Being Opened to Possibility - Sheila’s Story

I had many inspirational teachers in school and beyond, one thing they all had in common was passion and enthusiasm and a genuine desire to share their knowledge and pass it on.

The earliest and probably most important ‘inspirational teacher’ I had was my 5th and 6th class teacher. I grew up in the countryside and went to a small school attached to a village in South County Wicklow. Most families were involved in farming or factory work and while it was important to get through school, there was not a great emphasis on education.

This teacher was interested in all sorts of subjects and probably didn't stick strictly to the syllabus if there was one at the time. He spoke on interesting subjects like Japanese culture, pro's and con's of cigarette smoking, and the power of positive thinking (before any of us ever heard of Norman Vincent Peale). He also spent a lot of time singing with us and was always enthusiastic about the annual folk mass,  I remember a story he shared about a former pupil who claimed she was tone deaf. He worked with her because he wanted to prove to her that she could sing and she did eventually. Later she sang for many years as part of a duet in the folk mass.

Before I entered his class I felt that I was just about average and didn't feel that I was particularly good at any subject. However he noticed that I had a talent for maths and really homed in on that by giving me specific problems to solve and a lot of positive feedback. With confidence I then developed a real interest in maths and excelled in the subject.  I firmly believe that this wouldn't have happened without his encouragement and attention as I would have continued to believe that I was just average. All it took was a little attention and feedback to let me know that I had a talent. This gave me confidence and belief in myself to take on challenges that I would otherwise not have attempted.

Looking back, its clear to me that this teacher who had a great enthusiasm and propensity for excellence in his own life (he became the brain of Ireland one year) wanted to enable and open the minds of others. It was simple for him and he wanted to show others how simple it could be too.

Sheila Doyle