Many of today’s ISL students may know Mr Ivett as ‘just’ an English teacher. Little do they know that he has been one of the most important people in making ISL what it is today. As well as teaching English, Mr Ivett has been Head of Secondary School and Assistant to multiple Directors. Mr Ivett joined the school in 1990 and stayed for 33 years before announcing his retirement this year. Since the moment he joined the school, he has had a massive impact on its development and on many students and staff at the school. Saoirse had the chance to sit down with him and find out the fascinating story of Mr Ivett and all that he has experienced at ISL. We hope to honour everything he has done for our community and his enduring advocacy for The High.
Saoirse: Why did you choose to become a teacher?
Mr Ivett: I don’t think I chose teaching, I think teaching chose me. When I was a child my best friend, until the age of eleven was a girl called Kitty. I grew up on a farm and hers was the nearest house to mine in the countryside. We were the same age and we used to play with each other all the time. She had an amazing set of toys and dolls and things like that, far more than me so we used to play at her house a lot. One of my earliest memories is that we’d sit the dolls, toys and teddys on little chairs and she had this blackboard with an easel, and we would pretend to be teachers. Right from the beginning, I never really wanted to do anything else. I think it was maybe born into me. I also had an older sister who taught in a very rough area of London called Brixton. It was very rough in those days. Sometimes when I was on holiday in my early teens, her school would still be working so I’d go with her into the classroom and would just observe what was going on. I was just fascinated by the whole thing. I’ve actually been in schools for 61 years non-stop. I started school at the age of 5, primary school, secondary school, university, teacher training, back into school again without a break. So I’ve not known anything else. I’ve had Sunday night blues for 61 years.
Saoirse: What are you most proud of in your career?
Mr Ivett: When I first came I worked at the Commonwealth American School which is what ISL was called before it was ISL, I was appointed as Assistant Director. I did that for 25 years until the South campus was built. The school was originally on a split campus in Pully, then the first move was up to here, designing this building, which I was involved in. I helped in facilitating the move and then the second project was buying the land for the South Campus and designing the South Campus building which I was heavily involved in. I went to all the architectural meetings. When the building was finished, the whole thing had taken quite a toll emotionally and psychologically and I was worried about how much longer I could carry on in my position. So I asked Ms Cheetham, who was then the Head, if I could step down from Assistant Director and Head of Secondary School- I was doing the two – whether I could step down and teach full time. I thought I’d quite like to end my career the way I started. I decided for the last eight years to be back in the classroom and I have absolutely loved that opportunity. It’s been a very varied career. A lot of people change jobs to get different experiences but I haven’t had to. When I came here, the school had 120 kids, and I suppose I’ve grown as the school has grown and my job has never been the same.
When I first came the school only went up to Year 9. The first thing we did was add Years 10 and 11 then we added the diploma, shifted locations and added the South Campus. So it’s never been the same, so I think I’ve grown a lot with the job, so what am I proudest of? Probably the South Campus, I had a big input in it and its plans. Initially they wanted to do it over four years, but I said no, it had to be done in two. This made it quite intense, but that is what I’m most proud of.
The second thing is our school’s mission and aims. I think they really shaped the culture of the school. I always was involved in putting together and writing the mission and aims of the school. I think I’m quite proud of that as well, because I led the group that wrote them and I was very involved in the wording. One of the proudest moments was when GEMS was set up and we checked their website; they had stolen our mission and aims. Word for word. And I thought they must be quite good then! Then of course we contacted them and they denied it, they said no, we didn’t steal them, we were given them by the Head Office. And then we said well, we are going to take legal action, we have all the drafts, because I kept all the drafts, down to the final semicolon. Then they got back to us and said oh, we are really sorry, yes, you are right, and they took them down. So that was a compliment! They came into the market thinking they were going to drive us out of business and that was one reason I said that the South Campus needed to be built in two years because we needed to expand to be able to compete. By expanding we built the labs, the drama studio, the music rooms, the art rooms, and the recording studio. That was a massive upgrade in our facilities because GEMS were boasting all these fantastic facilities they were going to have. We also needed these upgrades for the students. They had also said they felt the school was a bit small, a bit claustrophobic, less scope for friendships, and a larger diversity of courses was needed. This did mean that we lost a little bit of the family atmosphere, with the expansion.
Saoirse: What has been your favourite thing to teach/what has had the most impact on students?
