Barbara Jemison and Heather Wildes worked with Diane Kendrick for several wonderful years at AISB. Here is what they had to say about their colleague, who is now and AISB Alumus!
 

“We shared the same room, the same space. We learned, I know, so much from each other. For us, coming as strangers into the world of AISB and Romania, Diane was the person we relied on the most in order to create a stimulat­ing learning environment in Kindergarten. She was always there for us and we were a team based on mutual respect and real affection. She will be sorely missed by the whole community but probably by Heather and myself most of all. Diane and her husband left the security of the UK to seek business opportunities in Africa and then, in the mid 90s, in a Romania which was emerging from the straitjacket of communism. Diane was always there for everyone - students, parents and colleagues. She could read your face and so often seemed to know just how you were feeling. She would somehow manage to put everything into perspective, and make you feel better.
 

Diane was the one person who could find my many missing documents - whether lost in the classroom or in cyberspace. She was fascinated by the wealth of cultures that make up the AISB community. She loved finding out information from both parents and children to enhance the students’ PYP Units of Inquiry.
 

Diane was a great judge of difficult and impor­tant issues and would always encourage others to let go of the unnecessary and focus on the essentials. She was a dedicated worker but she also put lots of energy into a diverse and extended social life in Bucharest and with her family.
 

Diane had the ability to relate to people of all ages enabling her to talk to them about person­al, emotional or academic concerns. ‘ Face to face’ was her ‘forte’.

Diane would always come up with a creative approach to complex problems and run a critical eye over others’ solutions in order to find the most effective course of action. 


Every child that passed through kindergarten would be guided by Diane towards fair play and appropriate behaviour in the classroom, the playground and in all their social encounters. Diane was a true Brit and held strong views but loved the multi-cultural nature of AISB and valued and respected others’ customs and traditions.

Diane was well aware of her own strengths and weaknesses but would always strive to extend her skills and knowledge to be more effective in her work.”

 

Barbara Jemison with Heather Wildes ES Teachers


Read here the entire WORLD Magazine Winter 2011 edition here.