I believe I am considered to be a forward-thinking, relevant and responsive educational leader within my secondary school. I am a Senior English and History educator and am currently in my third year (2016 to present) of teaching at Varsity College.

My main passion in and out of the classroom is teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) histories and cultures. I am a proud Kombumerri woman of the Gold Coast. In 2015 I was awarded a Pearl Duncan Teaching Scholarship, which assists aspiring ATSI teachers to complete tertiary studies and gain employment with Education Queensland after graduation. Despite my mob’s country being classified as a metropolitan area, I was determined to obtain employment here. Fortunately, I received contract work for 2 years and have recently procured permanency on country. I endeavour to give back to my community by supporting ATSI students and increasing the prominence of Indigenous cultures in my school. I have recently met with my school’s Executive Principal to revolutionise the way ATSI students are supported at my school, through the creation of an Indigenous Education Worker (identified) role, which I would undertake alongside my teaching responsibilities. I plan to directly support ATSI students in solidifying their cultural connections, as well as improving their academic achievements. I have also introduced a formalised celebration of NAIDOC Week at the school through the form of an assembly, and I plan to expand this further over the coming years. Last year I was fortunate enough to attend the SER Annual Indigenous Education Professional Development 2016 and this year I will be attending the Indigenous Education Conference to share innovation, and contribute to ways we can best support ATSI students.

Upon beginning my career at Varsity, I immediately realised there was no formalised public speaking program. To address this I established the Varsity College Public Speaking Competition for Years 7-12. I believe providing students with the opportunity to improve and showcase their public speaking abilities is crucial in today’s educational settings. To further this cause, I have also coached debating teams across Years 8, 9 and 12.

Furthermore, in 2017 I became the Subject Coordinator for Year 8 English and as a part of this role, I co-wrote the respective literacy unit. This has involved embedding innovative programs within the unit to not only improve students’ writing abilities but to also ensure students are exposed to the latest and most effective writing skills. I have also embedded Indigenous perspectives throughout Year 8 units.

These commitments and achievements show that I am a forward-thinking, relevant and responsive educational leader. I believe that as educators we have a responsibility to give back to not only our school but also the wider community. When I can detects gaps within education, I develop plans to address them, in order to ensure students are provided with the best opportunities as possible to prepare them for life after secondary schooling.