Teachers are what keep any school running, and we can’t thank them enough! Here’s how two teachers at Chatsworth started their journey, and how they continue to make a difference in their students’ lives.
No school is complete without its teachers, who basically form the backbone of its very infrastructure! This is especially the case at Chatsworth International School, whose caring team of educators go all out to make the school a warm and welcoming home for its students.
In fact, the school takes a genuine interest in the professional development of its teachers and staff, and it shows. The statistics speak for themselves: more than 40% of Chatsworth’s teaching staff have been at the school for five years and more! We talked to two of its longstanding teachers — Kelley Benjamin and Iain Hudson — about why they started this journey, how they’ve found it so far, and what keeps them going.
1. How long have you been teaching at Chatsworth, and what got you into teaching?
Kelley: Time flies, and now I’m in my 15th year at Chatsworth! Teaching is the only profession that I have ever known. I vividly remember being a child, around seven or eight years old, playing school by myself. I was the teacher in my ‘classroom’. Even as a teenager, I found that children were naturally drawn to me, and any time spent with them was both fun and fulfilling.
During my high school summer breaks, I took on jobs working with kids, which led me to study education at university. Someone recently asked me what I would be doing if I were not teaching, and my answer was teaching. It is the only profession I can truly see myself doing.
Iain: I have been teaching for 36 years, and this year marks my 13th year at Chatsworth. Interestingly, I didn’t set out to be a teacher when I finished high school. When I was at university, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do with my qualification but, near the end of my undergraduate studies, a number of my friends wanted to go and do a post-graduate qualification in education. It seemed like a good idea and I decided to join them.
I took a bursary from the government to finance my studies. After completing National Service, I had to find a job at a government school to work off the bursary. That was back in 1989 — I started teaching then, and I have been doing it ever since. I’m very pleased with the direction in which life has taken me.
2. What was your most rewarding experience as a Chatsworth teacher?
Kelley: I have always felt like part of a big family, and enjoy the creative freedom that I’m given in my classroom. This autonomy is only possible due to the trust that our leaders have placed in me. This means a lot to me, and I also know that I will be supported whenever there is room for growth. Being part of a team that doesn’t judge errors has allowed me to flourish into the confident educator that I am today.
Iain: I don’t think I can narrow it down to one thing. Every year has its own little rewarding moments, and they’re what makes the job so worthwhile. It may be helping a student gain admission to a university where they will really flourish and grow, or it may be working alongside a student to successfully navigate the challenges of International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme English. For me, one of the greatest rewards as a teacher is when a student says thank you. These are the things that keep me going.
3. Has anyone at Chatsworth or someone in your life influenced your style of teaching?
Kelley: I can not identify one specific person who has influenced my teaching style. I have always been true to myself in the classroom and have forged my own path. For me, it’s all about remembering how my teachers made me feel as a student. Dr. Maya Angelou once said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel”.
Iain: I have been fortunate to work with many good teachers over the years, and I was lucky to have great teachers at school. I think what really stuck with me is learning to build connections with students by being friendly, without being their friend. It’s the balancing act of establishing a relationship whilst remaining professional.
4. What is your favourite part about the Chatsworth community?
Kelley: It definitely has to be the people I work with, both past and present. I have had the privilege of working alongside so many different teachers and administrators, each of whom has taught me something valuable. Just recently, I was in a taxi leaving school, and the driver remarked that I must be so happy to leave work. I replied, “I love what I do, so my job never really feels like work to me”. I truly enjoy coming to work every day, and this sentiment reflects what it’s like to be part of the Chatsworth family.
Iain: For the most part, the Chatsworth community has a very good understanding of who we are as a school, and this helps us to work towards outcomes that best benefit our students. It’s good that we can connect with each other on an individual level, and build relationships that make each day at Chatsworth enjoyable.
5. How would you like to be remembered as a teacher?
Kelley: I would love to be remembered as a teacher who made learning enjoyable, whilst also setting high standards for my students. If a former student were to tell me ten years from now that I inspired them although they may not have been the strongest academically, that would make me happy beyond words. If they can look back and say, “Ms Benjamin believed in me”, I’d know that I’ve made a positive impact.
Above all, I want my students to remember that I encouraged them to take risks, be confident, and feel free to express themselves. It’s important to me that they felt valued and understood in my class.
Iain: I hope to be remembered as someone who had each student’s best interests at heart. Students today face such immense challenges; making decisions about not only what they will study after school, but also which university and which country to study in. They are influenced by parents, social media, friends, and the larger community. Sometimes, it’s challenging to offer them guidance which may seem to run counter to what they’ve been told or learned from unreliable sources. I hope that students are able to look back and reflect positively on the guidance they were given to help them find success.
How amazing is it to be able to make such an impact? Here’s a shoutout from us to the Chatsworth teachers who make each day a little brighter!
This post is in partnership with Chatsworth International School.
