Roto-o-Rangi School teacher Pam Furze is retiring – reluctantly.
After almost 50 years in the education sector, and 20 years at the school as a teacher and sports leader, Pam is working up to her retirement at the end of the term.
Originally from Hikutaia in the Hauraki Plains, Pam moved to the Waikato in 1975 to study at the Hamilton Training Institute, before beginning her teaching career at Cambridge East Primary School in 1977.
She hasn’t strayed far from Waipā, with Pukeatua School being Pam’s only role outside of Cambridge.
Staff at Roto-o-Rangi School say Pam is an incredible woman, and highly respected by both pupils and staff.
Despite Pam’s eagerness to enjoy her retirement, she says she can’t just stop. She’s still teaching at the school two days a week, doing science and technology, and junior reading for the rest of the term.
“After 47 years of teaching, to just stop instantly, I would have found that quite hard.”
She says she loves the school, the community, and the kids, but she’s ready to retire.
“I love teaching, and I love the community. It’s just the way that teaching is going at the moment I don’t particularly like – it’s just so much paperwork and you don’t get as much time to spend with the kids as you’d like.
“I remember in my first years of teaching; I’d go out and play with the kids at interval and lunchtime. Now you just haven’t got the time or the energy, because of all the other paperwork you have to do.”
A total of 47 years in any industry brings with it a huge expertise – Pam has seen enormous changes in the way children are taught in New Zealand, including the introduction of screens in the classroom from the mid-late 90s.
She laments the loss of freedom to play for the kids, but has found an upside to the new tech.
“I’ve met a lot of my ex-pupils on Facebook and seem to have a good rapport with them all still, which is nice.”
As for how she’ll be spending her retirement, Pam says she’s looking forward to spending more time in her garden and travelling New Zealand with her husband.
