When I re-designed and re-imagined this blog site, I wanted it to be focussed on my leap into the world of teaching here in the UK, and possibly further afield later on in life. If there is one thing that I have learnt throughout my 26 years (and 2 months) on this planet, and one thing that this year has certainly reinforced, it is that things rarely go to plan. I rarely plan my blog posts – I just let the words flow as I think of them, and then edit afterwards! I always try to speak, and therefore write from the heart.
I wouldn’t be where I am and who I am today if it wasn’t for my teachers – and not just my teachers at school (some of whom will very soon be my colleagues, which is still really weird), but the teachers and mentors I have had in other areas of my life. They have all helped to shape me into the woman I am today, and they have all had an impact on my decisions. I want this post to be about them, how they have supported me and how they have been or still are positive influences in my life.
My school teachers, especially those who taught me during my GCSE and A Level years, supported me through one of the most difficult and emotionally challenging and life changing times of my life – the loss of my Father to cancer. While everything at home was feeling very weird, going to school and lessons and doing homework felt normal. My English teachers encouraged my love of reading and my passion for writing; my French teachers encouraged my love of languages and creativity; most of the time, they were all just available if I needed some extra support. My French teacher whom I still have contact with to this day, greatly influences my choices, and she’s always there if I need some advice or guidance. In just a matter of weeks, I am going to become a member of the staff at the school I attended as a pupil for seven years, working alongside some of these teachers, who greatly shaped my life and will most certainly do so again, throughout my career. Also, I am going to be Miss Maybanks. My desire and hope is to be as positive and wonderful influences on my future students than my teachers were for me.
Another person who I consider a mentor/teacher, as well as friend, is the Swansea Student Media Co-ordinator who was there when I was involved in the Swansea University students’ newspaper – the Waterfront – as its Deputy Editor, Creative Writing Editor, writer and designer. Not only did he take the time (and have a considerable amount of patience) to teach me about IT software such as Adobe InDesign, as well as how to film and edit videos, but he’s also given me a lot of life advice and especially about being myself and having faith in myself. Also, it’s nice to have someone to chat to about The Great British Bake Off, and The Apprentice, and holidays and travel. It was in fact my mentor and involvement with the Waterfront which gave me the confidence to start volunteering Hospital Radio Reading – because I had already learnt that I can start something completely new to me and develop and gain confidence and knowledge in it.
Another area of my life where I have an excellent set of teachers/mentors is Karate. From my very first instructors over ten years ago now, who, similar to my school teachers, were incredibly supportive and still are so, during the bereavement. Again, through that challenging time, Karate was a focus, and in the dojo, it’s like leaving all your worries outside for an hour. This is the same with the club I am part of now and have been part of for over a year now. Kazoku Karate-Do has taught me a lot about what it’s like to persevere, and never give up, as well as to have the support through challenging times. My current Karate instructor has also taught me a lot about digging deep and finding that inner strength, especially at moments of wanting to give up or stop trying. Everyone who has been and is part of my Karate journey is very important to me. Kazoku means family in Japanese, and that is exactly what Karate is to me, a second family.
“I’ve learned a lot from mentors who were instrumental in shaping me, and I want to share what I’ve learned.”
