What makes a great teacher?

"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" – Maya Angelou

Today Australia celebrates World Teachers' Day. A day established by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation in 1994 to acknowledge the valuable work of teachers in classrooms and other educational environments.

Every day, some 1500 boys are entrusted into the care and leadership of over 220 teachers here at Scotch College. I am proud to lead some of the finest teachers in the country at Scotch, whose expertise and dedication to their field is second to none. But it's what our teachers do beyond the classroom that makes them invaluable.

When I speak with boys who have passed through the College, there seems to be a resounding theme when it comes to their past teachers. Inspiration. Old Scotch Collegians', both young and old, all share stories of how their teachers became their mentors and role models as they traversed a busy and challenging time in their lives. Whether it be inspiring a student to pursue a particular field of study or career path or simply providing the motivation and encouragement to push through a difficult personal time, our teachers go above and beyond for the boys at Scotch College, and for that, I will be eternally grateful.

Schooling years are fraught with vulnerability, insecurity and anxiety about the future so to know our teachers are not only delivering the curriculum to our young men, but also inadvertently acting as role models, leaders and people to aspire to is reassuring. That's what makes a great teacher, and in turn, a great school.

I wish all teachers no matter where they work or within which system they teach, all the very best for the role they play in one of the most important professions – Education.