It all started when she got a scholarship for a teaching course, and it was an offer she couldn’t refuse.
“It was a really worthwhile scholarship,” Mrs Grace said.
“A very good scholarship which paid for all of our university fees, paid our accommodation, gave us a living-away-from-home allowance, paid for our textbooks and guaranteed us a job for five years with the NSW Department of Education.”
This scholarship gave the department the power to assign her discipline, based on the compatibility of subjects.
Mrs Grace ended up studying economics and geography.
But after finishing her four-year course, her love for teaching really blossomed.
“I really like it,” Mrs Grace said.
“I mean, every day is different.
“Even though you might have a timetable that every Monday is the same, every Tuesday is the same, but you just don’t know what’s going to happen.
“It’s different and every class has its own personality.”
More than anything, Mrs Grace’s care for her students kept her in the profession.
“I really like working with teenagers,” Mrs Grace said.
“They’re fun, and they’re positive, they have some great ideas.”
Her love and care for her students is matched by that shown for her fellow teachers.
“She cares as much for the teachers as she does her students,” GVGS teacher Nicole Sleeth said.
“She’ll ask how we are and always give us support when we need it.
“Especially the new teachers.”
Mrs Grace’s enjoyment of teaching is yet to change; however, over her 40 years at GVGS, she has seen changes within the school and the system, the most obvious being technological advancements.
“When I first started, they taught us how to write on blackboards with chalk so that it wouldn’t make the hairs on the back of your neck go up,” Mrs Grace said.
“Now, everything is basically electronic and it’s on boards and it’s on computers and that, but you’re still getting the same information across.
“It’s just using a different format and it’s just a different way of learning.
“They’re [students] so tech savvy, they’re far more tech savvy than what I am.”
Despite these changes, Mrs Grace remains the same — and so have her values as an educator.
“It’s still the same job,” Mrs Grace said.
“You’ve still got to get the message through to them.
“You’ve still got to be able to make sure that you pick up that that particular student is having trouble.
“It doesn’t matter what your technology is that you’re using, it’s just a means to an end.”
Mrs Grace has watched GVGS grow, starting at the school only three years after it opened.
“It's just been a wonderful time being here at Grammar and to see it grow, to see it develop,” Mrs Grace said.
“Deep down, it’s still the same school, even though our buildings are much better than what they were.”
The future for Mrs Grace has no set plan, she will just enjoy the days and weeks as they come.
“It’s year by year at the moment,” Mrs Grace said, before laughing as she clarified.
“At some stage, I will go ‘No, I’ve had enough’.”
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