Where do I start to talk about the past 20 years in a career I have absolutely loved?

Do I have to go back to my own experience as student at Loyola College, where I learned what pastoral care looked like from first year teacher Teresa Adamson (who became a colleague and mentor)?

Or do I revisit 1985 where I did year 11 at night school and the English teacher, Paul Di Masi, inspired me to come back and do year 12 full-time?

Or is it 1986, when I DID go back and study year 12 full-time at Coburg High School and was led by some fantastic teachers who encouraged me to set high goals in class and apply to Melbourne University under the Special Admissions Scheme for disadvantaged students (which I did and was accepted into an Arts degree).

Perhaps I should start from when I was living in London in 1988 working as a Nanny, and went to the movies with the mother of the children I was caring for, to see Dead Poets Society; a film that thrilled me with the possibilities that working with young people could offer.

Or maybe place to start is in 2004, when I was wanting to find a better work life balance so that I could spend more time with Harry, my two year old, whom I was having a hard time leaving while I went to work.

I was working as a corporate lawyer in the city and it wasn’t the dream job I thought it would be when I was studying law at university. Like so many others who experience a moment or a person in a profession that really helps you, I wanted to give back and pursued a career with young people as a youth worker and lawyer. I wanted to work in the Children’s Court but couldn’t get my foot in the Legal Aid door.

Someone at work suggested teaching legal studies so that I could work with young people and not waste my degree, and I jumped at the idea due to my previous work with young people as a nanny and a youth pastor. 

So I went to ACU, did two awesome teaching rounds and I became a teacher!

Beginnings

I began my teaching career at Heathdale Christian College in 2005 and was there for two years before ending rather abruptly because I wasn’t quite the right type of Christian, and got myself in trouble a few times.

It wasn’t an easy start. That first year was marred by my becoming a single parent of a gorgeous 3 year old. To this day I know that what got me through that awful time was the group of students that I was blessed to teach that first year of my teaching career.

They probably don’t know this but every morning I was gripped with fear and felt a heavy weight of anxiety on my chest, but as I walked across the Heathdale courtyard and looked up at the room that was 8S, that weight was lifted and a smile would come to my face.

Maybe I wasn’t the most ‘professional’ teacher that year (is anyone in their first year?) but that class and I had a wonderful and fun year of learning and teaching. They probably can’t tell you the features of an autobiography, or the names of every film technique, or even the dates of the middle ages but I bet they could tell you the parts of a rainforest, why Edward Scissorhands had a good Christian message, what peasants ate in medieval times (bustard anyone?), what a ‘poll tax collector’ was and, most importantly who Brian Peppers is and why you should stay away from him. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg!

Just like a good wine, I matured and I think I became an excellent teacher eventually. A good mix of high expectations about content and curriculum + a sense of fun and silliness that was either lame or appreciated, depending on the class.

So I moved on from Heathdale a little sooner than expected but with the unforgettable experience of my year 12 Legal Studies class standing on their desks ala Dead Poet’s Society, when I left. Dead Poet’s Society remains my most favourite teaching film – so inspiring, so this moment is forever etched on my teacher heart.

And of course, I met Josh at Heathdale – I never expected the IT guy to become my future husband! Those flirty thumb wars in the staff room sure paid off (though he doesn’t remember them AT ALL!)

Marian College Sunshine West

After a one semester contract at CRC Sydenham (year 11 & 12 campus) I started at Marian College Sunshine West in July 2007 in a one semester replacement contract role for Donna Rampova, teaching a rather vague subject called ‘Themes’ to the notoriously difficult Year 9. This subject also had one day a fortnight that was called ‘Unplugged’ for the students to ‘unplug’ from the classroom or curriculum. This seemed to involve dress up days, races and hunts around the school, lots of films and a one day ‘city experience’ where they were bussed into Melbourne , explored (probably shopped and went to Maccas, let’s be honest!), checked in and then were bussed out again. Funnily enough, there was one dress up day called Race Around Asia, where so many of the girls dressed in rather short outfits that led a staff member to remark “what’s this? Year 9 dress as a ho day?” While I don’t agree with the slut shaming message of the comment, it does make a statement about the seemingly vague links to the classroom that some Unplugged days were.

Marian is a single sex school and I missed teaching boys for a total of 5 minutes, and fell in love with girls education. Imagine a classroom where boys aren’t constantly vying for your attention, trying to impress girls, making farting noises, and drawing penises in all the text books. The lack of penises in class sets cannot be understated. I just had to get a permanent position there!

