About Me…
I began my degree the year after I finished high school, as I was confident that teaching was the profession I intended on joining. Having attended government schools from K-12, I believe in the value of public education and what it can offer. I am particularly interested in the health and fitness of students, with a belief that a healthy student makes a better learner. I am currently carrying out research and writing my Honours thesis, based on the breakfast eating habits of school students.
I also have a history of involvement in many sports, both playing and coaching, including gymnastics, sport aerobics, netball, tennis, swimming, softball, touch football/oztag and athletics/cross country. Currently I am Head Coach of Sport Aerobics (SA) at Oatley RSL Youth Club. This role involves planning, liaising with coaches and parents, managing athlete behaviour, supervising trainee coaches and working on the State Management Committee for SA. I train athletes for national competition, and was awarded Gymnastics NSW Sport Aerobics Coach of the Year for 2008. I hold coaching accreditations for Level 1 Women's Artistic Gymnastics and Sport Aerobics, Gymnastics Australia's Managing the Risks of Coaching, and the Active After-School Communitities Community Coach Training Program.
Practical Experiences during Bachelor of Education (Primary) 2006-2009:
Beverly Hills Public School (Kindergarten) - 29/3/06 - 31/5/06 (8 days)
Penshurst West Public School (Years 3/4) - 22/10/07 - 9/11/09 (3 weeks)
Carlton South Public School (Years 5/6) - 13/10/08 - 7/11/08 (4 weeks)
North Sydney Demonstration School (Year 1) - 1/6/09 - 26/6/09 (4 weeks)
*North Sydney Demonstration School (Year 1) - 19/10/09 - 27/11/09 (6 weeks)
* Internship to be completed at the end of this year.
In addition to required practicums, I have also taken opportunities to extend my teaching and learning by going on optional practical experiences offered through the university:
- July, 2008: I was one of 10 chosen to represent the university to teach at an Intensive English Summer Camp in Baoying County, Yangzhou, China. After planning the curriculum for the camp, we taught lessons about Australian culture, focusing on developing the English language and communication skills of the students. Although it was a challenging time with very little resources and support, as well as more than 30 students to myself, it was one of the most valuable experiences as it built my confidence and knowledge as a teacher.
- November, 2008: I participated in the Beyond the Line program organised by the Department of Education and Training (DET). I travelled with other university students to the Riverina Region (Narrandera) to see some rural schools. I was lucky to go to a 30 student school with only 2 class, which was a new school experience for me.
- June/July, 2009: I participated again in the DET Beyond the Line program, this time to the New England Region (Inverell). This was a very different experience to the previous year. I was placed in a school 25km out of Inverell, with 112 students. The school's population was 80% Aboriginal, and I found the school to have such a wonderful community feel, with caring students and teachers. To observe the differences betwen rural and metropolitan schools is amazing, and I can appreciate the advantages of each.
