Teachers who began teaching when the school opened its doors, celebrated
School celebrates teachers who have been with the school since the first year.
Crawford International Lonehill is celebrating 25 years of excellence this year and Sharon Cretney and Dinah Phala have been with the school for as long. They have dedicated their time and sweat to making sure they nurture every child to be a ‘masterpiece’. In the words of teachers, “The reality of why teachers stay is that they have found a school or community which has welcomed them, given them opportunities to grow, learn and to use their talents to benefit those around them.”
The two teachers have explained why they have been with the school for so long, “Research has shown that long-serving teachers can sustain their motivation and commitment to teaching due to their intrinsic motivation and sense of professional mastery reflected by student outcomes (Chiong et al., 2017). Other studies have also emphasized the importance of teachers’ sense of success which includes both their instructional and student interaction capabilities, for retention. Teachers who stay in the profession report higher levels of efficacy for instruction, student engagement, and classroom management in comparison to teachers who leave (De Neve & Devos, 2016).”
The teachers expressed their happiness and journey of being with the school since the beginning. “A teacher’s perceived health state, work motivation, and social support from colleagues are all strongly linked with their intention to remain in the profession and their school,” said Phala. While Cretney expressed how she feels about teaching through a Japanese proverb, “Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great teacher.” She said she loves making a difference and she will continue doing so.
Related article: Teachers share their challenges on World Teachers Day
