Teachers can have a big impact on our lives and even determine the direction of our future.
For Kerang South Primary School Principal, Lyn Veall, this influence led to a 35 year career that she is absolutely passionate about.
When she was in primary school her art teacher had such a profound impact on her that she decided that she was going to become a teacher.
After finishing high school she attended Bendigo College of Advanced Education and in Australia’s Bicentennial year, 1988, she graduated and was sent to Kerang.
She has been at the Kerang South primary school for most of that time since.
Ms Veall said that it is a school she loves and she is very passionate about it.
“I always remember my father saying that the grass is not always greener somewhere else and if you have those opportunities where you are you don’t need to move,” Ms Veall said.
“Kerang South has given me lots of opportunities to change when I have needed to.
“I have been fortunate to be able to do a number of roles while I have been here at the school.
“When I first came here it was the smallest school in town with about 200 students.
“The numbers have gone up and down over the years but this school is a perfect size.
“It’s big enough to do all the things that a big school does but small enough that everyone knows who everyone else is, it had that real family feel.
“It’s important to know the school community, I need to know the names of all my students and their families.
Ms Veall has seen many changes in education throughout her career including many changes in curriculum and even many changes in the name of the department of education.
When languages first came into the curriculum Ms Veall took on the challenge of learning and teaching Indonesian.
This gave her the opportunity to spend two months in Indonesia undertaking study tours and living with a local family.
As well as the role of principal she is still the school’s Indonesian teacher.
It took some convincing for her to take on the principal position as she loves being in the classroom and teaching, however, in 2014 she took on the challenge full time.
“I’m a teacher first, I know I’m the principal now but I am still a teacher,” Ms Veall said.
“That is what I have always wanted to do and my passion is teaching.”
