Susan Harding – speaking everyone’s language A fter nearly 20 years at Christ’s College, Susan of Arts and Postgraduate
reflects on her love of languages and heritage – and the greatest fulfilments of a life committed to education. “For me, College has been my coin spirituel (spiritual home),” the former Head of Modern Languages says. “It has been a privilege to have taught so many amazing young men, and to have taught entire families. It has been a unique experience. That makes College a very important place to me – and it always will be.” She believes that “giving boys the skills to be independent language learners” has been her most fulfilling role. “It’s an amazing journey that the boys stay on and it’s a journey where you have to be patient to acquire the skills, but it’s just so rewarding to see boys take up that challenge and reach that level of confidence in language. By Years 12–13, they are expressing
Certificate in TESOL at the University of Canterbury, where she “picked up Māori, Japanese, Russian, more German, and English linguistics”. She also achieved the high-level CELTA
qualification from the University of Cambridge.
boys – their energy, their humour. They make me laugh and are very engaging – always open to the lesson of the day. Equally, one of the first things you see on arriving at College is these amazing buildings and the history. As a heritage advocate, it has worked well for me. “My favourite time of the school year – though they will probably disagree – is when the Years 11–13 boys write and deliver their French speeches. I see not just their skill and confidence in the moment but the fruits of the journey they have been on since Year 9. “Conservatively, my time here covers 13,608 French lessons
After working across a range of schools, Susan headed to France, teaching in Angers in the Loire Valley. On returning to New Zealand, she dedicated her time to teaching French, realising the “great privilege of empowering young New Zealanders with linguistic skills”. She then spent 10 years overseeing languages at St Andrew’s College. In 2005, Susan started her lengthy College career, being appointed Head of Department – Modern Languages (HoD) the next year. “Teaching boys was always my preferred option,” she recalls. “I have always loved teaching
themselves confidently in a foreign language. For every
student, it’s a fresh journey and you, as a teacher, always have to adapt and see any obstacles from a boy’s perspective.” Dux of St Mary’s College in Christchurch, Susan’s “love of languages” was nurtured at school, where she studied Latin, French, and German. She then gained her Advanced Diploma of Teaching at Christchurch Teachers College and Bachelor
“It has been a privilege to have taught so many amazing young men, and to have taught entire families. That makes College a very important place to me – and it always will be.”
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