My name is Holly Ibrahim and my teaching journey has been filled with insightful experiences, ‘opening my eyes’ to appreciate the multifaceted nature of education and the learners involved. I am at the end of my third year of study, enrolled in a Bachelor of Teaching/Bachelor of Arts (Humanities) at Australian Catholic University, hoping to graduate with a double major in History and English. I graduated from an all-girls Catholic High School at the end of 2018, a school in a low/middle-socio economic environment, which provided me with the opportunity to interact with peers from various cultures, faiths and learning levels. This has instilled in me the capacity to appreciate and work with ALL members of the community, acknowledging how various internal and external factors can influence students’ learning, behaviour and development (AITSL, 2017, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3). Through the completion of professional experience within my degree, whether I was teaching at an all-girls public or co-educational catholic high school, I was able to gain and develop valuable interpersonal and intrapersonal skills. Such experiences enabled me to understand myself as an educator and those around me, prompting me to recognise the evolving nature of human experiences and my responsibility to facilitate rich, meaningful learning. Teaching is embedded within various aspects of my weekly routine. I tutor privately, in a centre and am involved in volunteer work whereby I teach Sunday school to primary/high school aged individuals. Such experiences have enabled me to develop a rapport with learners, prepare/deliver lessons, cater for students’ diverse needs and reflect upon my methods in order to provide optimal learning experiences. Moreover, working in such educational contexts and retail has enabled me to strengthen my ability to communicate effectively and ultimately transfer these skills into the classroom context. I am about to embark on my final year of study in the hopes of becoming a High School educator. I endeavour to utilise my experiences and skills within the teaching profession in order to assist learners to strive to reach their full potential.
REFERENCE
- Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership. (2017). Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. https://www.aitsl.edu.au/standards
Holly’s Blog 