By Lisa Palmer

Mrs Palmer’s New Role: Director of Teacher Recruitment and Professional Learning

When people ask me what teachers actually do, they can assume it is about passing onto students key knowledge and skills in a subject. While this may be true to a degree, it is only a small proportion of what teachers do. In fact, the heart of teaching is inspiring a love of learning. This love sets up each of our students to respond to our ever-changing world as life-long learning with attributes of curiosity, wisdom, empathy and hope. To inspire such a love of learning starts with passionate teachers who role-model and share their own passion to continually learn.

Supporting teachers in their ongoing learning is core to my new role here at MCCC. Whether a teacher to is new to this vocation, or a more seasoned professional, we are committed to building a learning community that is founded on our own desire as educators to improve because we know that when we are committed to learning, our students thrive too.

To build on the excellent learning culture already here at MCCC amongst our dedicated and passionate teachers, we have begun some exciting initiatives.

We believe that creating a supportive and collaborative learning culture will help us recruit new teachers and retain our existing staff as MCCC continues to grow and flourish.

These initiatives include our participation in the University of Newcastle’s Quality Teaching Rounds to improve the quality of teaching as we build supportive learning relationships between teachers who observe each other’s teaching practice. We are also partnering with the St Philip’s Teaching School as we raise up new Christian educators with opportunities to develop their classroom expertise, alongside their tertiary studies. As well as overseeing the accreditation of teaching staff, I’m responsible for our January and July Staff Development Weeks and incorporating professional learning opportunities and developing a new Induction Program to mentor and support new staff as they orientate themselves to our college community.