His timing to call it quits is impeccable. Jeremy Stevens and Tara Cassidy, two former students of Attila, have accepted teaching roles at Mt Carmel School in 2010. As one long time teacher leaves, two fresh faced teachers arrive.

“It’s the circle of life,” he said.

Cheryl Walker: closing the door of the computer lab

For 14 years, Cheryl Walker has patiently conveyed complex computer skills and problems to naïve students in the simplest of languages.

It’s a gift.

At the end of 2009, Cheryl walked out of the computer lab at Mt Carmel School for the last time.

Outside of her school working hours, Cheryl has taught people of all ages basic computer skills and how to use more advanced programs at the TAFE College in Yass.

Her career has been wide-ranging. She has taught tiny tots how to type, supervised as year ten students wiz through complicated software and explained to someone who’s never seen a computer, how to turn it on.

She will miss engaging with students and colleagues. And her students and friends will miss her.

“I will miss the staff and I will certainly miss teaching. My students said goodbye to me recently and that was a bit sad,” Cheryl said.

“Many of the year 10s [in 2009] I taught from kindergarten all the way through. It’s special to watch them grow and learn. It’s amazing how quickly time goes,” she said.

Prior to teaching at the local Catholic school and running courses at TAFE, Cheryl assisted high level executives at the Police Academy and acted as a consultant to a number of private businesses in Canberra.

The history of the computer is like the life of Benjamin Button. They started out in the late 30s, slow and frail. By the 60s, their capabilities had grown – although they still filled an entire room.

In the 90s, computers went to university. The invention of the internet meant a PC user had access to the world’s largest library.

Today, they are faster, smaller, more efficient and more capable of learning than ever before.

Cheryl has observed much of the computers’ man-made progression. She hasn’t once complained about the rate at which technology changes. Rather, she has adapted and passed on her knowledge.

“I’ve been working with computers since they became popular. From the old 286s to what we have now,” she said.

“I’ve been lucky to work with so many different people of different ages and capabilities – from the oldies at TAFE to the littlies at school.”

Cheryl said the best part of her job was watching the buzz kids got out of learning.

Although working with such a variety of people at different locations does have its drawbacks, she said. “The other day a young primary school student came up to me and said: ‘Mrs Walker, you used to teach my grandmother’,” she said with a wry grin. “He made me feel ancient.”