Moving On

Each year at this time we go through the experience of saying farewell to our year 7 students. This is not something that I enjoy! In our classroom relationships are important, and this works both ways. I know that they are ready for their next challenge and I know that they are all ready to be successful in their high schools. As always, I will miss working with those student and their families and thank them for another supportive and rewarding year.

A tradition at our year 7 graduation is for a student to talk about their teacher. This year I was absolutely privileged to be on the receiving end of the following speeches written and delivered by Raphael and Trent. I am very grateful for their words and would like to share these below. I have included a transcript and recording of both speeches.

I love my job.

Raph’s Speech

Mr Lamshed was more than just an incredible teacher
He was a best friend, loyal to the end
He was a big brother who taught us how to care for each other

Whenever you’re feeling down…
Feel like no one is around
He was the best friend you could open your feelings to..
cry to and just express your feelings in any other way

Because you know he was able to comfort you
Better than your teddy bear and little night lamp when you were 5 years old

Every single day whenever your feeling lost…
you don’t know what to do
you’re stuck on a very important decision and you don’t have a clue
or you’ve just made a vital mistake, he was the big brother to pull you through

He would never force us into doing anything
but he would give us options
and tell us things that only a big brother was able to tell you.

Sometimes when I was talking to Mr Lamshed
I thought I was talking to King Solomon.
King Solomon is to be crowned the wisest man that ever lived…
I believe

As with every big brother, Mr Lamshed would sit us down
and have a conversation with us
about what kind of man we need to be
He taught us everything about respect, manners and responsibility

That made a big impact on the type of man that most of us boys would like to be.

I strongly believe that Mr Lamshed is a dream teacher for every young man
and I am very grateful for spending two years in his class and so should every single student that has ever been in his class.

Thank you.

Trent’s Speech

Mr. Lamshed.

I first met him back in year one when I got put into Ms Hibbert’s class. The class back then was huge and half of the class got split up into his. Not many of the people that got split up from Ms Hibbert’s class were happy about moving from one teacher to a new one. Even though I had only seen him for about an hour that day, I knew I wanted to be in his class. It wasn’t because most of my other friends would be in there it was because of him.

Even back then I could sense he would be the nicest person I have ever known.

That year I wasn’t put in his class. As the years went on he had formed a 3/4 single sex class, but I was one year too young to go into his class, but I desperately wanted to be in there. In 2010 I got put into a 4/5 single sex class with Mr K. I knew when I would finish year 5 and the year 7’s would graduate, I would finally be put into Mr. Lamshed’s class.

In year 6, I really got to know Mr. Lamshed and he really got to know me. He taught me and the other students how to be ourselves and grow up to be respectful men. Without Mr Lamshed I don’t think I would have had the courage to run for Red House Captain, SAPSASA cricket for Onkaparinga, Clippers for Cancer, perform Kapa Haka in front of 2,000 people and choir in front of 2,000 people, have a part in the New Media Awards and be part of the leadership team.

He has combined the class in such a way that no other teacher could do, such as valuing each and every classmate as a unique individual. He respects other people’s opinion and their right to express their points of view. He motivates us to try and accomplish a range of tasks, from it being to our projects to a bigger goal such as trying to become a better you. He has instilled a sense of belonging in a special way. He has made learning great fun and he has a fantastic sense of humor. He has been approachable in every way. We have been able to confide in him about absolutely anything.

In the space of two years I have had great excursions including the camp, lunches at Charlie’s Diner, sleepovers and more. He has spent many hours outside of the classroom helping us and a range of other students from other schools preparing for Choir, and Kapa Haka for us.

His passion for technology has been infectious. All of us boys have had a head start by learning various methods including blogging and KWN media awards. Thanks to him we have all had exclusive one on one use with the iPads which has been really awesome.

I have been so fortunate to have had him as my teacher for the last 2 years in an all boys class. I sincerely will miss you (and the Justin Bieber singing).