As an educator of (often young) adults, I exhibited my capacity to build relationships with students, receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback in student experience surveys and supervisor professional reviews. While working with children and young people has required various different approaches, an underpinning attitude of mutual respect and shared accountability to reach agreed learning objectives is universal to teaching.
My students gave positive feedback because I supported them to reach their goals, acknowledging the diversity of their needs and situations. This attitude is applicable to students of all stages, from Year 7s to the practising teachers I have successfully trained in authentic assessment practices.
Content Knowledge through qualifications
Bachelor of Arts – Linguistics/Languages, University of Sydney (2002)
Cambridge CELTA, University of Technology, Sydney (2000)
Anthropology/Indigenous studies – (extra HASS units), University of Queensland (2013)
Graduate Certificate of Education Research, University of the Sunshine Coast (2018)
Master of Learning and Teaching (Secondary), University of the Southern Queensland (2023)
Doctor of Philosophy – Education, University of New England (2024)
Pedagogical knowledge
University of the Sunshine Coast
Casual Academic / 2018 – Nov. 2022
I delivered lectures at the university’s ‘satellite’ campuses (Gympie and Caboolture) and conducted tutorials across all campuses for various courses (EDU413, EDU415 and EDU300). I developed educational materials collaborating with course coordinators to achieve ongoing refinement of grading tools and assessment design over successive iterations — continuously enhancing content offerings. I audited cross-institutional university courses and assessed the Graduate Teacher Professional Assessment (GTPA). I continue to mark assessments for USC, remotely.
English Teacher / 2001 – 2008
I taught across various institutions in Europe and Australia, including classes of 15 to 18 year-olds at Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School, a Torrens University initiative.
Pedagogical content Knowledge
See example of integration of Languages pedagogy with 21 Century learning here.
Here, you will find an example of integrating literacy pedagogies with New Pedagogies for Deeper Learning.
Assessment expertise: Cactus Education Collective
- Curated sets of resources: marking guides, curriculum maps, and teacher training modules in assessment literacy for in-school delivery.
- Training programs in aligned and authentic assessment practices.
Curriculum & Assessment Support
I offer research-informed improvement to planning and assessment practices in schools across all sectors. Support activities include developing training programs for teachers and school leaders in authentic and aligned transdisciplinary curriculum planning, authentication of Australian curriculum-aligned assessment practices, and support for designing authentic curriculum and assessment strategy.
Authentic, Aligned Curriculum & Assessment Tools
Misalignment continues to challenge teachers and students alike. Maintaining that ‘alignment story’ from the mandated curriculum in your region, towards rich and meaningful connected learning and assessment experiences is rarely a straightforward path. Through deep, textual and conceptual analysis of curriculum documents, the alignment story can stay authentic and connected to its roots (the curriculum) — while embodying the richness and diversity of the various settings in which it must be implemented. It just needs to be translated into use. I can help with that.
