ENGAGE & GROW
Master of Arts (Modern History) SOCIAL SCIENCE TEACHER DAVID GOOLEY In 2012 I enrolled in a Master of Arts (Modern History) at Macquarie University. My motivations for doing so were three-fold. Firstly, as a teacher, I believe in the value of life-long learning and I have found that the intellectual stimulation gained from the study has fed into all areas of my teaching practice and enhanced my engagement with the subject matter I teach. Secondly, I have a particular passion for Modern History and so wanted to pursue an interest that took me beyond the demands and requirements of my teaching job. Thirdly, on a more pragmatic level, I have found that the readings and debates I have engaged in during the Masters course have fed nicely into my teaching of Senior History. For example, a unit I undertook on the Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany proved to be an invaluable source of readings and ideas for my teaching of the topic to my HSC classes. Further, the units undertaken on trends in Modern Historiography have given me greater confidence to pursue a long held ambition to teach History Extension at the HSC level. While post graduate study has required me to hone my time management skills in juggling study with work commitments, I wholeheartedly recommend it to any teacher who wishes to refine their professional practice.
DAVID GOOLEY is an accomplished teacher of Legal Studies and Modern History with 14 years’ experience. He studied Arts/Law at the Australian National University and is currently undertaking a Master in Modern History through Macquarie University.
Upon Reflection | Issue 1, 2015
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