‘Selflessness and dedication’: Geelong region top secondary teachers reveal why they love it
Elite teachers are having a profound impact on Geelong’s young people, and some of our leading schools have nominated their standouts. SEE THE LIST
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Teachers can be the unsung heroes of the education system, putting in long hours to help students reach their goals.
To highlight some of the region’s secondary teachers, the Geelong Advertiser asked schools to nominate a few of their standout staff.
Saint Ignatius College Geelong
JASON BROADBEAR
Mr Broadbear is currently the learning area leader for health and physical education. He also teaches units 3 and 4 physical education, year 10 physical education and year 10 advanced physical education.
He said he enjoyed working with young people and assisting them on their learning journey through school.
“I have always considered teaching to be a privilege and a profession that I am passionate about,” Mr Broadbear said.
“I really enjoy building relationships with students and assisting them with their education pathways.
“I also enjoy the collaboration that comes with working within a learning area such as health and PE and together as teachers, being able to continually develop units of work and teaching ideas that fit with the needs of the students of today.”
Mr Broadbear said teaching physical education during the pandemic and remote learning had been challenging.
“However, with a great group of like minded health and physical education staff, we (were) able to deliver some valuable lessons and opportunities for all of our students to find ways to engage with physical activity at home and their local communities,” he said.
“There is no doubt that my observations and thoughts on physical education have changed a little as a result of the pandemic.
“For me the emphasis on all children being able to find a connection with any form of physical activity during not just their time at school, but throughout their entire life is so important.
“If we can facilitate that through the delivery of our Sport and PE programs, then that will go a long way to achieving this.”
MARINA BROWN
Ms Brown teaches VCE psychology and VCE music performance.
She said being a part of each students’ journey as they developed the skills, knowledge and values to embark on their own future pathways was her favourite part of being a teacher.
“I embrace a love of learning that I hope to inspire in others,” Ms Brown said.
“Nothing is more fulfilling than seeing a student discover their passion, experience success in learning or come to understand the importance of perseverance.
“I also have a passion for creativity, particularly the performing arts and its power to facilitate connection and enable students to develop holistically through this.
“I am highly motivated by the dynamic nature of this profession, and encourage others to consider a pathway into education.
“Twenty-first century learners need curious, excited, fearless learners ready to experiment, fail, and innovate alongside them on their journey.”
Ms Brown said she was researching how the pandemic changed teaching methods.
“I would have to say that the pandemic provided the opportunity for teachers and school leaders to evaluate and rethink approaches to student learning,” she said.
“These include the shaping of a flexible curriculum that embraces a student-centred approach, embracing alternative pedagogical trends, enhancing the digital literacy of staff and students, providing a greater emphasis on staff and student wellbeing and reviving the focus on student engagement and autonomy of learning.
“It also provided me with time to reflect on the most crucial components of a student’s education beyond retention of information including the development of critical thinking skills, connection and motivation.”
JULIA HALL
Ms Hall is teaching Indonesian from years 9-12 this year, and has previously taught VCAL Literacy and English.
She also has a pastoral care role as a year 12 homeroom teacher.
Ms Hall said her favourite thing about being an Indonesian teacher is being able to share the love of language and learning with students.
“I’ve been teaching for over 20 years now, and no two years have ever been the same,” she said.
“We’ve seen a lot of ups and downs in Australia’s relationship with Indonesia, and also the priority a lot of schools in Victoria place on learning languages.
“Indonesian in the Geelong region is relatively vibrant, and I’m really pleased to be able to play a role in keeping the momentum up.
“Inspiring students to engage with the language in turn inspires and energises me!
“Apart from sharing the love of Indonesian, I enjoy being able to be there to help support and guide young people through what can be difficult years.
“Teaching is not a one-way street, and I’m constantly learning from the students as well.
“I enjoy empowering students to make positive decisions and discover their path in the world.”
Ms Hall said teaching was more than what you did within school hours.
“Teaching is not just about getting up in front of a class and trying to get students to learn something, then finishing work at 3:30pm every day,” she said.
“We are curriculum creators and providers, master-communicators, behaviour management specialists, school leaders, tech support, event managers, photocopier paper jam repairers, counsellors and mentors.
“As a teacher, you have to enjoy what you’re doing or you’re going to burn out pretty quickly!”
