In June last year I was made aware that I'd been nominated for a
teaching award (AGS National Excellence in Teaching Award) by a member of my
school community. While this honour was gratifying enough in itself, the
judging process was as equally rewarding, as it helped me identify my teaching
philosophy and determine what I'm most passionate about.
Upon being named a state finalist, I was asked to produce a
short film and answer a series of questions addressing some current concerns
relating to Australia’s education system. The below video titled Challenges
Teachers Face in the 21stCentury was my submission.
The judges' decision to select me as one of 12 national NEiTA
awardees was based on the video as well as a series of written Q&A style
submissions. Below you can read some of my answers and gain insight into my
personal teaching philosophy.
What inspired you to enter the teaching profession, and what
maintains your enthusiasm for teaching?
During and after high school I worked in
retail. I always volunteered to train new staff or take on roles that allowed
me to get to know customers. Responding to the needs of others seemed
relatively effortless to me, however, I came to realise that my ability to
interact and quickly build rapport with anyone (no matter their age, race,
background) was not a skill everyone possessed. This initially spurred me to
consider a teaching career.
Learning new things, particularly about people,
has the potential to excite, challenge and change me. All of which I find
fascinating. Sometimes I can’t believe how lucky I am to get paid for such
heart-warming, rewarding work. Having the ability to really listen and support
each individual through their learning journey can change one’s whole attitude
towards learning; essentially altering their future choices. Who said super
powers weren’t real?
My enthusiasm is naturally maintained because I
love what I do and the learner in me always finds new challenges. I’ve chosen a
profession that’s never stagnant because technology and human behaviour is ever
changing. Great teachers are dedicated life-long learners because they’re
continually adapting to society’s developing needs.
On any given day, my students make me laugh,
divert from the plan, test my knowledge and my patience. Having the ability to
inspire them to change their ideas/abilities is exciting and life-gratifying.
Seeing positive change and witnessing the power I have on others motivates me
to seek out my next challenge.
How do you inspire your students to be
resilient and achieve to the best of their abilities?
My last full-time teaching role was in remote
Northern Territory. I loved that my students come from all over. I taught
many local Indigenous students and students who’ve lived in every
state/territory in Australia due to their parents’ work. With a mine operating
in town where I taught (Alyangula), there was a high turn-over of families,
therefore we were frequently welcoming new faces and trying our best to help
them settle in. Everyone brought their own quirky talent and personality and we
all learnt from each other. With such a diverse range of backgrounds, cultures
and religions, acceptance of others and embracing difference was discussed
regularly to ensure everyone felt valued.
I made my students feel
comfortable by showing them that I’m not a mystical being with a
hard drive full of knowledge stored in my belly, nor do I have a hidden
confidence button or the super power to replicate the skills of a professional
just by watching them. Part of my role is to expose students to what learning
looks like, sounds like and feels like. They need to recognise that attempting
to complete difficult work, practising and making mistakes are all part of the
learning process. As this is the case whenever someone is learning
something new, no matter the age or experience level, it doesn’t make sense for
teachers to always represent the polished end result. Beyond simply reassuring
students that ‘it’s OK to make mistakes’, I model the behaviours of a
vulnerable learner and allow my students to witness my errors and discuss what
that feels like. My genuineness underpinned how I managed to build strong
relationships with all my students and create an inclusive, inviting learning
environment.
I saw a quote on Pinterest saying ‘The best
teachers are those who show you where to look, but don’t tell you what to see.’
This is something I believe whole-heartedly because I think being told what to
see was what led to my disengagement in class as a student. I’d always put my
hand up to share my answer but it was never the one in the teacher’s head.
In the twenty-first century everyone has
information at their fingertips. The teacher is not expected to have all the
answers; nor should she/he. A modern teacher’s focus should be to inspire
children to develop a curious mind—and that’s what I aspire to do. I believe
that if I can motivate students to set goals they really want to achieve, the
hardest part is done. The power of self-belief helps us battle through the
greatest of challenges.
What strategies do you use to get disengaged
students to stay focused and make progress?
During my teacher career I’ve worked with a
number of disengaged students who’ve struggled to adapt to the mainstream
learning environment. I believe this often occurs when individuals have
difficulty making purposefully connections to conceptual concepts taught within
the classroom. By providing students with real life experiences, they are more
likely to become engaged because the learning activity holds purpose within
their life.
During my time teaching at Alyangula Area School
(A.A.S), I organised a number of excursions which allowed students to learn ‘on
country’, therefore enabling them to make meaningful connections to their home
lives, often resulting in increased participation. I eagerly welcomed the
presence and support of local community members to familiarise the students
with the culture of the Anindilyakwan people. When coordinating such activities
and overseeing their delivery, I believe my reassuring attitude and mindfulness
towards cultural difference was imperative in making the environment
comfortable and enjoyable for both students and the presenters. I explicitly
taught students how to positively interact with presenters, formulate
appropriate questions based on responses and identify what sorts of questions were
going to provide them with answers that satisfy their interests.
Asking questions can a be powerful way to
persuade students to participate in class. Aside from allowing us to gather
information, questions can help us bond; often through determining similarities
and trying to find common ground.
In recent years I’ve become interested in
learning how to pose more meaningful questions to satisfy my own curiosities.
When I began reflecting on the types of questions I would ask, majority fell
into either of two categories: for personal interest or in an attempt to see
things from another’s perspective. Whilst I do this without much thought,
students haven’t had the same amount of experience or opportunity to critically
assess whether they’re asking questions that will satisfy their interests. It
may seem like a simple concept, but I figured that if I taught students how to
identify what they really want to know regarding any given topic, with coaching
and practise, they could become facilitators of their own learning in the most
natural, meaningful way.
In my classroom I attempt to promote the
sharing of ideas, stories, traditions, spaces and predominately respect for
personal difference. One of the best ways to do this is to help the students
develop their ability to learn from one another by asking questions in a
respectful way.
My ultimate goal as a teacher is to inspire and
support as many people as I can along the course of their learning journey.
Whether the individual is off to a bumpy start or has already acquired an
innate desire to build on their knowledge, my aim is to form a relationship
that will allow me to have maximum impact in helping them achieve their goals
(determined or undetermined). By giving students plenty of opportunities to practise
asking questions and truly listening to what others have to say, they can be
assisted in formulating their own answers to life’s toughest questions; What
interests me? What do I want to know? What is my ultimate goal?
What are the benefits of working in a remote
school setting?
Remote schools tend to draw students from all
over with diverse living circumstances. Therefore, their family background,
culture and school experience can greatly vary. The teachers are required to
plan for a vast spectrum of abilities and learning styles and are often faced
with challenging behaviours. With such challenges comes great personal growth
as a teacher which is why I strongly advocate that all pre-service and/or
graduate teachers gain teaching experience in a remote setting.
Upon having such positive experiences working
in such a unique setting, I felt compelled to give others the opportunity to
experience it for themselves. This thought propelled me to contact the
education department at Monash University in Melbourne to recommend and offer
teaching placements for forth year student teachers. With the help of one of
the university’s professors, three students were given the opportunity to
engage in a 2-week placement, observing lessons at three schools and undergoing
cross-cultural training with a traditional land owner.
The award I received was
in recognition for Community Engagement on a remote island
called Groote Eylandt; situation in the Gulf of Carpenteria. Read
more: http://www.asg.com.au/neita