User:Cassandra1800/Edgar woods castle

Edgar Woods Castle was born in XX 1924 and died on 15 March 2010.

Eric Hanushek, an economist at Stanford, estimates that the students of a very bad teacher will learn, on average, half a year's worth of material in one school year. The students in the class of a very good teacher will learn a year and a half's worth of material. That difference amounts to a year's worth of learning in a single year. Teacher effects dwarf school effects: your child is actually better off in a "bad" school with an excellent teacher than in an excellent school with a bad teacher. Teacher effects are also much stronger than class-size effects. You'd have to cut the average class almost in half to get the same boost that you'd get if you switched from an average teacher to a teacher in the eighty-fifth percentile. And remember that a good teacher costs as much as an average one, whereas halving class size would require that you build twice as many classrooms and hire twice as many teachers. Malcolm Gladwell

Edgar was one of the teachers that that a child could learn a year and a half's worth of material in.

He served in the Royal Australian Navy from 19** to 19** which took him to Papua New Guinea and XXX.

According to Neil Lovett, in the 1950s Edgar served as a librarian at the old South Australian Public Library (now the Mortlock) he painted his lunchroom chair purple because of the garb of an Anglican bishop, and chose Durham as a place to study theology because of the colour of the undergraduate gown. He was one of four students who responded to Louis Cotton's exclusion of Noel Coward from breakfast at the old South Australian Hotel by going there for dinner. Three removed their shoes and socks and the fourth quietly removed the footwear from the premises. The remaining three then began to circulate barefoot around the dining room, to Mr Cotton's great consternation. He was also one of four students who attended a lecture by the Prime Minister, then Mr R.G. Menzies, and rose as one to ask a question in unison. Menzies quickly turned to the others on the stage, and in about three seconds they answered "No", also in unison. Edgar was tickled pink.

Edgar was a Bush Brother in Far Northern Queensland

Edgar had an Adelaide character in my view, more inclined to practise urinary extraction on himself. He was genuinely erudite and always kind. His wit is well-remembered by the few of his contemporaries left. He gave me a copy of the sacred poems of George Herbert, and fostered interst in Donne and the metaphysicals. Neil Lovett

Edgar taught at Cranbrook in the late 60s and early 70s [from 19** and 19**]

He was a regular contributor to the nation's publications and was a scholar on T.S. Eliot. A PDF of an article from 1971 is 'here'

Edgar began teaching at Nuriootpa High School in 19**.

Edgar retired mid 1989 and taught a year 10 English class which was later taken by Julian F Moore. During this same year under the guidance of J F Moore, equipped with the skills recently imparted by Edgar Castle, the students each compiled a sonnet, a compilation of which is attached.

Edgar's extraordinary qualities as an English teacher led to regular comparisons with Dead Poet's Society.

Some of his former students when asked about their recollections some 21 years later remarked:

I'm sure that not many people can say they enjoyed spending time with their teachers both during and outside of school hours, but some of my fondest memories are of the dinner parties and weekend excursions that we shared with you. Although I always loved my English classes, one thing I have always taken with me from your teaching is an interest in etymology, which has come in handy many times during my policy career. Jenny Byron

My memories of Edgar from year 10 English are of a very entertaining, wise man who had a lot of time for his students. I remember our class being full of lively discussions, debate and laughter. That year I learnt a lot of valuable lessons that have stayed with me and have been of particular use in my career. Edgar gave me confidence in myself, in my writing and to voice my opinion. Importantly he taught me to voice my opinion only if fully prepared to explain that opinion and debate it if required. He also taught me to consider the alternate point of view to mine and to be able to debate that view as well.

And one final, lasting and very useful memory - he introduced me to the concept of Zen monks and meditation! One lesson he told us to write about anything we wanted so I wrote down all the random thoughts that entered my mind (can't imagine what gems I produced that day!). Edgar read it and told me it reminded him of how Zen monks meditate - acknowledging each thought as it enters their mind and then letting it drift away, aiming to create a peaceful mind. Well, I was fascinated by the concept and read a bit about it over the years and developed my own version which I use at night when I'm stressed about something and can't sleep with my mind racing. This technique helps me to clear my mind and think of more peaceful things, allowing my mind to rest and me to get some sleep. I wake the next day refreshed and better able to deal with whatever has been causing the stress and it is on these days that I often think of Edgar and thank him. Juliette Allen

It was so nice to have a teacher who loved language the way that you do and who saw it as an expression of creativity not just a means of communication. I wrote a lot of poetry back in those days and in the depths of my Mum's shed still have a book containing it all. Some are silly teenage poems and others are like I'm taking on the world. Jo Medway

When I think back to the teachers in my school days - receding ever quicker into the past, it seems! - I think of you [Edgar] first. You taught me that a teacher COULD have personality and wit and passion, which was a surprise to me at the time. I recall that you felt I had quite a bit of potential. I'm not sure that I have made the most of it but I think I've learnt enough from people like yourself to help the next generation live up to theirs. Chris Cirami

After parents, teachers are the most important figures in a child's life. Of all the teachers I had, Edgar left the strongest impression upon me, inspiring, challenging and questioning with a wickedness only an old man can get away with. He was the definition of erudite. He connected with generations spanning a century, tapping away on emails at 80 plus. We exchanged the most beautiful letters for more than 20 years after he taught me. He was an extraordinary man who left an indelible mark on the thousands he touched throughout his life. The world is a lesser place without him. Cassandra Scott