Stories from our community (2017) by Teach For Australia

STORIES From Our Community November 2017

SYLVESTER SPICE Student featured in Inside Out Project by Keysborough Secondary College (2013)

b INSPIRE

CONTENTS Launching Communities of Action

The Alumni Team

Developing the Kaiela Dhungala First Peoples Curriculum

Tim Warwick

Formulating an after school science program 06 James Bayard

Achieving equity as a school leader

Rob Nairn

Using art to unite a community

Jerome Holleman

Pollies perspectives on politics

The Hon Dr Andrew Leigh MP and Julian Leeser MP

Stepping in to the non-profit sector

Dr Janine Kirk AM

Turning your passion into a career

Alex Kelly

From classroom resource to social enterprise 18 Tom Ravenscroft

Building a charity

Simon Coyle

Supporting positive classroom behaviour

Tom Cain

NOVEMBER 2017 1

“ IF OPPORTUNITY DOESN’T KNOCK, BUILD A DOOR.”

Milton Berle 2 INSPIRE

WELCOME Welcome to the inaugural edition of Stories From Our Community. In STORIES, we take the opportunity to reflect on our achievements over the past nine years. Not simply in building successful programs that affect positive change on student outcomes, but in building an inspired, connected and empowered community—a community of leaders who have taken up Teach For Australia’s mission to address educational inequity, and continue to contribute to this work in their own unique way. At our core, we want all children in Australia to lead a life of their choosing. I know that I speak for all of us when I say that this goal is not only a commitment to the students we work with, but also to the communities that we live and work in. As Teach For Australia continues to grow, we will continue to support and empower you—to continue finding, identifying, nurturing and building your leadership skills, in whatever direction you choose to take them.

It is important for us to celebrate our achievements and the people that have contributed towards making educational equity one step closer to reality. It is my hope that you join me in celebrating Teach For Australia as an organisation that creates opportunity. By 2017, we will have made 549 placements in 132 partner schools, seeing eight cohorts of Associates transition to Alumnihood. We celebrate the graduating 2016 Cohort of the Leadership Development Program and, excitingly, our first ever cohort of Teach To Lead Alumni! Globally, you are all part of a community of over 55,000 passionate individuals committed to a joint vision – across the Asia Pacific, the Americas, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. It is now more important than ever before to foster connections—with each other, within and between our communities, and across borders. We are always looking for new ways to help you make meaningful connections and strive to provide you with opportunities to engage and continue a lifetime of learning.

In the spirit of celebration, STORIES shares the stories of our local and global Alumni and our Ambassadors, each of whom has made an outstanding contribution to our mission, in their own unique way and in their chosen field. And we celebrate each of you for your leadership and contribution so far. We have a long road ahead, but I’m so humbled to be able to work alongside you. With your partnership I know that, one day, educational equity in Australia will be a reality.

Melodie Potts Rosevear Chief Executive Officer

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LAUNCHING COMMUNITIES OF ACTION A NOTE FROM JUN ZHANG AND NADIA HAN The Teach For Australia Alumni Team In 2018 (and beyond!) Teach For Australia will be supporting our Associates, Fellows and Alumni to set up Communities of Action. These will bring like-minded people together to connect with each other, collaborate and learn from each other and implement initiatives as a group. Each Community of Action is made up of Alumni, Fellows, Associates and allies who share a mutual interest in an ‘action’ that will improve educational equity in Australia. Each Community of Action will be different and will have different needs. As a result, the types of events, learnings and initiatives adopted in each Community will be different and suited to that particular group. Communities of Action will be able to leverage Teach For Australia’s networks to connect with corporate partners, relevant stakeholders and other contacts. This is the opportunity for us to drive progress and create the change we want to see. Find out more about why we’re launching the Communities of Action and how you can get involved:

WATCH: vimeo.com/teachforaustralia/communities READ: bit.ly/TFAcommunities-read

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DEVELOPING THE KAIELA DHUNGALA FIRST PEOPLES CURRICULUM IN CONVERSATION WITH TIM WARWICK Leadership Development Program Cohort 2013 Tim is the Assistant Principal at Gowrie Street Primary School in Victoria and the Project Coordinator for the Kaiela Dhungala First Peoples Curriculum. “The Kaiela Dhungala First Peoples Curriculum incorporates the cultures, histories and knowledge of the region’s Indigenous peoples, within the framework of the Victorian Curriculum in a significant and meaningful way.” “The project is an initiative of the Koorie Partnership Group of the local principals’ network that seeks to pay respect to and increase awareness of the strong, vital Indigenous community from our area. It is a unique partnership of the Goulburn Valley Aboriginal Education Consultative Group, our local Indigenous community members and organisations, Principals, teachers and the Department of Education.” “The curriculum covers foundation to Year 10 and will be implemented across the 50 public schools in the Greater Shepparton

and Moira local government areas. All staff members at any school that wants to implement the curriculum are required to complete a professional development program. I’ve overseen the design of this professional development, and connected with Teach For All’s Teacher Development Community of Practice, which has been an invaluable source of support for this.” “In mid-2014 the Principals, community members, Department members and teacher representative (me) completed professional learning and met regularly to determine priorities, one of which was the development of a local curriculum.” “Way back then, I put my hand up to assist with the organisation of the project and to oversee the drafting of the curriculum– ultimately though I have ended up with the opportunity to really guide and support this exciting work.”

Tim co-presented with a community leader on the Kaiela Dhungala Curriculum at the World Indigenous Peoples Conference of Education in Toronto, Canada this year.

“We consulted with about 15 different organisations and continue to hold regular community forums (two a year for the past three years) to guide this work.” We consulted with about 15 different organisations and continue to hold regular community forums (two a year for the past three years) to guide this work.” “The goal is that the curriculum is implemented in 30 to 50 schools by the end of the year! But, to eventually see different curriculums like ours developed for different regions would be amazing.”

“It’s very specific to the location, so if another region wanted to implement an Indigenous curriculum, they could use the blueprint, but critically they would also need to consult with local Indigenous communities for a lengthy period of time.

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FORMULATING AN AFTER SCHOOL

SC ENCE PROGRAM IN CONVERSATION WITH JAMES BAYARD Leadership Development Program Cohort 2014 and Teach To Lead Cohort 2016 James is a teacher and 6-12 Science Leader at Northern Bay P-12 College in Victoria. The Extended School Day science program is a collaborative project with Alumna Caitlin Conway (Leadership Development Program Cohort 2014) and Alumnus Paul Bolitho (Leadership Development Program Cohort 2015). “After a Careers and Technology Expo in 2016, Caity spoke to Paul and me about her idea to run an afterschool science program for the kids, to encourage their interest in science.” “There was a cohort of students who wanted the opportunity to complete more science activities. When the school decided to run an Extended School Day of optional classes, we thought this was the perfect opportunity to make a program that gave those students the opportunity to explore their interest.” “We wanted this to be an opportunity for them to engage with science in an environment where they aren’t assessed.” “Initially, we tried to implement the CREST [Creativity in Science and Technology] science program [from the CSIRO]. But that wasn’t quite suited to the needs of our students, so we adapted the program on our own.” “We wanted to provide students who were already deeply engaged with science the chance to further explore their passion, while also further developing their skills through hands-on investigation and experimentation.” “Generally, we tried to gauge the kids’ interest areas and work backwards from there. The content is actually pretty creative and the kids have a lot of freedom to experiment because their performance isn’t measured.” “Time management has been the biggest challenge for us (pretty much the same for every teacher right?) — trying to balance the organisation of the program with everything else that’s going on in a school.”

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ACHIEVING EQUITY AS A SCHOOL LEADER

AN INTERVIEW WITH ROB NAIRN Teach For Australia Ambassador Rob is an Executive Director of the Australian Secondary Principals Association, Adjunct Associate Professor at Edith Cowan University and a retired school principal.

How do you think the role of a secondary school principal has changed over recent years? I think that secondary principals, particularly in the public sector, have been given more autonomy. However, with increased autonomy comes increased responsibility; there’s definitely more pressure. The role has become larger and the skills required have changed because the education landscape has changed. Before it was more about management, now it’s about good leadership. That’s an important difference.

Can you tell us about a particularly challenging situation you have experienced in a leadership context? For me, the most challenging situation is the death of either a student or a staff member – not just for the school, but for the entire community. There are ongoing consequences that last for a very long time and people really look to you for guidance in these situations.

We often talk about the emotional drain working in low socioeconomic schools. What do you do in your personal life to recharge so you can stay inspired and continue to address this problem? I actually go jogging every day, that’s my time. I think managing your own health and wellbeing is essential. Set aside time for yourself where you can forget about work. Have a good support network of friends, family, coaches and mentors. It’s also important to be aware – especially when you’re new in the profession – that you can’t solve all the problems by yourself and that admitting you have a problem is not a weakness. We’ve all gone through it and (hopefully) we all learn from it.

What are your top three tips for people who want to excel in a school leadership positions? First, take your opportunities: Be proactive about taking whatever opportunities come your way. Second, learn from your mistakes (everyone makes them!): Don’t try to imitate another leader, learn from as many people as possible so you have a wide range of skills and can adapt to many different situations, and reflect on your actions – try not to respond emotionally. Third, develop a good network: Being a principal can be a lonely position, you need to set up networks so you have a support group when you need it.

How can teachers in the classroom have more influence over what’s happening in the school?

Good leaders create a culture where everyone’s opinion is valued. When we look at leadership styles, distributed leadership is a popular phrase but it’s also a top down approach that, to me, doesn’t necessarily value individual input. I prefer “contributive leadership” where everyone contributes.

I’d like to think that I encourage people to come to me with ideas because I was educated back in the 70’s and things have changed a hell of a lot since then. We have young teachers that have a much better idea of how we can connect with kids these days. Someone once said to me “if you’re the smartest person in the room you’re in the wrong room” and I think it’s true. I think one of the most important traits of a good leader is valuing the ideas of others, including students. Helping people develop those ideas into something that can make a difference is what leadership is all about.

If you had a magic wand that could change any aspect of the education system – what would it be and why? Well, equity is a big issue for me. I’d like every school to be a good school and provide the same opportunities for every student. What I mean by that is, you don’t need to go shopping around for a school for your kids – you go to your local school. Every school has a good leader and good teachers. We’re a long way away from that, but we can keep working towards that goal.

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USING ART TO UNITE A COMMUNITY MEET JEROME HOLLEMAN Leadership Development Program Cohort 2013 Jerome is a leading teacher at Keysborough Secondary College in Victoria. Jerome Holleman has been running Inside Out at his school since 2013â&#x20AC;&#x201D;an international art project that encourages people to have their picture taken and post it in support of an idea, sharing their experience.

Inside Out was started by street artist JR in 2011 to enable people to use art to change their communities. Since beginning the project, Keysborough College Year 9 students have come together to think about issues facing the school and what they want to change. Challenging discrimination in the inaugural year, students posted huge portraits around their school in celebration of difference and diversity. In 2014, they explored body images, and in 2015 they raised awareness of the challenges faced by LGBTIQ people.

In the early stages, the project was crowdfunded on Pozible, raising over $1000. Various gifts were sent to donors as a token of appreciation and the students found it to be a great success (without a single act of vandalism!). The students were also awarded runner up in the best group action award by the VIC SRC in 2014 and have been featured in numerous newspapers and online publications.

CONGRATULATIONS! LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM COHORT 2016 Angela Agius, Mick Arrogante, Roisin Boadle, Vincent Chiang, Elliot Davis, Charles McIntosh, Sophie Peacock, Benjamin Raven, Mitchell Robinson, Kai Scott, Tarun Whan, Mathew Coggan, Annie Danks, Carly Farrugia, Genevieve Firmer, Stephanie Gill, Steven Goldberg, Kaija Keski-Nummi, Monique Langley-Freeman, Fiona McRobie, Alex Mildenhall, Hannah Morris, Zaiga Thomann, Andrew Weekes, Brianna Witte, Thomas Zagami, Suraj Ajjampur, Lianna Beeching, Brigid Blanckenberg, Kirrin Brown, Caitlin Buralli, Christopher Cato, Andrew Catton, Shun Yang Ch ng, Luke Clift, Michael Collett, Blaire Dobiecki, Jeremy Dover, Hayden Gestautas, Rebecca Gooch-Andrew, Laura Good, Kirra Greaves, Jack Greig, Paul Harris, Neelam Haryani, Simon Jones, Sheldon Kendrick, Anthony Kingma, Laura Kirkland, Aubert Kubwange, Megan Lumsden, Stacey Main, Keita Matsumoto, Jennifer Moffatt, Sulagna Monga, Emily Morrice, Kaitlin Morris, Bowman Nixon, Rose Nuttall, Bartholomew Oswald, Emilie Owens, Michelle Parker, Josephine Perry, Jillian Pettigrew, David Phillips, Erin Prince, Ying Qin, David Roche, Brent Ryan, Thomas Sharp, Sophia Slavich, Donald Stalker, Dane Stammers, Michael Tanna, Rianna Tatana, Meghan Thomas, Jason Toh, Kitty van Cuylenburg, Emily Versteegen, Mordecai Wait, Justin Wong, Cindy Zhou, Meredith Barnes, Phoebe Berndt, Amy Blitvich, Daniel Bruce, Melissa Darling, Tom Dowsley, Patrick Elliott, Samuel Fox, Michael Gray, Cameron Halvorson, Catherine Harris, James Henley-Martin, Joshua Jones, Dylan Karunaratne, Allen Kha, Sudharshani Krishnan Krishnan, Arthur Lai, Stephanie Ludekens, Anastasia Lytas, Vanessa Macri, Amanda Moreno Diaz, Ameya Nagarkar, Glenn Osborne, Liam Petchell, Mankirat Singh, Bridget Staude, Ryan Steed, Tahlia Storms, Matthew Todd, Samuel Vinton-Boot, Sarah Louise Wickham, Clare Woulfe

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Tom Cain Sonia Loudon

Stephanie Pearce

Aaron Jaraba Belinda Parker

TEACH TO LEAD COHORT 2016 Caitlin Conway

Liam McNaughton Seamus Coppick

Emma Waheed

James Bayard

Laura Hepburn

NOVEMBER 2017 11

POLLIES PERSPECTIVES

ON POLITICS AN INTERVIEW WITH THE HON DR ANDREW LEIGH MP AND JULIAN LEESER MP Teach For Australia Ambassadors

What motivated you to get involved with politics? Andrew Leigh is a lawyer turned economist turned politician. A member of the Labor party, Andrew is the Shadow Assistant Treasurer and Federal Member for Fenner in the Australian Capital Territory.

Julian Leeser is a member of the Liberal party, the Federal Member for Berowra in New South Wales and a former Board Member of Teach For Australia.

JULIAN: I wanted to be a parliamentarian

since I was 10 years old. I completed a school project on Australian Prime Ministers and became aware of the impact that you can have on the country, and the difference you can make through service in parliament. ANDREW: I’ve always been interested in social justice and making a difference in my community. But I recall the day I realised I wanted to do something in politics. In June 1998, I flew out of Australia to work in London—I had no job to go to and not much in the way of savings to support me. Tony Blair’s government had been elected the previous year, and British Labor was doing exciting things under the rubric of the Third Way. It seemed to be worth taking a chance to secure an interesting opportunity.

In the end, things worked out. I sent about 50 letters to Labor members of parliament, some of whom agreed to meet up for a cup of tea. I spent a few weeks working for the fabulously eccentric Fiona Mactaggart MP, and for Australian expatriate Ross Cranston MP. By Christmas, I was back in Australia, but the experience helped shape me, and I’m glad I took that risk.

What does a day-in-the-life of a politican look like? JULIAN: There are two aspects to being a

parliamentarian. Working in my electorate during non-sitting weeks, I spend my time seeing constituents to understand the challenges they face. I address local community groups, I visit people and organisations, I interact with the local Liberal party in my area and attend branch meetings. I also do parliamentary committee work and speak to the media on issues of importance to me.

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ANDREW: I work on a wide range of constituent issues, for example, discussing housing affordability challenges and access to the National Disability Insurance Scheme. As a part of the Labor team I have a responsibility to develop economic policies, assisting Chris Bowen (Shadow Treasurer) and Bill Shorten (Opposition Leader) on issues such as tax, competition, productivity, inequality and charities.

Sounds like a big portfolio! (laughs) Yes, I’m fortunate to have a range of responsibilities in my role.

