A love of learning has helped teacher Amy Ayres become a better teacher.

You’re a better teacher when you’re learning and better learner when you’re teaching says Amy Ayres.

Amy Ayers says her lifelong love of learning has helped her become a better teacher.

The 45-year-old dean of teaching and learning at St Augustine’s College in Brookvale says it wasn’t until she did her Masters degree that everything clicked.

“I love learning, I think in teaching you learn every day and if you’re not learning I don’t think you’re a good teacher. Every day you’re thinking all the time about what this person needs right now and how to help them through the struggle. You’re a better teacher when you’re learning and better learner when you’re teaching,” she says.

Science teacher Amy Ayres’ love of learning has made her a better teacher. She is with Year 7 students Alfie Gough and Fox Moss at St Augustine's College in Brookvale. Picture: Toby Zerna.

She did her Masters degree 15 years into her teaching career and describes it as a ‘Whoa’ moment.

“Putting myself back into being a learner made me so uncomfortable and helped me understand what students were going through every day,” she said.

As part of her role, Ayres identifies gaps in the curriculum and implements new learning

modules. A recent one was a digital literacy initiative with a focus on critical thinking. Ayers is also the president of the Science Teachers Association of NSW and has been working with

Berkeley University and Nobel laureates to help kids navigate the decision burden presented by social media.

“It’s a passion area of mine. Digital literacy allows kids to unpack information safely, it’s the

first step in teaching critical thinking skills to reduce that decision burden,” she says.

Science teacher Amy Ayres in class with Year 7 students Alfie Gough and Fox Moss at St Augustine's College in Brookvale on Sydney's northern beaches. Picture: Toby Zerna.

“About 10 years ago, the BBC did an April Fools prank about flying penguins and so many

people believed it because there was nowhere else to look for information. I did a session on it with my year eight cohort, the first five seconds they went, ‘Whoa!’ then went, ‘Hang on, is that real?’”

Ayers believes that giving students the opportunity to think critically about the information they receive, while teaching them the skills and practical strategies needed to navigate a digital world, will equip them to apply critical thinking to all areas of their life.

“There’s a place in our syllabus for this kind of learning. It’s supporting them to become

independent learners and thinkers. We need to embed it and the more we can do it at the coalface the better it will be for our kids and society,” Ayres says.

“I’m really proud of this program, we’re presenting at conferences and sharing our work so other schools have the capacity to understand what students need.”

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