ALITHEA ANDERTON
Ms Anderton teaches ear 8 humanities and English, year 9 English and VCE Australian
history. This year she is also the homeroom teacher for a year 8 class.
She said she felt “incredibly blessed” in her position.
“Without a doubt, my favourite thing about being a teacher is the connections that I
make with my students,” Ms Anderton said.
“I feel incredibly blessed to be in a position where I can positively impact someone’s day and help to foster their growth in all aspects of their life.
“For me, it’s also about the smiles in the morning when you arrive into homeroom, it’s the connection that remains with students long after you have finished teaching them, it’s the moments of sadness when a student has something going on in their lives and they need your help, it is watching their faces when something that they found challenging doesn’t seem so challenging anymore and it is the creation of a little community where everyone feels as though they belong.”
Ms Anderton said her own experience in school inspired her to become a teacher.
“I was lucky enough to have some incredible teachers growing up and there was one teacher in particular who was my biggest cheerleader,” she said.
“He encouraged me to give things a go, step outside of my comfort zone, pumped me up when I needed encouragement and really helped to develop my confidence.
“I teach because I want my students to feel as though I am their biggest cheerleader and I want to make a positive impact on their lives.”
RUTH NOLAN
Ms Nolan teaches year 7 to 10 visual art and VCE studio art, and religion and society.
She said she loved seeing the growth of her students.
“Watching students engage with enthusiasm and passion through interactions with each other and the curriculum,” she said.
“My main joy comes from having a connection with students and strengthening relationships so students can embrace learning and fun in the classroom.
“There is always something new, something surprising.
“The humour and excitement that comes from these surprises makes the job something special and ever changing.
“The different characters, the creatives and inventors within students keep me engaged and constantly learning.”
Ms Nolan said she teaches because it was all about the students.
“The students are brilliant; sometimes in their own way and not without challenges,” she said.
“But this job is incredibly rewarding and the hard work and time you invest in teaching is enriching.
“I feel incredibly lucky to be an art teacher, to be able to encourage students to be creative, experiment and support mistakes.
“It is an extraordinary atmosphere in an art class and one in which I, and I hope the students feel at home.”
Covenant College
EMILY McDOWELL
Ms McDowell teaches VCE theatre studies, VCE psychology, drama, and is currently a year 10 homeroom teacher.
She said she loved building positive relationships with students where they feel valued and cared for.
“It is a real privilege to be in a position of influence in a young person’s life and to have the opportunity to encourage, support and foster a love for learning,” Ms McDowell said.
“I also love laughing with my students – teaching is such a fun job!
“One of the amazing parts of being a teacher is that you are part of a big team.
“I am so grateful to work at Covenant College where teachers, education support, admin and the leadership team all work together, in unity, to create a strong school culture where students benefit from both academic excellence and a nurturing environment where they feel cared for.”
Ms McDowell said she had a simple reason for why she was a teacher.
“As a teacher, I am passionate about the subjects I teach,” she said.
“My students will often hear me say, ‘Oh, this is my favourite topic to teach’, which apparently I say for every topic!
“I want my students to be excited and intrigued about what they are learning but ultimately, my deep hope as a teacher, is that they will apply what they have learnt in my classes to their own lives in a way that will support them when they leave school.
“For me, teaching is about more than what happens in the classroom – I want my students to know how amazing they are and that they are loved!”
Newcomb Secondary College
MICHAEL MONAHAN
Mr Monahan teaches NET Newcomb engagement and transition, year 7 metal/materials technology, year 8 wood/materials technology, year 9/10 systems/auto technology, and year 12 product design technology.
He said he taught because of a passion for the “trade”.
“It’s great to be able to pass it on to the younger generations, as it was done for me when I was at school,” Mr Monahan said.
“I had some awesome, patient teachers when I was at school and I like the idea that I’m paying them back a little.
“I enjoy working with students, passing on the tricks of the trade and assisting students in gaining work ready skills which could lead into their chosen career pathway.”
He said he was glad to be back in the classroom after Covid-19 lockdowns.
“It’s great getting back to hands on activities and practical projects and having some consistency with the students,” Mr Monahan said.
“But most importantly being able to build positive relationships with students, seeing the students face-to-face, regular check-ins and offering care and assistance when needed.”
