The best teacher in the world
Published: July 7, 2006
“SIMPLY delighted” that was Mike Giles’ reaction when he was told he had won the Bolton Evening News Teacher of the Year Award.
The deputy head of Heathfield School, who also teaches Year Six, was handed the award at the best possible time as he is taking early retirement at then od the term after 34 years.
Of those, 33 years have been spent at Heathfield, in Henniker Road, Middle Hulton. He has been teaching there since it first opened in 1973.
Mr Giles, aged 55, said: “I am simply delighted to have been voted teacher of the year. It’s just a brilliant feeling.
continued… [Seven Simple Secrets: What the Best Teachers Know And Do]
“The headteacher announced that I had won in front of a class I was teaching. It was so unexpected which makes it even nicer.”
Mr Giles, whose wife Adreenie, also teaches at Heathfield, was nominated by Gabrielle Entwistle, aged 11.
She described Mr Giles as “the best teacher ever” and like “a best friend”. Gabrielle wrote: “He is the greatest teacher anyone could wish for! He is retiring and no-one wants him to leave. He makes learning fun. He always puts his pupils first and is very understanding.”
Fortunately for Gabrielle and the other thousands of pupils he had taught, Mr Giles decided not to follow his initial ambition to become a chef. He became a teacher because, he admitted, that the social life which went with education was more appealing.
Mr Giles said the award, coupled with the fact he was leaving the school, had made the last few weeks quite emotional.
The Bolton Evening News launched the Teacher of the Year Award to recognise the hard work and dedication of teachers who are often the unsung heroes of our communities.
We invited all primary school pupils to nominate anyone who they thought ought to be our teacher of the year.
We received hundreds of entries and after our judges had chosen six finalists, our readers were asked to vote for whom they thought was the most deserving of the award.
Mr Giles daid: “Teaching is hard work, but is very rewarding. I have been told that it wasn’t just the present pupils who have voted for me but those I had taught several years ago.
“They have stopped me in the street and said they had cast a vote. This is so special and tells me that I have been doing something right,” he said.
Catherine Fenton, headteacher, said: “I would like to congratulate Mike on topping the vote for Bolton’s best teacher of 2006.
“Mike has shown loyal service to Heathfield over 33 years and we estimate that he has taught well over 1,000 pupils in that time. I know those children have fond memories of their time with him.”
As Teacher of the Year, Mr Giles, who has two children Stephanie, aged 18, and 23-year-old David will enjoy a luxury spa weekend break for two. His class will receive a television and DVD player and Gabrielle will be able to take 10 friends for a night of bowling.
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