By Karen Poh
WARRINGA Park School’s Paul McGraw has been teaching for 45 years.
He is one of two teachers in the West to receive the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development’s 45-year long-service award.
Mr McGraw, who just turned 64, joined the Education Department in 1961 as a student.
“And it just went on from there”, he said.
Since then, Mr McGraw has served mainly the western suburbs, teaching in special schools, hearing-impaired schools and primary schools.
“The generation I grew up in was about getting a secure job,” Mr McGraw said.
But it was the satisfaction of seeing young people grow and develop that made him stick with it.
“There have been so many things I’ve enjoyed doing with the students,” Mr McGraw said.
“I trained to be a teacher, and I enjoy the teaching side of it, seeing them develop from young students to becoming young adults.
“Some of those I’ve kept in touch with have made a good go of their lives since they left school.
“And in some cases, I see second generations coming through the system,” he said.
Mr McGraw is now teaching VCAL students part-time at Warringa Park School in Hoppers Crossing.