After another year on contract teaching all sorts of subjects, I was offered a permanent role and have been there ever since – predominantly in Year 9 but also teaching senior school Legal Studies and English and most recently, VM which I have loved.

I thought this was it for me. The career that would see me into my retirement. The school I would never leave because I love teaching girls and could never go back to a co-ed school. I adore my colleagues and have made the best friends there who have supported me through many hard times and rejoiced with me through the good ones. 

This recently came up in my FB memories: My reflection on 10 years of teaching:

“Mz Knight is now Ms Illichmann and I’d like to think I’m much more professional now but have still kept that sense of fun and ‘immaturity’ that got me through that first year of the best career anyone could ever have.”

Opportunity Knocks

So it was with some surprise that I found myself going for and accepting a job in a totally new industry – Aged Care, as a Pastoral Care Practitioner!

I didn’t go looking for this. The job appeared in my daily SEEK.com email which is always teaching roles. The algorithm must have picked up on the word ‘pastoral’. But it jumped out at me so I clicked on it. 

It was a local aged care home – Providence, run by Villa Maria Catholic Homes. The job description intrigued me and I thought it was something I could see myself doing, so I used chatGTP to help me address the selection criteria by identifying my transferable skills.

I saw that I did indeed have the capability to do the job and I applied the same day.

They called the next day (a Friday) but I missed it so they called again on Monday. I was in the city being interviewed by Wednesday that week, visited and toured the facility on Thursday, and by Friday I was being asked to consider the next phase – another interview and reference checks.

I nearly passed it up as Josh was between contracts and it also means a pay cut for me, as well as only being part time – 3 days. I even drafted a withdrawal letter to the talent acquisition person who was liasing with me.

We crunched the numbers, factored in being able to do CRT (casual relief teaching) work, less tax and with a good budget and less Camilla (jokes), decided to go for the second interview. 

Having passed that, it was reference check time and obviously Jane and Ray came through for me because here I am in career change number 4 – Pastoral Care Practioner.

While it’s another career change, it doesn’t feel totally different. I have always worked in areas where well being was part of the job: childcare, nanny, youth minister, and where people skills are key. Now I get to use my relationship building skills and my connection to wellbeing and spirituality, just in another setting with older people! Feels a bit full circle.

Some aspects of the job are a little scary – end of life support for residents and their families and the other residents left behind. I’m confident that the training I receive and the Catholic values of the facility will enable me to undertake this challenging aspect of the role with sensitivity and respect. 

So here I am moving on from one of the greatest jobs anyone could ask for, in the most wonderful school I’ve ever encountered and leaving the best work friends anyone could ever have, to go into the unknown in a new career.

But as a wise woman who also tried her hand at a late stage career change, recently said to me – “if not now, when?” At this stage in my life  (and by that I mean my age 56!) opportunities for change are not common. 

I also don’t want to become that old grumpy teacher and I have certainly felt her rearing her ugly head the last few years.

I still love teaching but not all students love learning and that’s become increasingly frustrating for me.

There are aspects of the profession that have also made me grumpy: the micromanagement of teachers, the craziness of how overtime is acknowledged, the teaching of history as an elective (I’m sure nothing bad will ever come from that…), students’ addiction to smart phones, the almost endless things we have to do on top of teaching, wellbeing of teachers not being prioritised (teacher working conditions are student learning conditions) – all these things over the past few years have created a resentment in me and a frustration for something I love. 

So it’s with both a heavy heart and a fair degree of excitement that I leave Marian College. 

Highlights

My fav memories of teaching remain here at Marian College, and I want to reminisce here for posterity.

In no particular order!

Themes Team

The year 9 Themes teams that have included so many of you over the years Jo, Jenny, Kathleen, Jane, Abigail, Susan, Helenmarie, Richard, Amanda, Priya, Deb Q , Deb W and even Tracey F had a stint. We took that airy fairy course in 2010 and aligned it with the Vic Curriculum, expanded the program to connect Unplugged days to the classroom topics while still getting them out and keeping them engaged. Year 9 was so special, especially if you taught them RE as well. Substitute mothers – that’s what we were!

Unplugged Days

Unplugged days – taking this away, even for a creative elective program, was probably the beginning of the end for me. This was such a valuable and memorable part of year 9. Unplugged Days became times to connect what they were learning to places eg The Chinese Museum when we studied the movement of people in Australian History, The Shrine of Remembrance when studying WW1. It also taught students how to use trains confidently, a skill they need to gain independence. Students ALWAYS talk of it fondly as the highlight of life at Marian. I was so very sad to see it go.