What are the most significant decisions you had to make to be in the position you’re in today? JULIAN: I think committing the time to get involved in politics in the first place. I was a member of the Liberal party for 26 years before becoming an MP. I was particularly active in the last 10 years, where I spent a lot of time on political activity. I was also on 17 different boards and committees, panels including Board of TFA. So there is a large sacrifice of time while being involved in politics. ANDREW: I’m lucky to have the support

of a loving family willing to see me work in politics. There are significant stresses on people who are supporting members of parliament and my wife does more than her fair share of looking after our three wonderful boys and managing the household. I’ve found this to be the most diverse and interesting job I’ve ever done. The opportunity to both make a difference in your neighbourhood but also to contribute to policy decisions that might shape the nations future – that’s all pretty exciting.

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I think Teach For Australia gives people a real advantage. The skills you develop as a teacher, the organisational, communication, motivation and discipline-knowledge you bring, and the brand of excellence Teach For Australia will equip you well for a whole range of careers.”

What is the most challenging aspect of your role as a member of the House of Representatives?

to school, everyone thinks they know how it should be done but education is actually more complex.

people pick. Pick the one that aligns with your values. Go and see your local branch and get involved.

JULIAN: I think knowing when to speak

ANDREW: Well, a huge amount of education policy is made within the education departments in schools. The evidence in education is shaped by practitioners and people in the industry. When I was studying at Harvard, I was influenced by Ronald A. Heifetz’s notion of adaptive leadership and Heifetz makes the point that, too often we look to authority figures to make big political decisions and often leadership is something that can be exercised at a more grass roots level.

Our parliament is only as strong as the ones that are choosing our parliamentarians and we need to get the right people into Parliament.

out on something and when to hold fire. If you speak out on everything all the time – people won’t pay attention to you. It’s important to know what your priorities are. The other challenging aspect is time management as there are a million things you can do. Organising your time so that you’re getting the best value for your constituents and serving them is incredibly important. ANDREW: In a world of partisanship, working out ways to disagree without being disagreeable is the central challenge of modern politics. I think we all work at maintaining that balance. Politics is inherently partisan in Australia and the two party system provides a valuable frame through which ideological questions can be debated – but we do know that the gap between parties is rising in Australia, as it is in the US and the UK. It’s important that we see our opponents as being people of good will who simply think differently from us.

Many of our Associates and Alumni are interested in influencing education policy. In your opinion, how can teachers in the classroom influence education policy decisions without being a politician themselves? JULIAN: There are many ways that this can be

done: first be an innovator and demonstrate through innovation and evaluation the success of something that you want to see turned into a broader program. Provide evidence of what works and show the policy maker what you’ve done and how it can make a difference. Try and get a member of parliament (write to them) to visit you in the classroom to see what you do. Everyone has an interest in education policy but as Glyn Davis (Vice Chancellor of the University of Melbourne) once said – all education policy is biography. Because we all went

If someone wanted to influence you or your colleagues, what is the best way to do that? JULIAN: I try to read as much as possible: newspapers, political journals, and policy digests. Some constituents will seek me out personally. I’ve found the most effective people are the ones that can give me an experience of seeing something in action. It’s really great if you can provide parliamentarians an opportunity to experience something, not just turn up at a meeting. ANDREW: There’s no single ‘best way’. There’s a plethora of sources we derive our information from. I think it’s important for anyone looking to influence policy to recognise the environment that the politician is operating in. Don’t be immediately offended if the person you suggest an idea to doesn’t respond and tell you it’s the most brilliant idea they’ve ever come across. The time might not be right, but if we deal with the person with respect and keep the lines of communication open, the idea may be implemented at a later stage.

So be reasonable? (laughs) Yes!

What are your views on partisanship? JULIAN: I think there’s not enough people

I also think Teach For Australia gives people a real advantage. The skills you develop as a teacher, the organisational, communication, motivation and discipline-knowledge you bring, and the brand of excellence Teach For Australia will equip you well for a whole range of careers.

What advice do you have for our Alumni and Associates who want to pursue a career in politics? JULIAN: Get the best education you possibly can – consider post graduate education. Consider living and working overseas for an extended period. Make an effort to build a diverse portfolio career that equips you with knowledge of a range of different industries and occupations. One of the things you’ll find as a parliamentarian is that you’re expected to know a lot about a lot of different areas. Bring to the table your practical experience in a wide range of topics and this will be a huge advantage for you. Finally, if you want to be a lower house MP, know your community and be committed to its advancement. ANDREW: For young leaders, there are three pieces of advice I’d offer. Do what you love, recognise that luck will buffet your career, and be a bit unreasonable. I don’t advise anyone to shape a career with the aim of ending up in parliament. Leaders are found in all walks of life. By all means, bear politics in mind when you’re deciding whether to join a political party, what to study, and what jobs to apply for. But, a career focused solely around the goal of winning a spot in parliament is likely to be a fragile one. Remember rule number one: it’s better to do something you love.

involved in politics – I don’t care what party

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STEPPING INTO

THE NON-PROFIT SECTOR You have a huge list of leadership credentials under your belt. What do you think are the most important traits for anyone seeking to be an effective leader?

AN INTERVIEW WITH DR JANINE KIRK AM Teach For Australia Ambassador Dr Kirk is the Chief Executive of The Prince’s Trust Australia, a social enterprise that represents the charitable endeavours of His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales in Australia.

I’ve always taken a view that no matter what job I have, I look to do things outside of my work. I’m passionate about serving the community in some way. I think that makes you a better leader because it broadens your experience. It’s amazing for your networks and the experience you gain dealing with issues that you may have no previous exposure to is very important. Anyone in a leadership position needs to have empathy and the ability to relate to other people, so by having a range of different experiences it allows you to build a history and understanding of others which is crucial for a good leader.

What motivated you to leave the corporate sector and step into the not-profit sector and The Prince’s Trust Australia?

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I’m inspired by different opportunities. I’d never worked in the non-profit space so there was slight fear (but also excitement) for a new challenge – it was the only sector

I hadn’t been in! I’ve also found throughout my career that I’m good at start-ups. I greatly admire His Royal Highness, he was someone who recognised the importance of being sustainable before it became popular. I actually think I chose the leader, rather than the job.

What are some of the biggest challenges you face in your role? People are the greatest challenge and people are the greatest joy. I think the challenge of any start up is that you must be absolutely passionate about the mission. There will be an enormous amount work in the first few years and you need to be prepared for that. Someone said to me the other day “the person who wins turns up” and I believe that to mean, you need to keep turning up even through all the highs and lows. You actually have to have—I’m going to use a very popular word these days—resilience. You have to know that through all the down’s, there will be up’s. Accept all the “no’s” that will come your way and move on. It’s important that we quit complaining and get on with it.

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Seeking funding for start-ups is particularly hard in the Australian context. What advice do you have for people considering starting their own non-profit? It isn’t easy and I’m not going to pretend it is. I would advise speaking to as many people as possible. I spent my first year talking to A LOT of people. Target the correct foundations – make sure there is alignment between what you are asking for and what they are offering. It’s important that you understand what people are looking for, what the opportunities are. Also, you can’t go out looking for funding if you haven’t developed your product. You need a good portfolio of project plans before you approach anyone.

What advice would you give to people interested in non-profit leadership? I know passion is a bit of an overused word, but if you aren’t passionate and you don’t have a vision as to how you will achieve your goal, you won’t achieve it. Blind passion isn’t useful, you need to be focused on what you want. Remember your motive as to why you want to make a contribution. Even though I go through peaks and troughs in the operational running of the organisation, I don’t waiver in my commitment to my mission. At the end of the day, remember what it is that’s driving you.

MEET ALISHA KING Leadership Development Program Cohort 2015 Alisha is the Philanthropic Co-ordinator at The Women’s College at the University of Sydney and an Ambassador for Teach For Australia in Sydney. This year, Alisha arranged for Teach For Australia CEO Melodie Potts Rosevear and Alumni Will Lutwyche to address educational disadvantage at a formal dinner series hosted by The Women’s College at the University of Sydney. Will’s speech focused on re-telling stories, sharing the personal stories of the students he has taught. Melodies speech provided the audience with the statistics that represent the stories Will shared. In addition to the Teach For Australia representatives at the dinner table they had Viv Paul from AIME, Sebastian Robertson from Batyr and Dani Loztof from B. Inspiring. The night was a success with charities and organisations connecting and looking to the future of how to collaboratively address the issues surrounding educational disadvantage. In Alisha’s new role outside of the classroom, her biggest objective is to ensure that students from all backgrounds have the opportunity to attend university. She will be completing her Certificate and Diploma in Fundraising in 2018. Alisha hopes to combine the skills and experience she is gaining in philanthropy with her experience in the classroom to work for non-profit organisations. In 2018, she is most excited about leading a trip of university students on a cultural tour of the Top End. The tour will include visits to communities, art centers, bush traders and experiences of traditional hunting, cooking and connections with the land. Alisha’s time with Teach For Australia in the Northern Territory has inspired her to ensure more people know about the issues faced by Indigenous Australians, especially the barriers to education.

