Stephanie James at Chinchilla Christian College named best teacher

The final votes have been tallied and the winner has been decided! Meet Chinchilla’s best teacher for 2021 and see what makes them stand out here.

A passionate educator who has inspired countless children over her eight-year career has been voted as Chinchilla’s best teacher.

Chinchilla Christian College’s Steph James was voted by Chinchilla News readers are your favourite teacher of 2021.

Miss James said she was inspired to pursue a future as a primary school educator by her own Year 2 teacher, who saw something special in the young girl’s caring nature.

“She said I’d make a great primary school teacher and that stayed in my head. From then on I just kept coming back to teaching,” she said.

“The teachers that were really warm and had big hearts, and always went out of their way to help with your learning, they are the ones who inspired me growing up.”

Dalby's best teacher revealed as Steph James from Chinchilla Christian College.

Miss James said she now mirrors that same style of teaching and wants her students to know they can always come to her with any problem.

“I want them to now that I’m always their cheerleader,” she said.

“I try to make learning relevant to them and as fun as it can be for them.

“And I hope that if something is troubling my kids they can come and talk to me about it.”

Spending all but one year of her teaching career at Chinchilla Christian School, Ms James said it was incredible watching children grow and transform throughout their early years at school.

This year she watched her very first class - the year 5 class of 2013 - graduate Year 12, which she said was “a very special moment”.

Miss James currently teaches Year 1 and enjoys every second of it.

“The class I have at the moment is a fun bunch with quite a few big personalities,” she said.

“So each day is different, which keeps it interesting.”

Originally published as Stephanie James at Chinchilla Christian College named best teacher