APPA President Angela Falkenberg reflects on the quiet impact of educators, exploring how presence, kindness, and connection shape the true legacy they leave in children’s lives.
Recently, I came across a Facebook post from a retiring teacher. She reflected on the highlights of her career, those moments when children reached a personal milestone or uncovered a hidden talent, and the heartfelt words from students that had stayed warm in her heart. But she also expressed sadness about the changes she had witnessed over the decades. One of the most difficult shifts, she noted, was the growing number of competing demands that left less time to truly know her students, the simple joy of lingering in classroom laughter, sharing stories, and feeling assured that her work made a lasting difference in their lives.
Soon after, I read a moving reflective piece in the New York Times by Roger Rosenblatt titled ‘The Love We Leave Behind’. In it, Rosenblatt, an 85-year-old writer, speaks not of achievements or accolades, but of what lingers after we pass from this life: the memories of kindness, conversations, comfort offered, and the warmth of simply being present. He writes, “Immortality, if considered at all, is less important than more easily achieved goals. Pleasure in the work itself. Usefulness. Kindness. An eagerness and readiness to be of help.”
Reading his reflections, I couldn’t help but draw a line between the heart of teaching and this idea of legacy. Not a legacy of grades or programs implemented, but of being useful, kind, and present. It made me ask: What will children remember about their time in our schools? About us?
Seeing the whole child
As educators, we know that children thrive when they are seen, truly seen, for who they are. We hold a sacred trust to nurture not only minds but identities. That means knowing who loves soccer or daffodils. Who has a grandma overseas just mastering WhatsApp, and who has a puppy (just like them) who trembles when it thunders.
These are not trivial details. They are the gateways to connection, the beginnings of trust, and the foundation for deep learning. It’s through knowing these things that we help children feel visible and valued. Like them, we too want to be more than a mark on a page. We bring skills to grow minds, yes, but also to open hearts and lift aspirations.
In every classroom, every day, teachers and leaders perform this quiet magic. But too often, these relational achievements go unmeasured and under-celebrated.
The ‘how’ that transforms
There’s no shortage of discussion about what teachers must do. Curriculum. NAPLAN Assessments. Data. Initiatives. But far less is said about the how, the pedagogy of connection, the craft of tailoring learning to the child in front of you, and the relational strength it takes to teach well.
This is where teachers and school leaders shine. Understanding how children learn, what motivates them, where they struggle, how they bounce back, is not only a technical skill; it’s a profoundly human one. It is the how that brings the what to life.
As Maya Angelou famously said, “People may forget what you said and did, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” Let that be our guide.
What keeps us going
There’s a moment in Abbott Elementary, a show that captures the spirit of school life with both humour and heart, where veteran teacher Barbara (played by Sheryl Lee Ralph) comforts a younger colleague. Janine, distraught after a difficult encounter with a parent, is questioning herself. Barbara calmly says, “People have thrown dirt on my name, and others have given flowers. It’s all a garden to me.”
What a beautiful metaphor for a teaching career. Over time, there will be criticism and there will be praise. But it all contributes to the growth, the garden, that is your legacy. The trick is to keep nurturing it with what matters most: care, clarity, courage, and kindness.
Celebrating leadership and legacy
It’s these very values we honour through Australian Primary Principals Day. On Friday, 1 August 2025, we once again took the opportunity to celebrate the incredible work of our primary principals, those who lead with heart and keep the pulse of kindness strong in our schools.
The day is not about grand gestures or public acclaim. It’s about recognising that amidst societal and economic changes, amidst both joys and challenges, there is someone willing to step forward and lead. Sometimes they’re called Principal, sometimes Head of Primary or Campus Leader. Whatever the title, they are the steady hand in the school, helping to create the conditions where children flourish, and where teachers can do their best work.
The art of balance
So, what does it take to raise motivated, engaged learners?
It takes what I call the sweet spot: the delicate balance between high expectations and human connection. Between stretching thinking and nurturing wellbeing. Between rigorous content and the rich, relational learning that makes it stick.
In that space, we find what’s enduring, not just achievement, but growth. Not just knowledge, but character.
Final thoughts
Teaching is not just a job; it’s a craft of legacy. A child may forget the finer points of grammar or the details of long division, but they will remember the teacher who knelt beside them when they cried. The one who noticed they were off their game. The one who made space for their voice.
And long after we’ve retired, long after our classrooms have been handed to the next generation, what we leave behind, like Rosenblatt writes, is the love. The presence. The felt meaning.
That is the real curriculum. And kindness, always, is the best lesson plan.
About the author
Australian Primary Principals Association (APPA) President Angela Falkenberg has held senior school leadership positions across both primary and secondary schools and has extensive experience in the education of First Nations children. APPA provides a voice to more than 7,600 public, Catholic and independent primary school principals across the country.
