A message from Wagga Wagga Teachers' College

Teaching is never dull and continually throws up new challenges. Some of our scholarship graduates have shared some recent experiences with us.

Katelyn Rudd, who received a scholarship in 2017, has been teaching at a Catholic school in Picton. In addition to COVID-19, Picton was in the Black Summer fire zone and was threatened with floods when the Warragamba Dam overflowed in March. The school suffered a devastating flood in 2016 and, while the school escaped damage this time, routines were disrupted with early finishes and sandbagging classrooms. Katelyn writes: “I have started a new position recently in my school in Picton. My school is one of ten schools within the Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong chosen to participate in the 2021 COVID-19 Intensive Learning Support Program. "The program will provide extra support for students with the greatest learning needs, following the disruptions caused by the pandemic and other natural disasters in 2020. "The purpose of the program is to deliver targeted and intensive small-group tuition support to students. This has involved me working closely with the assistant principal, my colleagues and other persons of support to deliver small group support to students in Stage 2 across reading, writing and mathematics. "Whilst this has had its challenges as it has not been done before, it has involved designing and building something completely new, so it has been exciting to be behind such initiatives and programs, realising that children, while resilient, have also suffered through COVID-19. "Speaking to classroom teachers, they have already noticed some positive improvements so I look forward to seeing what the rest of the year brings for these students.” It is encouraging to see schools responding to the challenges thrown up by a hostile environment. We caught up with Molly Darrington (2018 recipient) in Narrandera while on a road trip. She is teaching Year 3 this year after Year 5/6 last year and is enjoying the challenge. An additional challenge for Molly and her class has been having mice in the classroom through the plague this year. An uncomfortable experience for teacher and pupils! As we expected, Molly is very much involved in the local community, especially playing and assisting in the administration of several sports. Molly had finished helping out at the canteen at netball following her game when we met. Because of COVID-19 lockdowns last year, Renee Antill and Jack Catanzariti did not experience a scholarship presentation at Charles Sturt. Jack and Renee have teaching positions in Albury and are enjoying the opportunities they have without making light of the challenges of everyday teaching. Renee is working at James Fallon High teaching English/history, while Jack has kindergarten at Albury North. When we met them for lunch they were both looking forward to attending their graduation ceremony in Wagga Wagga. Mice had not invaded Albury but Renee related how brown snakes had come into Baranduda Primary School, near Wodonga, during her placement last year. Jack’s class is incubating hen’s eggs which is less threatening. Mandy Reid, 2019, lives in Grenfell, where there is a wonderful piece of silo art featuring rural scenes. Mandy teaches at the small school at nearby Caragabal. Students at the school were encouraged to research local birds from the local environment and choose several to be included in an art display. The students enjoyed the project and the art work is displayed on the walls of a shed on the main road. Well worth seeing. It is fascinating to see that nature influences education in both positive and negative ways and that young teachers are meeting the challenges.