A few days ago, I was humbled to hear former student and MasterChef star Luke Harris mention in an interview that I had been an influence on him during his time at school.

It was a lovely thing to hear and something I genuinely appreciated. But it also got me thinking.

If I had played a small role in helping inspire Luke, who inspired me?

The answer came immediately.

My high school English teacher, Mr Furniss.

Many years have passed since I sat in his classroom, but I still remember the passion he brought to every lesson.

He didn’t simply teach English. He brought literature to life. His enthusiasm was infectious and his love of language was impossible to ignore.

Before entering his classroom, Shakespeare was just a name attached to old books and difficult language. Under Mr Furniss’s guidance, those plays became something much more.

He helped us understand the beauty of the words, the complexity of the characters and the timeless themes that still resonate centuries later. I love the Bard now and go and see his plays whenever I can.

But more importantly, he taught me to appreciate the written word itself. He showed me that words have power. They can educate, inspire, entertain and challenge us. Through his teaching, I developed a love of reading and writing that has remained with me.

What made Mr Furniss special was not just his knowledge. It was his passion. He genuinely loved what he taught — it showed every single day and students quickly recognised that.

The greatest teachers teach more than content. They ignite curiosity. They inspire interests. They help students discover passions they may never have found on their own.

As a teacher myself for the past 25 years, I have come to appreciate that even more.

Through my work as a sports photographer, I also have the privilege of seeing many students outside the classroom. Week after week I photograph young people on hockey fields, football ovals, netball courts, basketball stadiums and motocross tracks. Often, they are students I teach or have taught in the past.

What strikes me is how many different sides there are to young people. The quiet student in class might be a leader on the sporting field. The student who struggles academically may be the teammate encouraging everyone around them. These experiences are a constant reminder that students are far more than grades, reports and test scores.

One of the greatest rewards of teaching is seeing former students years later. Sometimes they stop for a chat. Sometimes they introduce you to their partner or children. Or they could even be appearing on national television cooking their way through MasterChef.

Those moments remind us that teaching is not really about a lesson, a test or even a school year. It is about helping shape people as they move through life.

While Mr Furniss inspired me as a student, I continue to be inspired by teachers today.

One of those is Mrs P, a colleague I have the privilege of working alongside. She is one of the most passionate food teachers I have ever seen. Her energy is infectious. She works incredibly hard, cares deeply about her students and somehow manages to make every lesson engaging, fun and memorable.

Students are drawn to her enthusiasm. They know she genuinely wants them to succeed.

Watching Mrs P teach reminds me of what made Mr Furniss so effective all those years ago. They teach different subjects and come from different generations, but they share the same qualities. Passion. Energy. Commitment. A genuine love for what they do.

I have been fortunate throughout my career to work alongside many teachers like that. Teachers who stay back after school, give up lunch breaks, coach sporting teams, attend weekend events and invest enormous amounts of time and energy into the lives of young people.

Much of what they do goes unnoticed. They rarely seek recognition. They simply do it because they care.

As a society, we often focus on educational outcomes, rankings and results. Yet the lessons that stay with us longest are often the ones that cannot be measured.

I cannot remember every essay I wrote in high school, but I remember the teacher who made me love literature and whose passion inspired my own.

Mr Furniss probably had no idea that decades later I would still be talking about his classes.

Just as I had no idea that a former student like Luke Harris would one day mention me as someone who had influenced him.

That is the thing about great teachers.

They may never fully know the difference they make. Yet their influence can last a lifetime.

Derek Goforth is an expat and father of three living and working in Geraldton