“We hope that you will share the following article, written by Chris Tudor, with your amazing teachers.”

For a time AISNT decided to run its own Territory Teaching Awards to acknowledge the great work undertaken by its teachers in the NT Independent schools. A ceremony was held each year at Parliament House and was indeed a very special occasion. The special feature in the Ceremony was a speech given by Patron of the AISNT, The Hon Austin Asche AC. QC. FACE. BA. LL.M. Chief Justice and later Administrator of the Northern Territory. The Hon Austin had a remarkable way of relating to teachers and indeed engaged so meaningfully with AISNT in general. A gifted and thorough orator, his addresses were of world standard and a number of them have been collected in a booklet titled “Teachers on Top”.

The forward in the booklet notes the following about his enormous passion for education: “His interest in education was fuelled by being Chairman of the Victorian Enquiry into Teacher Education; President of the Council of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Chancellor of Deakin University and Chancellor of the Northern Territory University (now Charles Darwin University). The following are some wonderful, memorable quotes from his speeches.

2008 “You will I am sure, be gratified to know that I am an expert on education. Fortunately, there are a great many experts on education in Australia, and the latest accurate statistical summary puts the number at about 10 million”. “The point is that we, as citizens owe a duty to our teachers to encourage excitement and love of learning in children we send to them, so that they are ready for the great gifts a great teacher can give them.”

2009 “Teaching must be the only profession where the necessity to communicate means that one can’t indulge in the luxury of becoming a bore. Certainly there are some nominally enrolled in the profession who have become bores, but, under my definition, they have ceased to be teachers.”

2010 “Teachers of excellence will meet and triumph over new challenges, as they always have, because they are dedicated and heroic. The vast responsibility is cast upon them to deliver to our great nation citizens who will keep it great. It is only fitting that we should recognise that excellence in the awards today.”

2011 “When considering the subject of excellence in teaching it might be useful to remember one of the best teachers ever portrayed in literature. He was a gentleman called Fagin, and he appears in Oliver Twist. Fagin had, very clearly many of the best characteristics of a teacher. He knew intimately the subject he was teaching, he knew how to make the subject interesting and enjoyable, and he knew how to instill enthusiasm and encourage talent. He did not rebuke or scold but rather, by giving generous praise to the top students, such as the Artful Dodger, he inspired the others to emulate him. And he made learning fun.”

2012 In 2012 Hon Austin observed how so often in the nineteenth century teachers were principally observers, viewing their pupils from afar, not really engaging with them and when they did it was only to inflict punishment justly or unjustly.” They are part of the scene, but a very small part. Readers today find that strange. Such stories, without reference to the teacher seem to us unreal.” He goes on to emphasise the importance of teachers relating to and engaging with students. “The best of today’s school stories is Harry Potter, and it illustrates the point, because the teachers there play very important roles; as we would expect. We expect teachers to be active agents of learning and to use their expertise to encourage individual talents. They are specialists and we respect them as such.” His final statement in the booklet is: “The value of teachers is emphasised by the simple fact that if we fall behind in education, we fall behind in the world.” As Principals you are all leaders in a great and vital profession.

Chris Tudor

AISNT Historian & Principal Liaison