Students from Griffith University and the Queensland University of Technology are being sponsored by Step Up to attend CONASTA 65, The Australian Science Teachers’ Association National Conference.
Tori Lee
Griffith University
Upon completing Year 12, I moved to England where I worked at Lancing College for just over a year. I then returned to Australia to complete a Bachelor of Sports Coaching and Exercise Science at the University of Canberra before moving to the Gold Coast to begin my Graduate Diploma of Education – Secondary. I have worked with all age groups from pre-school through to elderly in schools, OSHC centres, dance studios, cheerleading organisations and many different sporting groups and knew that being around people and teaching was something that I loved to do. Since I began teaching dance at the age of 14, I knew that eventually one day I would become a teacher. While in England, it was evident how much I could impact so many people’s lives in such a short time and this made me think back on all the teachers that inspired myself and how I aspire to be like them. We are teaching the students of tomorrow’s world. They will be leading our future. Being a part of the process in developing these young minds excites me and I look forward to being a part of their future.
Yvonne Winter
Griffith University
I chose to enter the teaching profession to share my passion of science with the curious youth of today. With students being constantly bombarded with outside influences such as social media and a lack of free thinking time, I believe it is vital to help them to see past all the distractions and rein-still that sense of wonder they were all innately born with. I intend to teach with an innovative approach, incorporating STEM inquiry-based learning to inspire my students to want to to make new discoveries and make a positive difference in society. We live in a dynamically changing world where students of today need to be effectively prepared for the future. Through encouragement and higher order thinking, I want to be a teacher that develops the minds of future thinkers and leaders.
Renée Stirling Richards, PhD
Queensland University of Technology
I graduated with a B. Biomed. Sc. in 1997 and have worked in scientific research ever since. During these years, I have also been a part-time laboratory technician, tutor and lecturer. One of my favourite jobs was designing and teaching under-graduate laboratory practical classes, in collaboration with an inspiring university educator, who was my champion and mentor. I love both university teaching and research, and now that I have had some experience in secondary school classrooms too, I cannot wait to finish my degree and start this new journey.
Why change from university to school teaching? Scientific literacy is the cornerstone of an innovative, enlightened and ultimately peaceful civilization. It enables citizens to make informed decisions about what they consume, what they believe and how they participate in society. I want to be a part of a cohort of teachers who engage young people in science by exposing them to its exciting, ever-evolving nature. I want to empower school students to use imaginative, creative and critical thinking skills in class and to develop a deep understanding of scientific process. In this way, I hope to nurture and guide the next generation of not only professional scientists, but also citizen scientists.
Petrina Coomer
Queensland University of Technology
I received a Bachelor of Applied Science (with Distinction) in 1988 from the Queensland University of Technology. I have applied the skills I acquired through study, to manage a family business in partnership with my husband and more recently as a secondary college library assistant, as a member of the School Board and President of the Parents and Friends Association.
Undoubtedly I consider my most significant achievement is that of being the first and an ongoing teacher to my four children. The science I have practised has been in the backyard, in the kitchen, on camping trips, in the telling of bedtime stories and night gazing in an endeavour to inspire young creative minds to ask WHY, WHAT IF and WHY NOT? By becoming a teacher it is these questions that I would like to continue to inspire young people to explore in the world around them, to believe in themselves and to exceed their own expectations.
Ryan Baldwin
Griffith University
Teaching for me was not a career that I saw myself doing at age 16, while I was choosing my year 11 and 12 electives. After attending university and graduating with a degree in science I thought to myself how can I change this world for the better? I wanted to give back to the community that had raised me. So I decided that I would become a teacher, not only to encourage students but to actually make a difference in people’s lives, teach the students my passion for science. This conference will put me in a perfect position to do just that.