Having my own personal photographers at the ready for fashion shoots on Unplugged Days!

Year 9 City Camp

Year 9 camp was always at Anglesea and focused on adventure stuff. When the year 7 camp started to do similar activities, it was time for a refresh and it was my idea to create City Camp. I wrote up the proposal, found an amazing venue, linked activities to history, leisure, DE and fun and away we went ! I saw City Camp through 10 years, the final camp was 2024. It’s now no more as schools don’t want to pay overtime to teachers for the time they take away from their families, to give students experiences they won’t forget.

Homeroom

Having a homeroom where I got to meet 26 new girls every year and both teach and pastorally care for them. I was with 9 Theresa for awhile. One year of 9 Joan (or groan as they were known!), Then a long stint in 9 Patrick and finally 9 Clare for two years in the new building. My final homeroom stint was in 2022. That homeroom is due to graduate this year.

Camp Gallipoli

Camp Gallipoli with Andrea, Kerrie and Kathleen. It rained on us but we got to share in and watch the students live out the ANZAC Spirit.

“I feel very thankful to have had a warm shower and a fresh change of clothes after being awake ALL NIGHT at Camp Gallipoli. Something that our diggers would not have been able to do after more than a heavy downpour of rain. What I was most proud of was the true ANZAC spirit displayed by the Marian students and staff. Not one of the girls wanted to go home even though they were soaked through to their underwear, and sleeping bags and swags were also saturated. As true Brigidine women, they took it in their stride and soldiered on knowing that it was a small taste of what the ANZACs experienced for months on end. I witnessed so much generosity in the students and staff: sharing dry sleeping bags and clothes with girls who’s gear was unusable. This meant that a few of us were very uncomfortable all night. I cannot thank Andrea, Kerrie and Kathleen enough for their willingness to step up and help out and for also showing such care and concern for our wet and cold girls. I was honoured to have been a part of this commemoration with you. I don’t think we were meant to have an easy night. Uncomfortable as it was at times, it also meant we were able to step in the shoes of the ANZACs and also demonstrate Aussie Mateship to each other.” #lestweforget

From my FB the day after the camp

Canberra 2011

Canberra trip with Kathleen. I will never forget walking in on the bus driver in his underwear. Those huts all looked the same!

Indigenous Experience

The Indigenous Experience trip in 2011 that awakened a love for the culture of Australia’s First Nations People. What a gift!

Year 9 Camp at Angelsea

Performing Thriller and flash mobs at camp with 9 Theresa 

TARA!

Supporting Tara at the swimming and athletic carnivals!

Reflection Day

Butterfly Effect days with Enlighten Education – I wanted to be like Danni and took on her mantra “Girls can’t be what they can’t see”. It’s such a shame that we haven’t used the organization for two years now. It made such a difference in the students – the feedback was always 100% positive. Where else do you get that?

Lockdown!

2020 9 Patrick Google classroom in lockdown and our crazy tik tok dances. I’m probably the only one who looks on that year with deep nostalgia.

I blogged about 2020 here.

Locked Down But Not Out

Brigidine Pilgrimage

The Brigidine pilgrimage in 2017 – an experience I treasure. I got in touch with my Celtic roots, made wonderful friends and re discovered a spirituality that had become lost. I blogged every day of this trip!

Mentoring Student Teachers

Mentoring some brilliant new teachers: Kelsey, Isabella and Alicia are the standouts.

Alicia has become especially special to me and I will miss her so much. Luckily we love the same TV (Severence atm and soon Deadloch!) and will use messenger until META blows it up.

World Youth Day Sydney 2008

Accompanying students to World Youth Day 2008 and being able to take Harry with me. I will never forget lying in my sleeping bag, looking up at the stars and listening to the Pope speak about the Holy Spirit.

First Aid Nativity shenanigans

Who will carry on this tradition? Rosario, I’m counting on you.

Vocational Major

Teaching VM with Pasq and Alicia – the shenanigans! The oral presentations. The side eyes. The battles. The fights. The noise! The Breakfast Club! The laughs!

Union

Being the IEU Rep was quite a challenge on a few levels. I didn’t know what I was getting into when I took over after Sharon moved from Marian! Lockdown and OHS, negotiating a new agreement, “No More Freebies” campaign, and battles over implementing clauses from the new agreement when it was finally signed (that are still going on!) I think the hardest part for me was the confrontational nature and the fact that I felt disliked by leadership in the school. That was HARD for someone who wants to be liked and who hates confrontation (despite the appearance to the contrary!)

