I was so sad to hear about Jill’s passing. I am so thankful for the impact
she has had on my life, especially as a teacher. I feel incredibly fortunate to
have started my teaching career with her as my supervisor. I am currently
supervising six teachers, including two new graduates and I can only hope
that I might inspire them in the same way that Jill inspired me.
As a young teacher, I observed that Jill loved being a teacher because she
loved children. I learned from her to look at children and notice what they
could do, rather than what they couldn’t do. I have found this to be
transformative and empowering for children because their experiences,
knowledge and understanding are valued in the classroom.
I shared a love of children’s literature with Jill and I am thankful that, like
me, she believed that children could learn to read without using boring
levelled readers. It’s a battle I still fight. Jill introduced me to The Stinky
Cheese Man by Jon Scieszka and Spooner or Later by Paul Jennings,
Terry Denton and Ted Greenwood. I still love these books and use
them with children when I can. She fostered my love for Anthony Browne
and his amazingly detailed illustrations and the Ahlberg’s – in particular,
their novel, Ten in a Bed. I remember her collection of children’s picture
books. I aspired to have a collection like hers and I think nearly thirty years
later I’m almost there! I love buying books. I love children’s literature. A love
that Jill helped to foster.
I am at exactly the same stage of life that Jill was at when I started
teaching. She had just turned 50 and her youngest two children were
finishing school. I now know how busy this stage of life is. I had no idea
back then! And yet, she was dedicated to her work, generous with her time.
I loved her andI loved working with her. I hoped that one day I could be like
her. I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to work alongside her for six
years at Tempe Public School. That experience has had a lasting impact
on me both professionally and personally.