MATTHEW AMER
Mr Amer teaches year 11 and 12 food studies and year 8 and 9 maths.
He said he enjoyed watching his students grow their skills.
“Assisting students to achieve success and growth not only in their learning but also in regards to who they are and want to be as people in our community (is my favourite thing),” he said.
“Teaching is such a rewarding career as we get the opportunity to support students in developing not only over the course of a year in our classes, but also throughout their entire secondary schooling journey.
“I teach because I enjoy supporting students to discover and learn skills in regards to healthy eating and food preparation and production as well as assisting student to grow their numeracy abilities.”
Mr Amer said the way and amount he used technology has “significantly increased” throughout the pandemic.
“This has led to improved collaborative leaning, differentiated teaching and aiding students to develop an understanding of metacognitive strategies,” he said.
“This metacognition enables students to access and use lesson content that best suits their learning goals and to experience success which is crucial in developing confidence as a learner.”
ROWAN KLINGBERG
Mr Klingberg teaches years 7 to 12 physical education (PE), and years 7 and 9 maths.
He said he taught because he liked it.
“It’s a challenge trying to convince students that what you’re attempting to teach them is the best use of their time,” Mr Klingberg said.
“Relationships is key, and I enjoy being able to negotiate the minefield that is often associated with adolescence.
“I don’t always get it right, no way, however that’s what makes teaching interesting and different every day.”
Mr Klingberg said his favourite thing about being a teacher was seeing growth in the young people he teaches, whether it’s in their learning, social interactions, or their general enthusiasm for being part of the school community.
“It’s nice when a student acknowledges that something you have shown or taught them has made a difference to their learning or wellbeing,” he said.
“I’ve been teaching now about 20 years so I’m somewhere in the middle of my career.
“Over the last few years it’s been great to learn from such awesome mentors and role models.
“Graduates coming into the school are also great to get around.
“I enjoy sharing my thoughts with them and helping them out when I can.
“Being part of a staff team is a wonderful part of being a teacher both when things are tough and when we’re celebrating success.”
St Joseph’s College Geelong
St Joseph’s nominated teachers who were recent recipients of the Frank Larkins Outstanding Teacher Award, which recognises outstanding educators at the school.
HUON BERTINO
Mr Bertino teaches a mixture of humanities and religious education subjects with a main focus on Global Politics at St Joseph’s.
He said he was a teacher because it was the best avenue he had to help others achieve their potential, which gives him “enormous fulfilment”.
“(My favourite part about teaching is) the strong bond and camaraderie that I experience with students as we overcome challenges and help them achieve their goals,” Mr Bertino said.
“The pandemic made me refocus my teaching to always ensure I was viewing the world through the eyes of my students.
“There were times when I needed to show more flexibility and also ensure I made effective use of technology to monitor student progress and accountability.”
Mr Bertino said he felt very fortunate to be a teacher at St Joseph’s.
“The school reflects my values of inclusivity and fairness,” he said.
“Our students come from hard working, aspirational families who want their kids to have a great chance at success in life.
“It is a privilege to share the responsibility for the growth of our students so that they become caring and influential members in our wider community.”
KYLIE DI SANTO
Ms Di Santo teaches VCE units 3 and 4 business management, units 1 and 2 applied computing and years 7 and 8 digital technology.
She said she had always wanted to teach.
“It is not a job but a vocation,” Ms Di Santo said.
“At heart I am a lover of learning.
“Teaching is the occupation that allows me to hopefully share that with others and to personally continue my learning journey.
“Teaching has the ability to form relationships.
“Every year, while the content might be the same, the teaching resets with new students or classes.
“Relationships and continual learning are an important aspect of teaching that I enjoy.”
Ms Di Santo said teaching had “evolved drastically” over the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Creating learning relationships online and an increased focus on wellbeing as well as content became important,” she said.
“Luckily the tech side came naturally but the engagement became a focus.
“The pandemic also showed that working from home, balancing emotions and creating a sense of connection and community are the first steps in creating effective learning.”
MELEAH ZANOS
Ms Zanos is the Head of Mt Sion (Senior School) wellbeing, and teaches health and PE.
She said she enjoyed that no two days at school are the same.
“Through my interactions with students, colleagues, and parents, I learn something new every day,” Ms Zanos said.
“There aren’t too many occupations where you can share your passions and interests with people, potentially inspiring and motivating students to learn and believe in themselves.
“While teaching can be very demanding, it is also a highly rewarding career with many opportunities.”
She said the pandemic accelerated the transition to online learning platforms.
“While my preference is still face-to-face teaching, many skills that both students and staff learned during the pandemic are beneficial, including online collaboration tools, flipped learning, and online parent-teacher interviews,” she said.
Ms Zanos said she taught in the hope of making a difference.
“I love the light-bulb moment when a student grasps a new or complicated concept,” she said.
“I also enjoy watching students grow and develop over the years; the changes are incredible, and the shift in the student-teacher relationship is lovely.”
MICHAEL ANDERSON
Mr Anderson teaches year 12 further maths and maths methods.
He said he enjoyed helping young people reach their career goals and learn to take responsibility.
“I enjoy the relationships I build with the students,” Mr Anderson said.
“I love it when I meet a past student down the street or in the supermarket and they say hello.
“It’s a rewarding job when you see them reach their goals and go on to become good members of the community.
“If young people are thinking about teaching for a career I would encourage them to give it a try.
“It’s probably not for everyone but it can be a rewarding career.”
Mr Anderson said the pandemic made the focus asking questions.
“ During the pandemic we just did a lot of Q and A on Zoom,” he said.
“Students were encouraged to email me questions prior to each class and I would post these on OneNote for the whole class to see and these became the agenda of discussion for the next lesson.
“Pretty much the same as we do in class – but of course not all questions are aired in advance.
“It was much more difficult in lockdown to monitor the amount of work students were doing.
“They had to take responsibility for their own learning much more than if they were face-to-face.”
Northern Bay P-12 College
SCOTT ALLDIS
Mr Alldis teaches year 9 science, year 11 psychology, and also works as the year 9 student manager.
He said his favourite thing about being a teacher was being able to have a role in the academic and social development of students.
“It’s very rewarding to take a student you don’t know at the beginning of year 9 and see them develop into an adult by the end of their education,” Mr Alldis said.
“(I teach because of) a passion for science being the key way to understand everything in the world around you, and for the rewarding feeling of when you’ve made a difference in the life of a student.”
Mr Alldis said the pandemic was a “great reminder” of being able to build positive relationships with students.
“Connected students are students who will turn up every day!” he said.
MELANIE DICK
Ms Dick currently teaches years 9 and 10 English classes.
She said she enjoyed teaching because of learning alongside them.
“Over the years, students have taught me so much about myself and how to see the world in so many different ways,” she said.
“I want all students to have the best chance to succeed in whatever they choose to do in life and they all need a champion in their lives who can challenge and support them to do this.
“(My favourite thing is) watching the students have their ‘light bulb’ moments, sharing in their joy of their own personal growth and having fun with my colleagues – when teaching is fun for the teachers, it is fun for the students.”
Ms Dick said she employed some “off-the-wall” activities to engage her students in remote learning content.
“It was more about creating a different type of relationship with the students,” Ms Dick said.
“The traditional methods of building and maintaining relationships did not work as well online, so making sure the students could laugh at me and we could have fun together was really important.
“Coming back into the classroom, some of those off-the-wall and personalised approaches to building and maintaining relationships have continued – getting in touch with students through a chat platform instead of trying to speak to them in person, learning a new technology with them and showing that failing can be fun as well, celebrating successes more often and in different ways.”
TAYLA WELDON
Ms Weldon is the VCAL learning community leader at Northern Bay College.
She currently teaches senior VCAL literacy, personal development skills and work related skills subjects.
“My favourite thing about being a teacher and especially a VCAL teacher is seeing the personal growth of the students from start to finish, seeing them take their first steps into the workplace and also developing great relationships with them,” she said.
“I teach because I hope that I can support every student to achieve success in some way and because working with the students is also great fun!”
Ms Weldon said the pandemic was particularly challenging for VCAL, being an applied learning program.
“Since the pandemic it has been as important as ever to build quality relationships and learning programs to re-engage students post pandemic,” she said.
“One positive has been the digital technology skills we have all picked up and can now integrate into the classroom.”
The Geelong College
AL SMITH
Mr Smith teaches VCE environmental science and year 10 science.
He said his favourite thing about teaching was having positive and meaningful interactions with students, and engaging professionally with colleagues.