It really affected my mental health. I know a strong union is needed In a workplace but it’s just so disheartening when a so called Christian organization (MACS) treats its staff like children and punishes them with harsh interpretations of their workplace rights, that totally go against the spirit of the agreement which was meant to alleviate our workload- not add to it as a punishment for daring to ask for time in lieu and a better work life balance.

This year is going to be a big one for whoever takes over (Go Mel!) – I don’t think the union will be as generous this time round! I feel protected industrial action (aka a strike!) will be inevitable.

Teaching Moments

Some of my favourite moments teaching:

• 17 years of Romeo & Juliet
• The Get MAD elective about ways to make change in society in areas you are passionate about
• My Place – an elective with a real focus on First Nations People, culture and language

Special notes

I have a box of cards, letters, pictures, emails and poems that students have given to me over the years, with some beautiful messages, that I often read on my dark days and will continue to do so.

Students!

Developing wonderful relationships with students that enabled them to achieve their best in the areas I taught them. Students who are now out in the world and who I get to watch in their dream jobs, and once in a while get a special message of fond memories. I really liked that I was able to develop a rapport with the ‘naughty’ girls and I was often given some of the more difficult students in my homeroom.Been a

Long list of naughty girls that I ended up having the best relationship with! Lauren, Tegan, Brodie, Kristie-Lee, Isabella…to name afew. I think going on to have meaningful student teacher relationships is testment to the pastoral care Marian offers and the genuine desire to reconcile when we have restorative conversations.

The McLovins

Especially, The McLovins: Gabby, Kathy, Lisa, Stella and Helen. I had these girls in my class from year 8 and they became good friends. I even invited them to my wedding. For better or worse, that’s what I did. I probably would hesitate before doing so now but things were kind of different. We still catch up, at the most recent gathering we met Gabby’s baby!

Staff

Working with some incredible teachers, LSOs and leaders. I mean how amazing that Donna can take two people who seemingly can’t stand each other and bring them together in order to have the most wonderful year of team development in My Place. (That’s you Rosie Kok). That Resorative Justice stuff sometimes works a treat if you let it. Chris is another wonderful LSO, fun to have in class, respectful of the teacher’s role, and dedicated to the kids he assisted. Jaqui , OMG, I don’t even know how to describe having her in the classroom – she is all that Chris is but with an added element of naughty! Jane was just the best at encouraging our ideas for curriculum, being patient when we messed up SEQTA or reports (or her data!), and generally just being a wise and caring leader. I’ve got so many of you that I want to thank and so I hope that I managed to get round to you and talk to you or write you a card

I’ve got so many of you that I want to thank and so I hope that I managed to get round to you and talk to you or write you a card

As already mentioned, the Themes team was fairly consistent and we developed very close friendships that we all came to rely on. We have shared some very deep and personal experiences and stories with each other and I will miss the wisdom of Jo and Jenny in particular.

Special mention

Special mention to My Squad, my group chat, my constant source of amusement, support and love: Kathleen, Mari and Rosario. We became closer friends during lockdown because we would regularly participate in Google meets. While others came occasionally, we were intentional about our friendship. This little group also included dear Cath Callaghan who we tragically lost in 2021. This also brought us closer.

The Marian Way

Marian just seems to have a special welcoming vibe, and staff mostly get on, love and learn to love and respect each other as colleagues and friends. How to leave all these wonderful people? It’s the one big thing that has always kept me at Marian – how would I ever make friends like this again if I started somewhere new?

So I suppose I have Mel to thank for the final act of courage to leave. She waltzed into our year 9 office and into our hearts and it’s like she was always there. If Mel can invest so quickly in us, and endear us to her in record time with her Eurovision shenanigans, then I could do the same if I opened myself up to new colleagues.

Lovely reflection on friendship by Thomas Aquinas written in 1267:

“First of all, among all worldly things there is nothing which seems worthy to be preferred to friendship. Friendship unites good men and preserves and promotes virtue. Friendship is needed by all men in whatsoever occupations they engage. In prosperity it does not thrust itself unwanted upon us, nor does it desert us in adversity. It is what brings with it the greatest delight, to such an extent that all that pleases is changed to weariness when friends are absent, and all difficult things are made easy and as nothing by love.”

Thomas Aquinas, De Regno (On Kingship), 77.

