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“A word of encouragement during a failure is worth more than an hour of praise after success.”
Anonymous
So here's what some of our parents have had to say...
Kerry Whitney taught my son, John, in Grade 1, and very quickly
picked up that John was struggling with some of his work, which led to
him becoming increasingly upset at his inability to grasp the context
of the lessons. Something which had the effect of lowering his
self-esteem and confidence levels. It became very important for John to
receive one-on-one attention as soon as possible before the situation
compounded into a major problem. Thanks to Kerry's dedication to her
students and to the art of teaching, Kerry was able to help me to
understand that John needed immediate help ... but that John was not
going to get it from the school system.
There are many children who do not immediately grasp certain elements
of subjects being taught with the scholastic system. They require a
more comprehensive explanation to help them understand the concept
being taught, and if this isn't, or cannot, be given during class time,
the child has missed a crucial learning step. Something which the
parents may not pick up unless it is brought to their attention. While
it's appreciated that teachers can only give so much time to their
students, John was very fortunate in having Kerry as his grade 1
teacher. Kerry saw there was a problem and she addressed it straight
away by bringing it to my attention. We were able to discuss in-depth
the right course to follow, and on Kerry's recommendation, we hired a
tutor for John. Not only that, but Kerry worked with John, the tutor
and myself to ensure John gained the knowledge he required for him to
progress at a favourable level.
As a parent, I owe Kerry a debt of gratitude for taking that extra step
to ensure John's problem was immediately assessed, as she not only
brought it to my attention, she recommended a solution ... and
personally followed it through. John is now in grade 4, and he is a
very confident, happy and well-adjusted boy who is doing very well in
all aspects of his school life. I cannot commend Kerry more highly as a
wonderful dedicated person whose main objective is to ensure that all
children acquire the help they need. Without her guidance, I would not
have been aware of John's problem, nor would I have known how to help
him to overcome it.
Mandy, 20th February 2008
Thank you for the time and effort you have given Harriette over the past term. She is amazing me every day with how quickly she has caught up and she is so keen. I wanted to say thank you for showing Harriette that a teacher can be kind, as well as firm. She has a great love for you.
Amber
Nell
and I are absolutely delighted with our son's teacher - Kerry Whitney.
She is most welcoming to us and to other parents, and has utilised our
skills and available time for the benefit of the children. Her
classroom is a stimulating and delightful place to be. She caters well
to the different needs and styles of both boys and girls. Her pedagogy
appears extremely sound and our son, Mark, is making impressive
progress. All of the proceeding fades into insignificance in the light
of her warmth and obvious love for the children.
Teachers like Kerry inspire and enthuse kids - her influence will show throughout "her" children's lives!
Andrew, August 2002
[Kerry's] classroom this year was situated adjacent to my learning support room, and as there were more than usual students with learning problems in this composite class, I spent quite a lot of time interacting and observing children in this class.
I found her manner to be extremely professional. She consistently showed respect for the feelings and rights of the children in her care. This same attribute applied to the parents of these children. Kerry displays a great deal of empathy towards the students in her care. This is supported by the number of last year's students who are still constant visitors to her classroom.
Kerry is firm in her manner and has sound behavioural management strategies. Her expectations are high and the students appear to strive to achieve these. Kerry treats all of the children fairly, but as individuals. She caters for their individuality in order to establish their best methods of learning, and so gain the best outcomes from them.
Anthea, November 2003
Kerry
is a very skilled lady and relates very well with our boys. She is a
ready listener, quick to understand a particular boy's needs and
respond, and prepared to do whatever it takes to help a boy to improve
and grow. For example, she has frequently written to boys to give them
the thrill of receiving a letter and the encouragement to write them.
Endowed with a very caring nature, her openness and friendliness have
endeared her to all: boys and staff alike.
Kerry is a very open person - what you see is what you get. She is very versatile and talented and thoroughly enjoys helping young people.
Brother Paul Rogers, Director Boystown, December 1999
I have known Kerry for the past 6 months as the Year 2 teacher of my daughter. During this time I have found Kerry to be extremely enthusiastic about her job. She is very approachable where she has an open door policy and all parents are welcome. Her classes are very disciplined but also fun. She treats all the children like her own and you can see the children respond in the same way. I am really impressed with my daughter's progress in reading, spelling and maths in the 6 months Kerry has taught her.
Jo
You've been a wonder with Ben this year and I want you to know Mike and I appreciate your efforts greatly. Ben has progressed so much, both in his schoolwork and esteem. It's a difficult job being a mentor to so many children and you do it admirably.
I have enjoyed working with you this year and Ben has definitely benefited from your skills. Thank you for all the joy you have brought to Ben during the past year.
Denise, October 2003
Kerry
has such a wonderful nature, she is a very caring person, and takes a
big interest in the children's progress. I have found tremendous
progress with my daughter and I owe this to Kerry; she is very
approachable if you have concerns and puts in her best effort to sort
it out. I am more than pleased with Kerry as a teacher and as a person.
Heather
And from the children...
I will miss you sooo much, thank you sooo much for being there for me. I don't know why they are letting you go. I'm like what the? Cause you have been the nicest, most beautiful grade 1 teacher that has ever been and I'm sure that your grade 1 children think the same, cause it is sooo true. I love you deeply, never forget me, cause I know I will never forget you. Don't worry, wherever you go down the track everyone will love you. I can assure you. You are will, the greatest teacher I have ever met. Love you soooo much.
Caitlyn
You are a great teacher.
Sean
Due to Child Protection laws" children's names have been changed to protect their identity.
