Congratulations to College Legend John Mooney (SPC 1960-65) OAM PSM who was recognised earlier this week for 60 years of teaching.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Education Ben Carroll recognised 307 long-serving teachers and support staff at the annual Recognition of Service awards in Melbourne last Sunday.
Staff were presented awards for 40, 45, 50, 55 and 60 years of service to public education in Victoria.
An education veteran, John has worked in the state鈥檚 public schools since he graduated in 1966.
John has been Principal of Emerson School, a specialist school in Dandenong, in Melbourne鈥檚 southeastern suburbs for 29 years, and also served as Principal at specialist schools in Frankston and Ashwood.
He was awarded the Public Service Medal for contribution to students with disabilities in 2014, and an Order of Australia Medal followed in 2020.
John was inducted as a Legend of 乐播传媒视频鈥檚 College in 2014 for his contribution to education.
In a radio interview on 774 ABC Radio Melbourne with Bob Murphy and Richelle Hunt earlier this week, John described his 60 years of teaching as a positive one.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a bit surreal, but you鈥檝e got to spend 60 years, somehow or other, in your life, so that鈥檚 the way I鈥檝e spent it, and that鈥檚 been a wonderful journey.鈥�
John said he has firm beliefs in his role in education.
鈥淚 want everybody to leave school with happy memories,鈥� John said.
In his Principal鈥檚 message on the Emerson School website, John says he firmly believes in a well-rounded education for students from all backgrounds.
He also believes staff are friends, counsellors and role models and that 鈥渢his responsibility drives and inspires our students to become happy, engaged and productive members of their communities鈥�.
In the radio interview, John said聽鈥渢here鈥檚 so many people 鈥� and they say their self esteem鈥檚 low because that鈥檚 what was established in schooling. So I鈥檝e worked hard, you know, to build up trust.鈥�
He said he has really good memories of his time as a student at 乐播传媒视频鈥檚 College.
鈥淚 had a lot of fun there, and I remember some of the lessons that I was given, I have applied in my later life.
鈥淚 remember a science teacher who said, “Let鈥檚 sing a song of a nursery rhyme, and we鈥檒l fit it in science.
And so, instead of twinkle, twinkle little star, it was Scintillate, scintillate, globule vivific鈥� Right? And I can sing that to you now, like it was yesterday.鈥�
Sixty years on, John said he continues to love what he does.
鈥淚 like schools to be a place to grow old and stay young at the same time. Now, so you get a lot of people who do get browned out because there鈥檚 lots of compliance, there鈥檚 lots of accountability.
There鈥檚 lots of all of that. But you鈥檝e got to think about the creativity. You鈥檝e got to think about, you know, the sense of wonder and the sense of awe where kids can鈥檛 wait to come to school the next day.鈥�
