The South Coast’s endeavouring early-career educators share their hopes for 2022
Teachers across the South Coast have risen to the challenge posed by the Covid pandemic, helping nurture the next generation of young leaders. Meet some of the region’s early career educators here.
The South Coast News
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It’s been a tough couple of years for the state’s early career teachers, with Covid lockdowns forcing schools across the country to rapidly rethink their approach to learning.
But, for these young educators, not only did they rise to the challenge, they also helped spearhead the new hybrid learning students throughout the state have become accustomed to.
From Nowra to Broulee, meet some of the South Coast’s endeavouring young educators.
Abbey Baker – St John’s the Evangelist Catholic High School, Nowra
After studying a Bachelor’s Degree in Music in Contemporary Performance, St John’s teacher Abbey Baker knew she wanted to share her love and affinity for music.
After completing her Masters of Secondary Teaching, Ms Baker entered the classroom and was in her second year at the Nowra high school when the pandemic turned things upside down.
“When Covid hit in 2020, I was only in my second year of teaching so it was quite strange to move completely online as I was only just starting to get the hang of this teaching thing,” she said.
“As I primarily teach music, this was really challenging to do online. I had to become really creative with lesson plans and flexible with the students so that they could get the most out of their learning.”
With support from her fellow staff, Ms Baker said she felt her confidence grow.
Her mantra: “Prepare, prepare, prepare but be ready to go with the flow”.
“School is a place where great things happen such as excursions, retreats, and camps, so I have learnt that it’s okay if things don’t go exactly to plan,” she said.
“My key to maintaining motivation is to set short term goals. When I feel like there are a lot of things I need to get done it can become quite overwhelming, so I find it best to write a list of tasks that need to be completed and tick them off as I go.
“It feels much more manageable that way. I am also really motivated by students. They are such creative and enthusiastic individuals so I know I have to do my best to match that.”
With the worst of Covid lockdowns behind her, Ms Baker was looking forward to the future.
“It may sound corny but my primary goal is to make sure that every student I come across feels valued and heard,” she said.
“I don’t believe that learning can happen until I have established a positive relationship with the student first. More specifically, I have my first Year 12 class going through this year so my short term goal is to guide them as best I can through this year in the hope that they obtain their very best marks possible.
“I feel very lucky as they are a fantastic class with great work ethic. In the long term, I would really like to go into a pastoral leadership role of some capacity and am seeking out opportunities to develop this.”
Jacob Stephenson - St John’s the Evangelist Catholic High School, Nowra
Growing up in a rural NSW town, St John’s teacher Jacob Stephenson attended high school alongside just 200 other students, and loved it. He’s now making waves on the South Coast.
“I always loved school and all of the opportunities and sense of community it provided me with,” Mr Stephenson said.
“After finishing school, the idea of teaching was always in the back of my mind due to my positive experiences growing up.”
However, Mr Stephenson decided instead to move to Wollongong and study a medical science degree.
“When I started to think about the transition from study to work, I wanted a job that would be challenging, rewarding, one that provides a range of career opportunities in different settings and locations,” he said.
“One where there are a range of career opportunities to grow into leadership positions, one where I would work with a range of different people, one where I could play an active role in the community.
“Teaching seemed to tick all the boxes, so that is where I am now.”
Mr Stephenson began teaching on the South Coast in 2020, relocating to a community devastated by the Black Summer bushfires.
“This experience strengthened my sense of school community and made me the caring, empathetic teacher I am today,” he said.
“This, on top of Covid and remote learning, further natural disasters, teaching outside of my trained area of science, taking two HSC courses as a first-year teacher, were all very challenging. However, it was a valuable experience overall.
“I learned a lot from online learning and was able to experiment with different technologies. Many strategies I implemented during this period of online learning I still use in my normal face-to-face teaching.”
Mr Stephenson said his approach to teaching was to make learning science fun.
He counts his biggest accomplishment so far as being able to make connections with young people, “and the feeling of actually making a positive difference in their lives, all while supporting them to achieve their own individual goals.”
“Ultimately, I would like to take on a wellbeing or pastoral role for a school and would also love to work with the school community to develop strong links with the local community,” Mr Stephenson said.
“This is something my current school St John’s in Nowra does incredibly well.”
Cathy Kelly – St Peters Anglican College, Broulee
For St Peters Anglican College Broulee teacher Cathy Kelly, the passion for teaching was one that was fulfilled later in life.
After completing her first degree in natural resource management in the early 90s, Ms Kelly went on to spend 15 years working as an environmental scientist, consultant, and community liaison officer in organisations such as the EPA and Landcare.
“After having my fourth child in 2008, I had a break from the workforce for almost 10 years. During this time our family travelled around Australia for a year in 2014 and it was this that piqued my interest in retraining as a teacher,” Ms Kelly said.
“After a visit to the Alice Springs’ desert park and observing their outdoor classrooms, I decided to combine my passion for environmental studies and the outdoors with teaching, thinking I would aim to work in an environmental education centre with a focus on primary school.”
After a stint in Albury, Ms Kelly relocated to the South Coast in 2018 and later began working full-time at St Peter’s School initially teaching years 3 and 4 in the new bush classrooms.
The bush school is an off-grid building run on Tesla batteries and solar panels where students immerse themselves in real learning in the environment, according to St Peter’s Anglican School.
The project took time to get off the ground though, and Ms Kelly said the initial transition from a career in the environment to the classroom was rewarding but challenging.
“When starting my teacher training, my desire was to work in an environmental education centre,” she said.