“I am passionate about science as a means to understand ourselves and everything in the world around us.
“Knowledge is power, and I want the next generation to be as empowered and knowledgeable as they can possibly be.
“Working with young people is also extremely intrinsically rewarding.”
Mr Smith said the faculty were using Microsoft Teams “a lot more” since the pandemic for sharing resources.
“It can also be useful to record and share lessons when students are away,” he said.
“Out of necessity, staff and students are all generally more ‘tech savvy’ now, but face-to-face contact is still the most important aspect of learning and teaching.”
ALEXANDRA ZAULI
Ms Zauli is a French teacher for year 4 to 8 students.
She said she enjoyed the occasional unpredictability of classes.
“My favourite thing about being a teacher is that no matter how much preparation you put into your lessons, you can’t always predict how things are going to unfold,” Ms Zauli said.
“Reading the mood, the energy and being able to switch and adapt to make sure that the students will be engaging with their learning.
“Witnessing their progresses even before they realise that they know much more than they think.
“I always tell the students that I am a facilitator. I am there to help and support them by giving them the tools they need and show them how to use them.
“The only thing I can’t do, is their work.”
Ms Zauli said she initially wanted to be a teacher to be able to work with teenagers and to share my passion for some subjects like history, geography or art.
“My parents were from a disadvantaged background, but they always valued education,” she said.
“I’ve been raised with the idea that education is a privilege and a gift that you give to yourself to understand the people and the world around you.
“Opening our mind and extend ourselves by and through learning allow us to become responsible adults.
“If you speak different languages, you multiply your chances to reach more people but also to understand, exchange and argue the best and the worst of this world.
“I loved the idea to be part of the ripple effect created by the act of teaching.
“Teaching requires selflessness and dedication, patience and passion.
“We might stumble at times but there is always that smile, that sparkle in the eye of a student or a kind word from a colleague that will reignite your spark and keep you pushing forward.”
AMANDA JACKMAN
Ms Jackman teaches VCE biology at The Geelong College.
She said she loved being able to share my passion and knowledge of biology with her students.
“It is a privilege to be a part of a student’s journey through their schooling,” she said.
“Building and developing relationships with students to enhance their learning and personal growth is rewarding and fulfilling.
“The classroom is my happy place.
“Teaching students who share my enthusiasm for biology and learning and who are willing to trust and implement my learning strategies brings great satisfaction and joy.
“Every day is different.”
Ms Jackson said the pandemic and remote learning gave her a renewed appreciation and joy for being face-to-face with students.
“The incidental interactions, the non-verbal communication and classroom culture are essential components in developing a shared commitment to developing knowledge and understanding,” she said.
“Remote teaching was the hardest teaching I have ever done.”
Brent Cook
Mr Cook teaches maths, and is head of one of the school’s sport houses.
He said his favourite thing about teaching was developing rapport and fostering positive relationships with the incredible young people in the community through a diverse range of contexts.
“I can move from maths teacher of year 9 to year 12, to trusted counsellor in my role as a head of house and coach football in the afternoon,” he said.
“I am in the extremely fortunate position of fulfilling roles spanning a range of areas I am absolutely passionate about.
“I am privileged to teach.
“I share in the most potentially pivotal developmental stages of young peoples’ lives, daring to believe I might impart some wisdom that will assist them as the trees which sustain our future.”
Mr Cook said he had established content and procedures that were relatively easy to deliver via an online platform.
“That said, I learned a great deal throughout this time and was inspired by the way colleagues and students adapted so well,” he said.
“I found the greatest challenge was trying to optimise support for students without placing excessive demands on their time in front of laptop screens.
“Above all, I now find myself immensely grateful for the return of opportunities and experiences we were at risk of taking for granted.”
Matthew Flinders Girls Secondary College
JOHN KINGMA
Mr Kingma teaches classroom and instrumental music. He is also the director of music at the school which involves organising concerts, events and co-ordinating music lessons and ensembles.
He said he thrived on the challenge of teaching.
“I love the challenge of engaging every student, every day and helping them achieve their personal best,” he said.
“I have always thrived on a challenge, and I don’t believe teaching is something you can ever truly ‘master’.
“There are always new approaches to try and new things to learn.
“If it was easy, it wouldn’t be any fun.”
