dad you were called to be.
Partly it’s about getting off your backside and moving with God; get out, talk to people, hand in resumés and drop as many names as you can in a world where, “it’s not what you know, but who you know.” You do start to become overly concerned about whether you have made the right move when you hear, on more than one occasion, people say to you:
“Teaching job on the Sunshine Coast… Ha Ha…Good luck.”
“I am having trouble getting out of this school…there is no other job to go to.”
“My wife has finally got a full time job at [school name] after 3 years waiting for one to open up.”
At this stage, Belinda and I had discussed that one of us needed to get full time work and if not that, we would both have to do supply teaching. I was OK with that and had made peace with it.
6 years ago, I was getting ready for bed and I got a phone call asking to come in for an interview for a job I did not know existed at a school I had never heard of. An ex-student of mine and her mother (thank you Maddy and Cheryl) somehow gave the Head of Secondary at Glasshouse Christian College (GCC) my mobile phone number and the rest is history. I started teaching Grade 7 students English and Physical Education (my first time teaching Grade 7 kids full time in 19 years of teaching). These Grade 7 kids graduated last year (2017). I was there to celebrate with them in the surf at King’s Beach and honoured to have gone on that 6 year journey with them.
I came to the Sunshine Coast to become a better husband and father. I came to GCC not to be mentored, but to mentor. I came to GCC not to become a better teacher, but a better person.
Students’ hearts and minds
The students’ hearts at GCC became more important to me than what I was teaching them.
I could help them gain the whole world through knowledge, but what type of person are they when they walk out the school gate? You can have all the knowledge, the good results and the awards, but what type of person are you becoming? Will you be a good man, woman, husband or wife, father or mother? A good friend?
The students at Glasshouse Christian College have helped me stay at the school for this long. I was ready to give it a couple of years and then move on. Amazingly, I am still there. Some of the stories I have been told, some of the behaviours and insights into kids’ lives have been some of the most challenging and heartbreaking I have seen or heard. The mental health of our students is not getting any better and I do not feel sufficiently trained to deal with students who have lost parents, battling illness, stress, anxiety, family breakdown, gender issues, depression and addictions.
Yet, I turn up each day to this good school, 20 minutes from some of the best beaches in Australia, to teach and bring a little bit of normality to some tough lives. I am a father to the fatherless (actually, some kids have grandfathers my age!), the crazy uncle you love, but don’t talk about at family gatherings, a friend/mentor who listens. I still get thrilled when a kid says, “I’ve never passed [insert subject] before!” My heart warms when a kid says “thanks”, gives me a present on my birthday or at Christmas, comes into our PE staffroom to chat to the staff, has a chat outside the classroom, at camp or playground, gives me some loose change when I shake the MOvember money box in front of them, or they write me a card or note at the end of the year.
Teachers’ hearts and minds
Teachers’ well being at GCC became more important to me than the subjects they were teaching. It became important to me to help a lot of the male staff consider their work, life and family balance. I still remember God telling me, “What profit you that you gain the whole world, but lose your family?”
I could help teachers increase their knowledge and teach them how to teach their curriculum better but standing in front of 30 kids is not an easy gig. I put my hand up every time to take on the university students on their pracs. Every one of at least 6 or so new teachers I have mentored through their pracs have the mantra (hopefully) “Be firm, fair and friendly” ringing in their head. They all knew their “stuff”; they all needed to know how to play the role of the teacher and yes, control and manage the class so they were ready to listen and learn. They all could teach the subjects already. But I want them to teach students.
GCC appointed me and I was blessed to be the first year teacher mentor last year. I had 3, first year teachers literally under my wing last year and this was perhaps the most rewarding year of my teaching career. Thank you GCC for putting Steven, Valerie and Rhiannon in my care. For trusting me to be their guide and listening ear as they embarked on their teaching journey. I think I have helped unleash three very good teachers onto unsuspecting students.
One of the most rewarding years of my career has finished.
My eldest son also graduated at the end of 2017. We are close. I know I could have lost him if we didn’t move to the Sunshine Coast.
My wife and I have been married 22 years. I love her more than ever. I know I could have lost her if we didn’t move to the Sunshine Coast.
My two younger sons are the most wonderful boys with amazing hearts. I know I could have lost them if I didn’t move to the Sunshine Coast.
I have finished teaching my 25th year. I am into my 26th year as a teacher.
Next month: Why I am still teaching after 25 years.
Part 5 - The End is Nigh (as much at that freaks out my wife!).
Russell Modlin teaches English and Physical Education at a Christian School on the Sunshine Coast. He is married to Belinda and they have three children.
Russell Modlin’s archive of previous article can be found at
www.pressserviceinternational.org/russell-modlin.html
Russell Modlin is in his 30th year as a Secondary English and Physical Education Teacher. He has taught in Mackay, Brisbane, Alice Springs and currently on the Sunshine Coast. He is married to Belinda (26 years) and they have three sons- 2 have finished High School, 1 to go!
Russell Modlin’s archive of previous article can be found atwww.pressserviceinternational.org/russell-modlin.html
