For this month of May, I wanted to feature a humble mum who, like any other mum, just wants the best for her kids and would do anything for them. With the recent teachers’ strike, one person who came to mind is both a teacher and a mum.
Cecille Orchard has been teaching here in Perth since 2007. In the first 5 years, she was with Willetton Senior High School, then moved to Castlereagh School, also in Willetton. Recently, thousands of teachers walked off their jobs in Perth to demand better pay and working conditions. She shares her reason for joining. “Most of us don’t feel safe in our own classrooms as we are always dealing with challenging behaviours of our learners. Sometimes we struggle because there are not enough staff,” she said. In her 17 years as a teacher, this was only the second time she joined a teacher strike.
The State School Teachers’ Union of W.A. is asking the government for a 12% pay rise over two years, but the government is offering only 11% over three years. She hopes the government will fix this issue to lighten the educators’ load so they can provide a better quality of education to theirlearners.
As Mothers’ Day is celebrated this month, I asked Cecille what she likes best about being a mum. “The most amazing part about being a mother is the unconditional love she gives her children, and of course, you get that back from your children as well. They are the toughest tasks, but they can be fun too,” she sai
Cecille is the mother of three beautiful boys. The first two were twins, Adam Christopher and Carl Anthony Orchard, who are now 29 years old; then Daniel Colin Orchard, who’s now 23 years old. She now has a grandson as well, Leon. She said, “My boys are my anchor, my inspirations in my life no matter what. I am very proud of what they have achieved in life.”
