Wenona I Upon Reflection 2021
“ I knew that balancing postgraduate study with full-time work at such an early stage of my teaching career would not be easy.” As Roman scholar Quintilian observed, “Virtuo preceptoris est ingeniorum notare discrimina.” Namely, the excellence of the teacher is to identify the difference in talents of students. And that’s where my role comes in. I work closely with teachers across the Senior School, to find innovative and divergent ways to deliver content, tier tasks and align teaching and learning with students’ abilities and needs. Working so collaboratively with so many different teachers has exposed me to a wide range of teaching styles, which has enriched my practice and expanded my repertoire of teaching techniques. Beyond the academic support I provide, I am mindful of my responsibility for monitoring and supporting a
student’s mental health and wellbeing. Giving students with additional needs a voice, a sense of agency, and helping them to feel safe, supported and valued in the classroom is a critical part of my role. I am a passionate advocate for my students. I want students to feel a sense of achievement as I believe that their increased self-esteem is a strong protective factor for their psychosocial development. Thus, while every teacher is a teacher of wellbeing, it is particularly true in ESS as we bring a holistic approach to helping each student engage in their learning. I never let my students opt out – I empower them to participate. Each girl faces different challenges, but with the right support, she will love learning. Providing appropriate access points that are tailored to individual students requires continual reflection, evaluation and creativity. I’m always searching for innovative ways to bring fractions to life or make comprehension tasks more engaging! I’m excited about the future. My role at Wenona is rich and varied – as well as my Learning Support role, I teach Psychology to Upper School students and I am the Wellbeing Teacher for a group of Year 11 students. Completing my Masters while working fulltime definitely had its challenges, but ultimately, it has
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