Different Teaching Styles: But the Same Traits

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Although all of the impressive female educators from Mission such as Madge Casselman, Christine Morrison, Emma Barnett, Claire Clemo, and Tanye Heath were all very different from one another.  Due to their different teaching styles, backgrounds, and achievements, they had one thing in common.  They were all very memorable, adored, and celebrated educators in the Mission school district.  So although a lot has changed over time in the educational community one thing has remained unchanged, the traits of a successful teacher.  The three main traits that all of these female educators had which made them successful in the field of education were patience, passion, and kindness.  

In regards to patience, many of the educators above were patient with their students reminding them that even if they weren’t able to figure it out right now they would be able to figure it out tomorrow.  For instance the older educator of study, Madge Casselman used her patience daily in the classroom and reminded her students that “There are really no failures” (Fraser Valley Record, 1936).  As well later teachers to come such as Claire Clemo would practice her patience with students by being flexible in her teaching strategies.  Instead of trying to rush kids through areas of their learning where they struggled such as math lessons.  Mrs.Clemo took a step back and created a special block of time in her day where her students could focus on math and not feel rushed.  As well she sandwiched the math curriculum with their favourite subject of English to make it more exciting for her students.  Therefore it is shown that even though a lot had changed in the classroom throughout the 20th century, these successful female educators in Mission all practiced patience with their students.

In addition, these adored and loved female educators throughout the 20th century all had a passion for teaching, learning, and education.  Early teachers in Mission such as Christine Morrison sacrifice their future of finding love and having children to continue in the teaching profession.  Specifically, Christine Morrison has said that “Working in close contact with young people was challenging, interesting, and rewarding” (Fraser Valley Record, 1973). And in her eyes, the sacrifices she made were worth it because she was able to impact the lives of her students as both a teacher and counsellor. 

Another educator who also presented her passion for teaching, learning, and education later on in the 20th century was Tanye Heath.  For instance, Mrs.Heath showed her passion for education by working with the school district on how to improve the lives of students with extra needs and special needs.  Although she wasn’t getting paid extra to do this, Mrs.Heath helped provide vital information to the school board on some of the areas where teacher’s aides were struggling due to lack of time and funding.  Furthermore, Tanye Heath went on to give the school district recommendations on how they could solve these issues with her own personal experiences and knowledge.  Tanye Heath did this out of the kindness of her heart and passion for supporting the children in Mission’s school district.  So even though the ways in which teachers support students have changed over time, all of the remembered teachers had an immense passion for their jobs.  Many female teachers throughout the 20th century made many personal sacrifices to ensure that they were able to support their students and give them the best education possible.

Another trait that has continued to be present in educators throughout the 20th century is their ability to care for their students.  Many of the remembered educators from Mission in the 20th century were remembered for not what they taught their students but for how they made them feel. Earlier educators such as Christine Morrison focused on creating outlets such as the guidance counsellor’s program for her students to receive extra support.  Mrs.Morrison didn’t care about what students knew or didn’t know when providing them with guidance and advice.  But instead, she took her students for who they were and focused on “Students’ spirits and souls must not be overlooked” (Fraser Valley Record, 1973).  In the mid 20th century, Emma Barnett cared for her students immensely and would keep track of their birthdates to make sure they felt celebrated and special that day.  As well, female educator Claire Clemo who would teach children at the end of the 20th century showcased her caring ability by creating strong bonds with every student.  Many of her students remember her because “One previous student of Claire Clemo explains that “She made everyone seem like they were important individuals and to her, I’m sure we all were” (Beaulieu, ND). 

All of the most remembered and loved educators throughout the 20th century used their caring attributes in the classes day to day.  By providing their students with a caring figure and role model in their lives, they gave the children environments where they were free to grow and be themselves.  So all though so much had changed over the 20th century and all of these female educators came from different backgrounds.  All of them positively impacted the community of Mission and the lives of their students.  And still continue to be loved and remembered for their patience, passion, and caring traits.