In the Spirit of St Brigid

Above all, the thing I will be forever grateful for is the deeply ingrained Brigidine charism.

With one week left to go and to mark 20 years in education, I chose to carry Brigid with me—both the Catholic saint and the Irish triple goddess—etched into my skin as a symbol of the journey that has shaped me. Brigid represents the 17 years I spent in a Brigidine school (Marian College), where hospitality, strength, and kindness were not just ideals but daily practices. She embodies the hearthwoman’s warmth, the call to welcome all, and the courage to stand firm in faith and justice. The tattoo itself is a full-circle moment—designed and inked by Bronwyn, a student from my very first year of teaching, now an artist in her own right. It is a reminder that teaching is never a one-way gift; it transforms, nourishes, and returns to us in ways we don’t expect. #strengthandkindness #mariancollegesunshinewest #kildareministries

The Brigidine commitment to social justice, hospitality and welcoming all even the most vulnerable, has become a part of me and I will take it forward to my new position.

Older people, in aged care homes certainly qualify as vulnerable and I hope to make a difference in the time they have left. 

Good bye for now Marian College. Hopefully I’ll be back to do some CRT. It seems that’s the way with Marian staff! We can’t let go! And who would even want to.

I am under the shielding

Of good Brigit each day.

I am under the shielding

Of good Brigit each night.

I am under the keeping

Of the nurse of Mary,

Each early and late,

Every dark, every light.

Brigit is my comrade woman,

Brigit is my make of song,

Brigit is my helping woman,

My choicest of women,

My woman of guidance.

—Carmina Gadelica

Finally:Transcript of my last day farewell speech

When you’ve been somewhere for 17 years, it becomes more than just a workplace, because it means there’s something truly special about the place and the people. It also means the place—and its people—have walked alongside you, been witness to and carried you, through many eras of your life.

I’ve been at Marian through all sorts of eras:

• 2007: the newly divorced era
• Single mum of a little boy era
• The terrible battles with the ex and their partner era
• Falling in love again era
• Getting married era
• IVF era
• Harry starting high school era
• Harry’s stepbrother’s suicide era
• Harry’s battles with school era
  (Going through so many schools and wishing I could find somewhere as pastoral, caring, and second-chance-offering as Marian—if only he was a girl!)
• My Camilla era (ongoing)
• Harry’s battles with drugs era (ongoing)
• Becoming a grandma era (ongoing)

So when I say Marian has carried me through the ups and downs of life, I mean it.

And when I say “Marian,” I mean its people.

It’s special here because people really live out the Brigidine values—not because they’re printed on planning documents or listed in strategic goals, but because they are real, beautiful, and lived every day because people have learned to care for and even love each other. .

There are way too many of you to shout out, and Ive been trying to get around to people with a message or a card all week but it’s important for me to mention these people: Jo, Jenny, Kathleen, Mari, Rosario, Cath (RIP), Sharon, Donna , Alicia, Kerrie, Pasq, Michael, Jane, Jenny-May, Tracey, Goran.

And everyone else I’ve cried to, vented to, confided in, taken advice from—or anyone I’ve laughed with, stood alongside, or leaned on—I say thank you.

Thank you for making these years survivable, joyful, and full of love.
Thank you for allowing me to do my job with passion and purpose.

And for those eras that are ongoing—just because I won’t be driving through those gates everyday, doesn’t mean I no longer need you. I’ll need you just as much in this next era.

Then shared a teachers paraphrase of 1 Corinthians 13 with a Brigidine twist.

Teaching with a Brigidine Heart

If I could explain every lesson perfectly but did not show kindness to those who struggle, I might as well be speaking to an empty classroom. If I could solve every problem in education but did not act with love, my efforts would be meaningless. If I had all the best resources and technology but did not respect and care for my classmates, it would all be for nothing.

Love is patient when a student needs help understanding a concept and you take the time to explain it again. Love is kind when frustration rises, but you choose to respond with understanding instead of anger. Love is not jealous when someone else succeeds—it celebrates with them.

Love is not boastful when you do well, but it is humble and lifts others up. Love makes room for the needs of others, even when it means changing your own plans. Love does not lash out when things go wrong but seeks to restore peace and understanding.

Love does not spread gossip about others’ mistakes but offers support and encouragement. Love keeps trying, even when a subject feels impossible to grasp.

Lessons, textbooks, and even the latest technology will one day be replaced, but love remains. These three things will always matter: strength, kindness, and love.

And the greatest of these is love.