I am a part of all that I have met; Yet all experience is an arch wherethrough Gleams that untravelled world,
whose margin fades For ever and for ever when I move. How dull it is to pause,
to make an end, To rust unburnished, not to shine in use!
As though to breathe were life, Life piled on life…

Tennyson’s words remind me of what it means to be a teacher – the immense dimensions, countless possibilities and myriad experiences through which we evolve. The genesis and efflorescence of a department encompasses a genuine and passionate loyalty to a vocation that not only touches lives but also transforms them. Paolo Coelho’s The Alchemist teaches us about the essential wisdom of listening to our hearts and following our dreams. “It’s true; life really is generous to those who pursue their destiny.” Therein lies the essence of our endeavours – to welcome our students with an open mind, guide them, learn with them and to bless them as they embark on the journey of life. The reward of a thing well done is to have done it.