Perennial teacher heads to the garden

Glenis Whipp has a green thumb when it comes to growing young spirits. But after 47 years as an early childhood educator, she hopes her green thumb will be just as successful when she turns her hand to some gardening in her retirement.

The 67-year-old began her career in 1963 at an early childhood education centre in Port Chalmers, and has since taught at and managed many centres around Dunedin. For the past 17 years, she has taught at the Otago Polytechnic Childcare Centre and has been manager of the centre for the past six years.

Ms Whipp said while she was an "experienced" educator and had been in her job for a very long time, it was the children who had kept her youthful and enthusiastic.

"I love working with children. I love to be able to sow the seeds of skills in young minds - it's lovely to watch them grow. And when you see those children return with their own children . . ."

The time had flown by, she said.

"I've always woken up every day wanting to go to work. It's great that I have a profession that doesn't feel like a job.

"Every day is different. You may come to work with plans, but you have to be able to change them on the spur of the moment."

Ms Whipp said she had no desire to wait for 50 years to roll over before retiring. She felt it was time to move on and do some things for myself for a change.

"I'd like to set up a nice flower garden that I can look at, and get back into some line dancing. I love a bit of country.

"I've got a green thumb when it comes to growing young spirits. As for gardening, we'll have to wait and see."

The centre has been in the news this week after a dozen plastic trikes and a wooden ride-on were taken from an unlocked storage shed. Mrs Whipp was delighted when the publicity resulted in 21 plastic trikes and three wooden ride-ons being donated to the centre.