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| ©Priscilla Etienne |
I went to work at the Royal Docks School when it first opened in 1999. There were some teachers from the old Woodside school there along with many new.
My role was as Student Support Worker (now called Teaching Assistants).
I was lucky enough to be assigned to Craig Fosters' class, an eager bunch of year seven students.
Every school has one or two exceptional teachers, willing to go beyond their roles and reach out to the students they work with. Craig was one among these type of teachers. It was always clear to me that he worked for the students and not just with them. He had a really great relationship with his class but maintained the boundaries that had to be in place. I laughed every day I was with him.
When I began to feel unwell Craig was genuinely concerned for me. I fell asleep in the staff room a few times and he came to find me for lessons. As this was all unusual circumstances for me, I knew I had to seek medical advice.
Craig insisted that I should visit the Dr too. After a few days I found out that I was pregnant with my son Kross. I went back to work and found him teaching another class. He came outside the classroom and as his class could see us both through the glass panels, they were confused as to why he cuddled me and lifted me off my feet. He was the first member of teaching staff I told.
I was really saddened to hear of his death. It is such a great loss. There was no question that I wanted to be at his funeral to pay my last respects to him. I arrived at the crematorium and was met by Woodside students, now grown men and women, and students from the school he recently taught at.
There were too many people present to get into the chapel, so well over 100 of us were standing outside listening to the service on loudspeakers.
The tributes by his son and daughter were really touching and funny but the one that moved me to tears the most was the one that Craig had prepared himself. It was read out at the service and felt like he was there reading it. He spoke of his love for his son whom he described as his best friend, and his daughter whom he called his angel. His wife Melanie was reminded of how much he loved her and he said that she is the one whom he loved more than anything else in this world. It was a beautiful part of the service.
I am really glad I was there as a final farewell to a brilliant teacher and an equally brilliant man, who was only ever kind, thoughtful and funny. He will truly be missed by so many.
I dedicate this blog to the one and only Mr Craig Foster.
