John Deighan: A Passion to Teach
Every school should have a John Deighan. John is an extraordinary man who goes above and beyond to bring incredible insights and experiences to children’s lives.
John’s a teacher at the International School of Geneva but beyond his teaching duties, he organises Mother Tongue language classes for students from all around the world. The classes help the kids connect with where they’re from, with their own culture. This is very important to John having hailed from Glasgow but having spent much of his life away from his homeland.
Best of all, John launched a Guest Speaker program at the school some eight years ago and it really is something incredible. John invites a host of extraordinary speakers to the school who bring stories from their own rich life experiences into the lives of the school community. Students, parents and teachers get to hear from people they would otherwise never engage with. Their minds are invited to open to alternative ways of viewing the world. Their hearts are induced to compassion for the suffering of others. They are encouraged to think way outside the privileged bubble we live in here in Switzerland. This is a gift.
I was so pleased when John agreed to speak with me for a Cooee! Podcast and I’m so thrilled with the result. Some parents and students spoke with me to share their feelings about the Guest Speaker program too and overall, if you can find time to listen, I think you’ll really enjoy listening to John Deighan: A Passion to Teach.
I love John Deighan and am inspired by him every day of my life. It’s easy to understand why when you hear the passion John feels for his duty to give the children under his care the best, most broad education they can get.