Mr Ivett: I have to go back to Shakespeare, maybe Othello because it’s a play that explores issues of race, gender and even sexuality possibly. Those are all things that really interest me. It gives students opportunities to explore those topics. My favourite things to teach have always been things that open students’ minds up to diversity. I think you can really open people’s minds through literature. When people explore literature they also explore their own attitudes to literature. I love challenging people’s attitudes to a range of important issues in life.
I also developed a unit on the speeches of Malcolm X and I really enjoyed that because I learnt a lot as well. The racial politics at the time and his legacy. The contrast between him and Martin Luther King and why he has had less public acknowledgment than Martin Luther King even though he was an amazing speaker on race and really challenged people’s attitudes at the time. The authorities became quite frightened of him and were involved in his assassination. Reading his speeches and hearing him talk, really made for an amazing unit. All the students found it very interesting.
Saoirse: What changes have you observed in students over the years?
Mr Ivett: I suppose the biggest change is technology. I think it’s had a big effect on students. When I started teaching there was no internet, no iphones, so I think that has changed what it’s like to be a young person, quite dramatically. I don’t think it’s made life easier, I think in some ways it’s made it more challenging for students. I think technology has caused students to have more to cope with and manage in their lives. It’s an essential part of your lives, it’s an essential part of your communication and socialising. When I started teaching the only way to socialise with someone was to sit down and talk to them. Now a lot of socialising is done online and I think that has changed the lives of young people a lot. It can be incredibly disruptive but extremely beneficial as well. As a young person now, you have to learn to manage that. I think that is quite challenging for young people.
Saoirse: What is the most enjoyable part of your job?
Mr Ivett: Contact with the students, I’ve always loved teaching, I’ve always loved talking with young people. When I was Assistant Director I also loved helping my colleagues as well, managing their jobs and conflicts.
Saoirse: What has been the most challenging part of your job?
Mr Ivett: I suppose it was when I was Assistant Director and Head of Secondary, it was just managing so many things, the day never seemed long enough. It was just a lot to do, having to split your attention across so many different things.
Saoirse: What does ISL mean to you?
Mr Ivett: It has been a massive part of my life. I guess it means a lot to me because I’ve had a hand in creating ISL into what it has become. It’s unusual to have someone work in one place for 33 years, yet I don’t feel like I’ve worked in one place, it has changed and developed as I have. In some ways it’s a part of me and it’s going to be really strange when it’s no longer a part of my life. Having said that, it feels right, it’s the right time.
Saoirse: You’ve had an amazing, long career at ISL: Why have you chosen to stay at ISL for so long?
Mr Ivett: A number of different factors. The job never stayed the same, so I was never bored. Even when I stepped down from being Assistant Director and went back to teaching full time, it was like starting a new job. It was lovely, I had created my dream job! My son came here as well, he was born in Switzerland and started in Reception 3. It was the only school he went to, he did his IB Diploma here and graduated. He was so happy here, so that was an incentive to stay at that time. When I was Assistant Director, we had an amazing leadership team, who were just a joy to work with. We had David Harrison, Yvonne Secker, Simon Foley, Simon Taylor. It was a dream leadership team, we worked so well together, that was another reason to stay. I’ve just loved all aspects of the job.
Saoirse: How has ISL transformed since you first joined?
Mr Ivett: Size, facilities, number of students, I think the culture has shifted slightly. The ETHOS maybe was shifted a little bit. I think it was more of a family school when it was smaller but that had drawbacks as well. But there are still strong relationships between students and teachers. It comes down to that really. Every student should know that there is someone in the school that cares about them and values them as a person. I like to think that is still the case. But there is a danger that as school gets bigger some students, just slip through. But I think if somebody from 20 years ago were to walk into the school now, there are aspects of the school they would still find familiar. The logo has changed, I can’t say for the better! It’s very corporate and cold. I thought it was unnecessary to do that. It has a history to it and I think it shows that it’s inevitable that the school history will get forgotten and lost as time goes on, but that’s life.
Saoirse: Now that you are in your final days at ISL, what’s something no one else knows?
Mr Ivett: I remember when the Director who employed me left, this was some years ago, we looked around to recruit another Director. I was on the committee who was interviewing people. I remember we had interviewed everybody and we were having the final discussion and it was pretty clear who we thought was the best person for the job. The Board wanted to talk a bit and because I was not a member of the Board, I left the room at that point. They then called me back into the room and told me that they would like to offer me the role as Director of the school. Which was a real shock to me. I thought we had just decided who was best for the job. It actually didn’t take me long to think, I said that I was very flattered, but I declined the offer. I said, I don’t think I’m the right person, I think the school needs someone with a new perspective to come in. I also said that I don’t think it’s the job for me or a job I could do better. My strength has always been in a supporting role. So I said no thank you. I think that’s something no one knows.