“I am fortunate to be teaching in St Peter’s Bush School which allows me to draw knowledge from my first career and combine it with my teaching career. I also have the benefit of being a mother to four children and have observed what has worked for them in the classroom to keep them engaged happy learners.
“As such I have translated some of these ideas into my own teaching. Having my own children has definitely helped me to understand other children and relate to parents within the school environment.”
Covid threw a spanner in the works for Ms Kelly, not just for her students but also in her own education.
“Having recently undertaken online learning to finish my teaching degree, the use of technology and online learning platforms was not as onerous as for others,” she said.
“The challenge was to provide interesting and engaging learning during this time. Each day, during online learning, I worked face to face with my students and challenged them with fun-at-home, hands-on work such as making magic potions to learn volume and capacity or researching birds within their backyards to create information texts.”
So far, Ms Kelly counts a number of achievements, including taking her students out bush to explore literacy and poetry, undertaking scientific surveys, and using scientific or technical terms and engender in students a love of science and an inquiring mind.
Scott McLeod - St Peter’s Anglican College, Broulee
Like Ms Kelly, St Peter’s Anglican College teacher Scott McLeod was ready for another career change after completing honours degrees in classics and German before returning to formal education to study furniture making.
“For the last 20 years I worked as a designer and maker of furniture. I always enjoyed teaching apprentices and I am passionate about design, fine woodworking, and craftsmanship,” he said.
Mr McLeod returned to university and enrolled in a Bachelor of Education program in order to teach secondary school. He is now in his third year of teaching, and said Covid hasn’t slowed him down.
“Even with the uncertainty created by Covid, I always love coming to school,” he said.
“I feel fortunate to be teaching, generally, but especially so at St Peter‘s. One of my furniture instructors from years ago said that as a furniture maker you will learn something new every day - the same can be said for teaching.
“I was naive in the beginning to believe that my students would be as interested and as passionate about my subject of woodworking as I am - this, of course, is not the case, but I enjoy trying to light a spark that might develop into genuine interest.”
Mr McLeod said his approach to teaching is to focus on building relationships.
“In order to teach successfully, I think we need to develop a strong rapport with our students and see them as the individuals that they are,” he said.
“I have some basic rules regarding respect, sexism, and racism, and I try to nurture a positive and supportive learning environment.
“I always try to give students my best, and I expect them to attempt their best for me, which can vary from day-to-day.”
Mr McLeod said he hopes to see his students develop their skills and an eye for quality work as they move through the years together.
“I‘d like my students to leave with some practical skills and the confidence to use them throughout their life, regardless of what career path they choose,” he said.
“Being a primarily practical subject, although not entirely, I see the technology and applied studies subjects as an opportunity for students to make greater connections with their hands and their minds.
“In a curriculum that is heavily slanted towards more academic and theoretical work, I think my subject gives students an opportunity for a different, but just as valid, learning experience.”
Abby Taylor - St Peter’s Anglican College, Broulee
For St Peter’s College teacher Abby Taylor, the path to teaching was not a straightforward one.
“Before becoming a teacher, I originally wanted to be a midwife all throughout my education up until Year 12. However, after certain circumstances, I chose not to be a midwife but rather a teacher,” she said.
“The reason that I became a teacher was due to the respect, support and encouragement that I was given throughout my schooling at my K-12 school, St Peter’s Anglican College.
“My Year 12 mentor David Toghill inspired me to reach for my goals and to have faith in myself rather than allowing me to believe that I was not capable of reaching my new dream of becoming a teacher.”
Coming from a family who studied trades and bookkeeping, Ms Taylor said her parents had always supported her to go to university, as she would be the first one to do so.
“After my dad passed away one year before my degree completion, I voiced to him that I dreamt to work at my old school and to be one of the first students at St Peters to be a teacher,” she said.
“Fast forwards two years and I am happy to say that I achieved this goal.”
Ms Taylor now teaches prep at the Broulee school, and said her first year in the role was an amazing journey that had allowed her to form professional relationships with her students.
“I love that no day is the same and that I am also able to continue learning alongside my students,” she said.
“This year St Peters has faced some restrictions around Covid, however these restrictions have not impacted my teaching or impacted me in my early career journey.
“I approach teaching with an open mind and a patient attitude towards my young students.”
As the year is going by, Ms Taylor enjoys seeing each of her students development in all subject areas.
“I feel that it is a privilege to be able to watch them grow and developing their personalities,” she said.
“I believe that the key to success is to be patient, calm, intuitive, open to feedback and open minded.”
Holly Paker - Nowra Christian School
As a teacher, Nowra Christian School teacher Holly Paker believes staff have to be so much more than just educators.
“The way I see it, my role is to be a calm and positive presence in the lives of my students, someone who teaches them how to become a capable and productive member of the community,” Ms Kelly said.
Growing up in Sydney, the second-year teacher said she has always valued education as being greatly important, and that her family always encouraged her to pursue her dreams.
“I think it is really special to be a part of helping students to reach their goals both academically and regarding their individual passions,” she said.
“My family are proud of me as long as I did my best and I like to think I approach teaching with the same attitude.”
Ms Paker began her career in education in 2020, right at the start of the Covid pandemic.
“I think teachers always have to be flexible,” Ms Paker said.
“In one sense, it wasn’t too hard to adjust as I wasn’t already set in my ways. Being of the digital-native era, I think this also had its advantages.
“I definitely wouldn’t have made it through, however, without the help of my much more experienced colleagues. If anything, I think the pandemic made teachers have to co-operate and share the load more than usual which was beneficial as an early career teacher.”
Ms Paker’s goal as a teacher: “To do my job well, so that my students can have a bright future. And to be remembered as somebody who truly cared.”
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