“It is paradoxical that many educators and parents still differentiate between a time for learning and a time for play without seeing the vital connection between them.”
~ Leo Buscaglia (author, educator)
about me
Hi. My name is Alison and I am a recent teaching graduate from CQ University (QLD). Previous to this study I have undertaken training as an actor at various institutes, worked in physical theatre and have taught drama to children between the ages of 7 and 17. I enjoy travelling, singing and playing music with my partner, Tim Solly.
My aims as a teacher are to provide and foster a supportive environment where children are free to have fun, experiment and learn through creative ways. I place a high priority on creating a safe, caring and nurturing environment in the classroom where students feel they are valued, and can take risks and explore curriculum content through fun, hands-on experiences. I place a high priority on fostering positive values in the classroom, including opportunities for children to develop compassion and empathy. The underlying aim of my teaching is always to encourage children to develop a resilient sense of self within a community, a love of learning and a disposition towards engaged, life long learning and acquisition of skills.
Why teaching? Below is a little bit about my journey...
My aims as a teacher are to provide and foster a supportive environment where children are free to have fun, experiment and learn through creative ways. I place a high priority on creating a safe, caring and nurturing environment in the classroom where students feel they are valued, and can take risks and explore curriculum content through fun, hands-on experiences. I place a high priority on fostering positive values in the classroom, including opportunities for children to develop compassion and empathy. The underlying aim of my teaching is always to encourage children to develop a resilient sense of self within a community, a love of learning and a disposition towards engaged, life long learning and acquisition of skills.
Why teaching? Below is a little bit about my journey...
MY FASCINATION WITH THE WAYS PEOPLE LEARN BEGINS...
I missed much of my high school education due to illness. This made things very difficult when I stepped back into the system for year 12... with no prior knowledge of the subject areas. The two subjects I was most interested in were chemistry, biology and I had no hesitation in leaping head-first into the world of science. However, there were a few hitches. I had never even heard of a periodic table before. I was getting 2/20 for each test and the teacher was eagerly trying to have me change my subject for something 'easier' but I wasn't giving up. I was determined to get through it.
My Dad was a chemistry teacher and I began taking my work home to him to have him explain the concepts to me. He knew me and how my brain worked - images, pictures and soap opera dramas. He began drawing the concepts. He began making up stories of 'the unrequited love affair' between two molecules. Suddenly everything began to make sense. My marks started improving and I began making connections between the experiments in class and the fascinating world around me.
In the end, I passed the subject easily and gained an experience I will never forget. My teacher had made me feel dumb and created an environment where I couldn't succeed, but someone teaching me in the way that I learn changed everything. For the first time, I started to realise it was the way the subject was taught that could change how we learn. This was the beginning of my life-long fascination with how people learn.
I didn't revisit this idea until years later. I had been acting and had forgotten about this experience until I started teaching drama to kids.
Check out the video below to see why I moved from acting into education.
Image taken from projectshum.org
My Dad was a chemistry teacher and I began taking my work home to him to have him explain the concepts to me. He knew me and how my brain worked - images, pictures and soap opera dramas. He began drawing the concepts. He began making up stories of 'the unrequited love affair' between two molecules. Suddenly everything began to make sense. My marks started improving and I began making connections between the experiments in class and the fascinating world around me.
In the end, I passed the subject easily and gained an experience I will never forget. My teacher had made me feel dumb and created an environment where I couldn't succeed, but someone teaching me in the way that I learn changed everything. For the first time, I started to realise it was the way the subject was taught that could change how we learn. This was the beginning of my life-long fascination with how people learn.
I didn't revisit this idea until years later. I had been acting and had forgotten about this experience until I started teaching drama to kids.
Check out the video below to see why I moved from acting into education.
Image taken from projectshum.org