Secondary School, Drama, English, History,
Australian Capital Territory
At the end of my first year of teaching drama in high school, I was given a thank you gift by a Year 8 student. It was a small jewellery box containing a crystal apple on a silver chain. This was a very surprising and moving gift for several reasons. Firstly, the student had gone to so much effort to purchase it. Secondly, it was very meaningful, as apples are a motif for the giving of knowledge and wisdom from teacher to student. Lastly, because my first name is Crystal, which this student clearly took into account in their choice of gift.
This beautiful keepsake made it clear to me, in my first year of permanent teaching, the amazing impact we can have on the lives of our students, and highlighted the strong bonds that can develop between teachers and students in relatively short spans of time. It also cemented my belief that teaching was the right career for me! Twenty-eight years later I am still a school teacher, I still love my job, I still treasure this gift, and remember the student who gave it to me fondly.
