Making a change in children’s lives
When St Claudine Thevenet School opened in 2005, Sue Jury was the foundation principal. This week she took some time to talk about her background in education and what she loves about the Hutt Valley.
WHAT DO YOU DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME?
Spare time is a gift in this role. I don’t have as much as I would like as doctoral study takes up quite a bit of what would be spare time. When I do have the time I enjoy spending time at home with my family, brunching with my son and catching up with friends. I enjoy cooking a meal at the end of the day as it gives me a chance to switch off from work for a short time. I’m no MasterChef but I do like to try new recipes.
WHAT DREWYOU TO WORKING IN EDUCATION?
I had wanted to be a teacher for a very long time. I applied for teacher’s college three times. Third time lucky. I wanted to be able to make a difference in the lives of children. I wanted them to know that despite the personal circumstances they find themselves in they are able to succeed. I wanted to be able to engender a passion for learning and give children the confidence to take a risk, make mistakes and learn from them.
WHEREWAS YOUR FIRST TEACHING POST AND WHATWAS YOUR FAVOURITE THING ABOUT IT?
My first teaching position was at St Joseph’s in Upper Hutt. It was a great place to start because there were several beginning teachers and we were a great support to each other. It was a fantastic school community – parents were so supportive and every colleague was available to help whenever help was requested. We also had a great staff social life which helped us cope with the workload of a firstyear teacher.
IF YOU WERE A PUPIL AT YOUR SCHOOL TODAY WHAT WOULD YOU LOVE ABOUT IT?
I would love that my faith is shared and part of my everyday learning. I would love that the teachers are committed to giving me the opportunity to make decisions about my learning and planning it with me and that I can present what I have learned in a way that best suits me. I would love the cultural diversity of the school and being able to learn about what is important for all of the cultures we have. I would also really enjoy all the opportunities I have to take part in so many things – sport, arts, music, culture groups and leadership.
WHERE DO YOU TAKE OUTOF-TOWNERS WHEN THEY’RE VISITING?
I enjoy taking them for a walk along the Petone beachfront and a bit of shopping in Jackson Street.The village feel is great, the shops offer things that are a little different than the mall stores. I then enjoy finishing the day off with a visit to Jackson Street Cafe and Bistro – where the staff are welcoming and the Thai green curry is legendary.