Mr Kingma said while he didn’t think so at the time, he believed his teaching improved as a result of the pandemic.
“I was forced to get creative and try things I have never done before to engage the students,” he said.
“I rewrote the lyrics to famous pop songs to teach music theory concepts and gave live online video performances of these to my students in video lessons.
“The daggier the better.
“‘Mr Brightside’ became ‘Mr Intervals’ and ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ became ‘Sweet Home Circle of 5ths’.
“I also made ‘instructional videos’ explaining the ‘musical elements’ for my YouTube channel and even had some colleagues at other schools mentioned they used them, which was nice.”
Mr Kingma said he wanted people to continue to value music education in schools.
“Learning music is one of the best things for social and cognitive development for people of all ages, and most of all, it’s fun!”
ANNIE MULLEN-WALSH
Ms Mullen-Walsh teaches English and humanities for a variety of levels, and runs the school’s poetry club.
She said she taught because she believed in the power of education.
“There’s a lot to love, but I think one of my favourite things is the ‘a-ha’ moments when that deep, creative thinking has occurred, and the student has a new understanding of a topic,” she said.
“I believe teachers can make a really positive difference to young people’s lives; not just setting them up for the workforce, but rather setting them up to be thoughtful, confident, kind, active citizens.”
Ms Mullen-Walsh said she loved working at Matthew Flinders in particular as it had an “amazing community; really welcoming, open and diverse”.
“I love that our school allows young women and non-binary people a place to feel they can be themselves, be supported and strive for their goals,” she said.
“My colleagues are all very dedicated to their work and doing what is best for each of our students.”
CAROLINE HALL
Ms Hall teaches Indonesian from Year 7 to 12 this year.
She said being a language teacher gave her the opportunity to inspire students to engage with a language and Indonesia.
“Helping students learn and grow with their language skills is great, and there is nothing quite like taking students to Indonesia and seeing that moment when it all becomes real for them,” Ms Hall said.
“It’s so inspiring to see them the first time they bargain in Indonesian and proudly come back with blue pyjamas with bananas on them, or laughing about the time a monkey stole some of their laundry.
“It’s so great when I can meet former students years down the track and find out where their language skills have taken them – who knew that that bit of encouragement at the end of year 9 would get them to a whole new world of experiences?”
Ms Hall said the reason she taught was all about the students.
”Every year I get to meet new and interesting people and see them grow as young adults,” she said.
“I’ve worked in other jobs, and I can say with 100 per cent certainty that you never get bored when you’re a teacher.
“Despite what your timetable says you’re doing, you never really know what the day will hold!
“I am passionate about teaching Indonesian and hope to keep flying the flag to help people understand the importance of Indonesia in our region.
“It’s important to me to play a role in keeping Indonesian language-learning alive and vibrant in our school.”
Ms Hall said she was interested to see what things would look like in the teaching landscape of the future, with long-term impacts of Covid-19.
PAUL DANGERFIELD
Uncle of Patrick Dangerfield, Mr Dangerfield has taught maths, VCAL, environmental science and science but in recent years has created and taught environmental technology which is a permaculture based subject.
Mr Dangerfield said he enjoyed the variety of his days teaching.
“After teaching for over thirty years when I go home and my wife says how was your day and can and do truly answer that it was a really good day filled with variety, enthusiasm and fun,” he said.
“When I first started teaching I was attracted to the flexibility of teaching.
“It allowed me a real work-life balance.
“As time went on and I became a better teacher I discovered the joys of helping and caring for people, in my case young people.
“One of the philosophies of our garden in which I teach is to empower young people especially girls to use tools to make or fix things.
“This is one of the most rewarding parts of my work.
“I truly believe that we need to live in a more sustainable manner and to provide students with experiences that educate them about this is also rewarding.
“Young people are fun to be around and I have lots of shenanigans.”
Mr Dangerfield said his teaching hadn’t changed a lot over the pandemic.
“The pandemic was no big deal for me as my teaching had changed five years earlier when I was involved with Deakin in exploring STEM teaching,” he said.
“I now teach young people to problem solve in applied situations.
“My job is to find and present real life problems that kids want to find answers to.
“Most of the time for me at the moment this is in the context of our veggie garden.”
