Australia’s Best Teachers: Jen McDougall has students reaching for the sky

When Jen McDougall invites her students to look up at the night sky, she’s not just teaching them about stars and planets – she’s opening a door to discovery.

When Jen McDougall invites her students to look up at the night sky, she’s not just teaching them about stars and planets – she’s opening a door to discovery.

As Bray Park State High School’s STEM teacher, McDougall, 30, is known for turning science and physics into exciting experiences.

Whether it’s hosting astronomy nights where families witness Saturn’s rings for the first time, organising “cosmic camps” on the school oval during meteor showers, experiencing thrilling rides at Dreamworld and analysing how they work, or leading futuristic projects like designing sustainable colonies for Mars, she’s helping students explore science in a way that feels bold and alive.

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Bray Park High School teacher Jen McDougall. Picture: Richard Walker

“Everyone assumes physics is difficult but you can feel physics all around you. It’s not sitting in a classroom writing notes – it’s about feeling the forces and understanding how the world works in that physical sense. That’s why I love it so much, because it’s something that you interact with and see every day. It’s amazing to understand how everything works and why it works,” she says.

McDougall’s passion for her subject is infectious. Not only does it get students excited about learning but helps build relationships based on joy and wonder.

Her physics classes have become so popular they had to add a second senior class for the first time last year.

“If I’m sharing my passions and I’m excited about them, the students tend to get excited too. If they feel that you’re connecting with them, and you’re taking the time to talk to them and find out what they’re struggling with, and having those conversations with them to find out what they’re interested in, they feel heard and they feel like we understand them,” she says.

Ms McDougall is driving her students to innovate. Picture: Richard Walker

Whether students are interested in soccer, space, motorbikes or making the world a better place, McDougall works with them to make the subject relevant and accessible.

“One of the keys to engaging them is allowing them that freedom to come up with their own ideas and support them. If they’re interested in something in particular, I will be there to support that. If they’re designing their projects, if they’re making the decisions about what it’s going to look like, then it makes everything so much better,” she says.

Under McDougall’s guidance, Year 9 students won three out of four prizes at the City of Moreton Bay Telstra Innovation Awards last year for their creative solutions to real-world problems.

The projects included how AI can help boys’ mental health, a satellite to collect space junk and a recycling initiative for schools.

“It was one of those moments where I was like, ‘Oh my, we’re making a difference’ – not just in a student’s life, but by inspiring them to go off and do something that will be good for the community,” she says.

Originally published as Australia’s Best Teachers: Jen McDougall has students reaching for the sky