Teachers

Ms O'HANLON (Dunstan) (15:22): As we come to the end of another school year, it is an honour to stand in this place today to speak in celebration of the extraordinary contribution of the teachers in our communities. Being a mother of four children, the third of which is now just a year from finishing his schooling and the fourth of which is about to finish her primary years, I feel well placed to speak to the extraordinary importance of teachers and the roles they play in educating our children not just in literacy and numeracy but in how to be learners and thinkers and how to be good citizens and community members.

Teachers play a pivotal role in helping to shape our children's futures. They teach them to be studious and, crucially in this day and age, how to find and evaluate information. They teach them how to share and be good sports not just when they lose but, importantly, also when they win. My electorate has many schools, both public and private, such as East Adelaide, Norwood primary and Trinity Gardens schools, Prince Alfred College and St Peter's College and, just outside my electorate but for which the catchment is largely in my electorate, the outstanding Marryatville High School.

I have had the pleasure of meeting many of the wonderful teachers from these schools in my time as the member for Dunstan, and I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all of them for their dedication and commitment to our children, which does not go unnoticed. Teaching is not just a job: it is a vocation. Teachers work long hours, often taking home work. They go above and beyond to create engaging learning environments. Teachers face many challenges, be it adapting to new technologies, addressing the varied needs of students and work-life balance.

Despite this, teachers continuously seek to improve their skills and methodologies, demonstrating a dedication to the lifelong learning they encourage in their students. Teachers share their passions with their students, and their love for teaching shines through in their lessons, their interactions and the moments shared with our children. In fact, I was thrilled recently when my own daughter expressed an interest in becoming a teacher, and in that moment I could not help but attribute that to the inspiring experience she has had this year with her own teacher, Ms Anna Pellew.

Teachers are often the unsung heroes who inspire enthusiasm and curiosity, foster creativity and instil a love of learning that can last a lifetime. Teachers are essential in ensuring that every child is given the best possible chance to fulfil their dreams and aspirations. They are often the first to recognise a child's potential even when they have not seen it themselves, seeing beyond the grades and test scores to passions and personal attributes.

I know this from personal experience. When I think of my own educational journey, I remember the teachers who saw me, especially Mrs Robinson, my reception teacher whose kindness I have never forgotten, and Mr Enright, my year 10 maths teacher who believed in me even when I did not believe in myself. These teachers helped guide me. They challenged me and inspired me and I still think regularly of some of the life lessons, let alone use the academic lessons, they taught me.

One of the favourite parts of my role is the tours I am able to give to school students. They are attentive and enthusiastic and curious. One of the most delightful rewards I receive in my role is the letters I receive from children in my electorate. Just yesterday I received a bundle of letters from Norwood Primary students who I recently had the pleasure of taking through parliament. Their enthusiasm, their expression, was pure joy to read, like Aria who wrote, 'I never knew that going to Parliament House was going to be that fun, thank you!' Declan wrote, 'It was one of my favourite excursions in a long time!' It was clear to me their teachers had had meaningful conversations with them about what they had learned, about the role of their parliament and how, even though they cannot yet vote, their thoughts and ideas matter.

We owe it to the state's teachers, to our children and to society to advocate for their needs, support their efforts and recognise the invaluable role that teachers play in our communities. Let us honour their dedication, resilience and unwavering belief in the potential of every student—our children who we love and who are the future of our state and our nation.