Former Students Join Secondary Relief Pool
This year we’ve been supported by several alumni who have returned to the College as Limited Authority to Teach (LAT) Relief Teachers whilst in their final year of teacher training.
This has been very helpful as we navigate the national teacher shortage that is happening at the moment due to COVID and the dissolution of the old one-year Dip. Ed course.
Secondary Principal Brenden Gifford said this connection has been a huge benefit to our school community, as these former students know the school and its culture, and bring enthusiasm and contemporary expertise.
“We trust that for these soon-to-graduate teachers, the opportunity to be back here has been a great experience for them too. These young teachers are the future of the profession and we look forward to supporting them as they graduate at the end of the year.” Mr Gifford said.
Mitchell Wilmot, Pierson Snowsill (Both Class of 2016), and Kane Shaw (Class of 2013) have been doing relief whilst they complete their Music Education degrees.
Pierson is studying a Masters of Teaching at ECU after completing an undergraduate degree in Jazz Performance at the James Morrison Academy of Music (UNISA) and said he’s really enjoyed the opportunity.
“It’s helped me develop as a teacher and the kids are great here. It’s been somewhat of a funny process going from being the student to being the person standing in front of the class. I can remember being the cheeky kid whenever we had relief teachers, and now I’m on the receiving end.”
Also joining the relief pool, have been Natalie Oakes (Class of 2016), Chloe Biggerstaff (Class of 2016 and Stuart Montgomery (Class of 2012).
Natalie is in her final year of a Bachelor of Secondary Teaching (Health and Physical Education) at ECU. She said being back as a relief teacher has been an awesome experience.
“Getting to see familiar faces and knowing the school makes learning the role a lot easier. Everyone is always really happy to help and it has always been such a welcoming environment to be a part of. It’s also really fun to talk to the students about when I was at the school, back when the white polo shirts were still a thing. Most of them have no clue they used to be white!”
Cover Photo: Natalie Oakes.
Photos (left to right) Mitchell Wilmot, Pierson Snowsill, Kane Shaw, Chloe Biggerstaff