Surf Coast Secondary College
LUCY REECE
Ms Reece teaches year 7 to 10 food technology, textiles and sometimes wood, as well as VCE product design and technology (textiles).
She said she loved helping students to be creative.
“I teach hands on design subjects, assisting and showing students how we can make their creations is the best thing about my job,” Ms Reece said.
“Teaching students to be able learn new skills, problem solve and apply themselves (is why I teach).
“I am really lucky to teach in subjects where students often pick the subject, that they can be hands on and innovative.
“It makes teaching fun and enjoyable as students are often passionate about the subject themselves.”
Ms Reece said the pandemic meant students were unable to produce their products as normal.
“Because I teach practical subjects, students were often unable to access the materials and equipment to make their designs,” she said.
“We did create many instructional videos of ‘how to’, for the students that could access machines and we have continued to use these in the classroom since we have been back.”
Ms Reece said teaching was all about working collaboratively with colleagues for her.
“I am really lucky at Surf Coast SC to work in a fantastic department where we all get to work together and assist one another to make ourselves the best we can for the students,” she said.
HAYLEY WOOD
Ms Wood teaches English and humanities, and leads the year 7 and 8 sub-school.
She said she loved that she worked with young people every day and was part of their lives.
“Each day is different and challenging in its own way; there really is never a dull moment!” she said.
“I also love seeing when learning happens; when a student really ‘gets it’ and you can see their body language completely change.
“I also have some amazing colleagues that make coming to work every day pretty great.”
Ms Wood said she thought teaching was one of the most important professions.
“It’s definitely not lost on me how lucky I am to be able to play a role in helping young people become who it is they want to be,” Ms Wood said.
“It’s so much more than reading and writing – the responsibility is huge but so is the pay off, especially when a student or a caregiver shows appreciation for the impact that you have had or the difference that you have made.”
Ms Wood said the pandemic got faculty to focus on different things in the virtual classroom.
“I think that it has really highlighted the importance of not just focusing on the ‘what’ in terms of teaching, but the ‘how’ and ‘why’,” she said.
“The pandemic forced us to be isolated but at the same time consider what was happening globally.
“Now, more than ever young people need to see that what they are learning connects to the real world, but also that what they think matters and is valued.”
SHANNON ROSE
Ms Rose teaches visual communication and design, media and art.
She said her favourite thing about being a teacher was the kids she works with.
“They’re fabulous at Surf Coast Secondary,” Ms Rose said.
“And sharing what I’m passionate about – good design, the media, new technologies and art making practices.
“I teach because I love it!
“I’ve always been one to share my passion for art and design and love talking all things media.
“I knew fairly early on I wanted to teach and it was solidified when I was running casual art workshops as a year 12 student in the city that this was the job for me.
“I love learning new techniques, processes and staying emerged in the world of design – teaching it allows me to do this.
“It’s also incredibly rewarding when I see the passion for it in the students.
“It’s a wonderful thing to be able to support them for their future lives and hopefully have some impact.”
Ms Rose said her method of teaching had changed in a few ways over the pandemic.
“With the pandemic students needed more support than ever and that needed to be delivered in a variety of ways,” she said.
“As well as verbally delivering lessons I then (and now) make supportive video tutorials, step by step instruction and lots of modelled examples.
“I’ve had to work a lot harder to keep students engaged and increased my availability out of regular class times.
“Making video tutorials is something I have retained, it’s great for students to be able to access that if they miss a class or perhaps aren’t listening that well the first time it’s delivered!”
Kardinia International College
CHESTER CONRON
Mr Conron teaches science from years 7 to 12, with a focus on VCE biology and environmental science.
He said his favourite thing about being a teacher was interacting with students and fellow teachers who were positive and enjoyed having a laugh as we learn.
“I get a lot of satisfaction from working out how different students learn best, and helping them recognise this for their future learning,” Mr Conron said.
“I am always learning, from new content to new best practice on how to engage students in the classroom.
“I love learning new things and continually trying to improve.
“I believe that science is a very interesting subject, and I’m passionate about every student being given an opportunity to be in an engaging classroom, feel relaxed and enjoy themselves whilst learning.”
Mr Conron said teaching through the pandemic was very different to being in the classroom.
“It was a lot more difficult to build rapport and help the students connect with me, and each other,” he said.
“I started each lesson with some casual, off-topic conversations that most students felt comfortable to join.
