Timaru boys’ high school
RECTOR – DAVID THORP
Teaching was a very left field choice for me. However, it is a choice that I have never regretted, not even for a moment.
I grew up in Oamaru and attended Waitaki Boys’ High School where there was a real emphasis on sport and cultural activities and I made lifelong friendships. I enjoyed my academic classes, especially English. However, the 1970s were a different time and I never gave any thought to further study – jobs were plentiful and well-paying, and I left at the end of Form 6 for a career in the railways.
One thing that stayed with me after I left school was that I liked to read. Years later, in my thirties, I decided to follow my love of novels and attempt a BA at Canterbury University. I was late to education but it had a profound effect on me. It was a revelation and a testament to the transformative power of education.
Higher education doesn’t make you a better person and it’s not for everyone, but for some people, like me, it can instil a sense of purpose. My new love of learning quickly propelled me towards a career in education. As a teacher, I love that moment when a student finally gets some difficult concept. Even if they are never going to carry on with an academic life, this moment is a thing of beauty that can change lives. It makes young people feel that they are part of that wider world of curiosity and wonder. I finally felt that at 35 – I want all students to feel it while they are still at school.
At Timaru Boys’ High, we know that boys will engage with learning when they have a positive working relationship with their teachers. We aim to provide a supportive and nurturing environment so that all students can reach their full potential. At TBHS, boys have a huge range of extra-curricular opportunities to choose from, and we are convinced that these positive experiences lead to improved academic and wellbeing outcomes.
Boys who come to our school instantly feel part of a warm and open community, but they are encouraged to retain their unique identity as an individual. My own educational journey was interrupted by an inability to see beyond my immediate horizon. As a Rector, it is my job to ensure that our students never suffer from such blinkered vision. At Timaru Boys’ we want every student to follow the educational pathway that best suits their dreams and abilities, and we want to help them develop into happy, positive and purposeful young men.