Where are they now? Charles Sturt University and its predecessor institutions were built on the tenacity and dedication of some incredible staff. They have left an indelible mark on our graduates, and our communities.
Ray Petts Position: Lecturer, School of Education, Curriculum and Instruction Campus: Wagga Wagga Years at Charles Sturt University: 1972–2003 (started at Riverina College of Advanced Education, RCAE)
How would you describe your time at Charles Sturt University? It was a positive environment for learning, and for staff and students. It was a time for new ideas and challenges, and it gave rise to a supportive teaching environment. For example, we set up the Country Area Program, where we took students across all curriculum subjects to areas like Broken Hill, Hay, Wentworth and to gain experience teaching school kids from different areas. These expos were really built around the original outdoor classroom approach to teaching and were really beneficial. They were beneficial to the students, the school and the teachers. The teachers used to get a lot out of these expos in terms of innovative teaching practices.
Standout memory from your time at Charles Sturt? I absolutely loved teaching. Special education was my great love, and I was able to work with Willans Hill School in Wagga Wagga for about 30 years. Each year, I would have my class working one-on-one with kids from Willans Hill – kids living with things like Down syndrome, Cystic Fibrosis, Spina Bifida, global delays. It was sometimes very confronting and challenging, but it was well worth it. I used to tell my students, “For every inch you give them, they will give you a mile in return.” And they did. I have had so many of my students tell me (even years later) that it was the best thing they ever did.
What have you been up to since you left? Since I retired, I have spent a lot of my time on my farm. I have maintained some links with Charles Sturt through various groups including the First Fleeters (for the original staff of Riverina College of Advanced Education in 1972), the Rugby Union club on campus, Town and Gown, University Archives, and helping the buildings and grounds team with different projects. Since my wife Nancy passed away in 2007, I have also done a lot more travelling and spent time in my much-loved outdoors. Of course, my first trip after losing Nancy was back to America – to where we first met. I’ve been all over the place after that, but this is the first year I haven’t travelled. 28
Thrive