“This meant the first five minutes was more of a social catch up to begin with, and once everyone was involved and connected, we transitioned into the lesson.
“I also tried to reduce the face-to-face content and covered the remainder in recorded format that students could listen to before or after the lesson.”
DAMIAN VAN WYK
Mr Van Wyk teaches food technology.
He said he loved food and cooking, and enjoyed working with kids.
“Teaching Food Technology is a great balance of the two. I hope that I am a good role model for the students I teach, and I hope they look back on their time at schooland remember how fun cooking can be,” Mr Van Wyk said.
“Getting to work with young people, as well as teaching important life skills and introducing students to different points of view around some important issues such as ethical food production or consumption (is my favourite).”
Mr Van Wyk said he had to get creative teaching in the pandemic.
“During the pandemic I did some live cook-along sessions with students via Zoom,” he said.
“I also made some videos with the help of my children, and posted these to students so they could follow along and cook in their own time.”
JULIA EKKEL
Ms Ekkel teaches French from years 7-12.
She said her favourite thing about teaching was the challenge of trying to get students to love what she loved – French language and culture.
“I love being able to understand and speak French, and I love the fact that I have lifelong friendships with French people because of being able to speak French,” she said.
“I want my students to have that same experience of the world being a richer place because of speaking a second language.
“Teaching a language is like going towards the horizon- you never get there!
“But trying is a satisfying, never-ending intellectual challenge.
“I love my subject matter and want others to love it, too.
“I also really like working with adolescents and their optimistic energy.”
Ms Ekkel said she used more images in her teaching during remote learning.
“I have learnt that students respond better and understand more with visual prompts,” she said.
“I have always tried to use humour in the classroom, but that aspect became more important during the lockdowns and my online teaching.
“I spent a long time choosing funny memes to show my students as a way of kickstarting each lesson, as I wanted to lift their spirits.
“I also present things in smaller chunks these days.
“Students’ attention spans got shorter and shorter during the pandemic (online lessons were exhausting!) and I have adjusted the way I present material to cope with this new reality.”
CARLY FELVUS
Ms Felvus teaches health and PE.
She said she loved working with students to develop skills that empower them to have healthy relationships and lives, during and after their school life.
“I love seeing the student’s natural curiosity develop as they gain knowledge, start to make connections and see how all the concepts work together, especially in the area of sports science,” Ms Felvus said.
“I have a passion for learning and I enjoy working with young people.
“I love providing opportunities to develop skills that will enable them to make informed decisions about their health and relationships.
“I hope to make a difference in students’ lives and make their education a positive experience.”
Ms Felvus said the staff had to be a lot more flexible and rely on technology for the classes, as well as video resources.
“We encouraged students to get out in nature as much as possible for physical activity and I ran some live workouts with my young children assisting, with some interesting outcomes!” she said.
MONICA D’ALESSANDRO
Ms D’Alessandro teaches visual art from years 7 to 12 and has taught history and humanities.
She said her favourite thing about being a teacher was building confidence in her students to try something they would usually avoid or not find interesting.
“The most rewarding part is celebrating their growth at the end of a unit; whether it be technical art skills or just their appreciation of arts and culture,” Ms D’Alessandro said.
“I teach to share my passion and knowledge of art, history and culture with the next generation of human beings.
“There is nothing better than being able to have a conversation with a young person about our world and see their excitement when they learn something new.”
Ms D’Alessandro said despite all the negatives there were so many good things to come out of remote learning/teaching.
“My method of teaching became more flexible and yet more organised,” she said.
“Remote learning/teaching practices required us to be very proactive in our communication with students and through this I was able to develop a more succinct and student-friendly style of communication.
“In terms of flexibility we were suddenly forced to think outside the box and take into consideration each individual student’s home situation and what materials they did or didn’t have access to.
“This enabled me to create new and improved activities and assessment which had the scope to adapt to a variety of student needs.
“Although the past few years have been difficult for our society, and in particular our young people and school attendees, I believe that the skills they have learned along the way will hopefully make their transition into adulthood just that little bit easier.”
Do you have a story tip, or a teacher to nominate for this list? Send them to michaela.meade1@news.com.au
Originally published as ‘Selflessness and dedication’: Geelong region top secondary teachers reveal why they love it
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