Saoirse: Can you tell us a bit about the history of The High and how it started?
Mr Ivett: It was a Year 7 student, Daniel Riband, who came into my office and said “Mr Ivett I would like to start a school newspaper.” I said yes, absolutely, good idea! (See email below to read the full story.) That was exactly how it started. It started as a Middle School newspaper and he kept it going for half a year and it fizzled out. But then when he got into Year 12 he said, I would like to restart it again and that is how The High was born!
Saoirse: Generally, how much impact have you seen The High have throughout your years at school?
Mr Ivett: Massive! I always say, it didn’t happen if it wasn’t printed in The High. It’s done a lot to champion diversity, challenge attitudes and make people aware. At times it has challenged the school, it has challenged the school leadership. It is not afraid of tackling difficult issues or controversial issues and giving the student perspective. It has really been the student voice for a long time. I think it’s a good indication of the climate of the school where the students are concerned.
Saoirse: Why do you think The High is important for both students and the larger community?
Mr Ivett: It shows student perspective on many issues, it also challenges the students as well and the way they think. There have been some really good issues focusing on diversity. There is some really powerful writing. I think it’s really great to see a place where students are spreading their inclusive attitudes.
Saoirse: Over time, what changes have you seen in The High and what further changes could be made in the future?
Mr Ivett: I haven’t seen a lot of changes. The quality of writing has been pretty consistent throughout. It’s never been afraid of tackling difficult things. I would not want any changes either, I think it’s great. The only thing I can think of is that there used to be a lot more male writers, but now there is a strong majority of female writers. I don’t know why this has changed but I would like to see it become more equal. There are a lot of boys out there who write really well and have strong opinions but they never commit. I would also make each issue a printed issue. I think there are more chances that people will read it. When it was the Friday after it was printed, homeroom was always completely silent.
Saoirse: What was your involvement in the High over the years?
Mr Ivett: A cheerleader. They’d always leave me a printed issue on my desk for me to read when it was published.
Saoirse: I heard you prevented it from getting shut down; what happened and why did you do this?
Mr Ivett: No one ever tried to shut it down directly but it got in trouble a couple of times. There was an article that made personal comments about a teacher, which stepped over the line. Edition 60 was about sex, the objectification of girls and women and an article on rape which had an explicit cover. The Editor of The High received an anonymous letter from some primary school teachers which really wasn’t a good thing to do on their part. You never write an anonymous letter of complaint. The letter made some good points but the way they made them was quite hurtful to the Editor in Chief at the time. It was the wrong way to make a complaint, they should have talked to the teachers in charge rather than contact the student. It caused the Editor to be very upset. After all this is a student newspaper and the students themselves are learning so they’re going to make mistakes. How do you learn if you don’t make mistakes? They should have spoken to the supervising teachers.
I was never asked to stop it, it was only said that the school needs to censor their writing. I’m very against censorship. I don’t think we should censor. It takes very careful management by the supervising teachers. On one occasion, the supervising teacher gave me an article and asked for my thoughts and I said maybe that’s going to hurt some people. So then I sat down and spoke with the student and pointed out what might hurt somebody and they agreed and changed some things, and that’s the way to do it.
Teachers have always been concerned but I think as long as it’s not being controversial or provocative just for the sake of it, it’s a good thing. If it is provoking people to think and rethink and explore seriously the issues that are in the school, then I think it is a healthy and good thing.
Saoirse: Finally, Mr Ivett, what is the most important piece of advice you would give students?
Mr Ivett: Not to be too hard on themselves. To be accepting of their faults. To recognise that sometimes getting things wrong and failing is actually an essential part of learning. To love themselves a bit. That there is a lot of time ahead for them to be the person they want to be and to try and work that out. I don’t think I knew until I was in my mid twenties who I was or who I wanted to be.
“Teaching is the greatest act of optimism” – Colleen Wilcox.
One of the things we admire the most about Mr Ivett is his smile and incredible enthusiasm. We need teachers who are optimists and Mr Ivett is one of them. Hopefully, you have learnt more about the wonderful Mr Ivett and his amazing career at ISL. A huge thank you to Mr Ivett for dedicating so much of his life to our school. He has had a profound impact on generations of ISL students and his legacy will truly continue to impact generations to come. We at The High and the entire school community wish him the absolute best in his retirement!
This will be scanned in as a graphic on print night (See email below to read the full story):