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TURNING YOUR PASSION

>>> INTO A CAREER AN INTERVIEW WITH ALEX KELLY Teach First Alumni Alex is the founder of Unifrog, a social enterprise that provides a platform where students can explore their interests, then find and successfully apply for their best next step after school.

Alex (left) with his Unifrog colleague and fiancĂŠe Coralie Colmez

You’ve founded two social enterprises since you finished Teach First – what were you like as a Fellow (Associate)? In my first year of teaching, I was so bad – I was an appalling teacher. I really fundamentally believed that no one should listen to me. I was embarrassed about people listening to me. I was also given two or three of the most challenging classes and I really struggled.

Have you always wanted to be a social entrepreneur? Definitely not! There are two types of social entrepreneurs – ones who get motivated by a problem and ones who want to start their own organisation. I’m definitely in the first camp. I am actually terrible with organising and building an organisation! You hire in other people for that.

So what was the problem you wanted to fix? I had a class of Year 8 students that really wanted to learn. They were so bright that I started using my university materials with them, which was incredibly exciting for me! In the UK, the discourse at the time was that these kids lacked aspirations which was why they weren’t getting into selective universities. I found that they did have the aspirations but they weren’t getting the grades they needed to get through the gate. I wanted to fix that problem.

How did you turn that idea into a social enterprise? I started out by persuading my friends who were training to be lawyers, doctors and management consultants to tutor my students for an hour each week. That was it – the kids would go to their office and be tutored. As more and more students wanted to get involved, I realised we needed to scale and include more volunteers and more students. What started out as an after school club somehow grew into a charity!

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I think getting started with an idea while you’re teaching or recently teaching is the best way! A school is a great institution to pilot things that you may want to do – it’s like a lab. You can get feedback straightaway from teachers and students.”

How did you get funding? It was really hard! I applied to grants and funds but just wasn’t successful. I applied to over 50 before finding something. In the beginning, I had no success so I actually organised parties to fundraise. A lot of my friends to this day think that the reason why I set up the project was so I can have parties! Eventually I found a couple of backers that I built really great relationships and who’ve stuck with us.

What made you move on to your second enterprise? I found that after four years, people backed us and we were well established. We had quite a bit of money in the bank. We had a five year strategy. I felt like it wasn’t as challenging as before and I wanted to keep learning. At the time, I was supporting some of the kids with filling in their university applications and realised that even the smartest kids weren’t making smart decisions. There was just too much information out there that they couldn’t sort. I wanted to help them access lots of data points to compare universities. I wanted to help lots of these kids avoid common mistakes like not applying for universities because they didn’t understand the entry requirements.

to turn the enormous amount of data into something that we felt would have value for kids. Then we hired a programmer who did the rest and started testing with schools.

How did the Teach First network help you when setting up these two ventures? It was really helpful to know that there is a community of people doing similar things as you. Just so you can get together and whine about the same problems that you’re all encountering. Also I got lots of practical help and connections. Ultimately, it helped us get in touch with people that we wouldn’t otherwise have been able to access.

What advice would you give to Alumni interested in forming their own social enterprise? Just do it! There’s no good reason not to do it. It’s fun. You’ll probably fail at first but it’s not a problem. Just be resilient. I think getting started with an idea while you’re teaching or recently teaching is the best way! A school is a great institution to pilot things that you may want to do – it’s like a lab. You can get feedback straightaway from teachers and students. When you’re outside of the system, you may not have as good access.

How did you this go from an idea into an online platform? I have no skills when it comes to IT. I was initially drawing on a piece of paper what I wanted to do. It was like stick-men – it was awful! But my wife is much smarter than I am and she’s great with maths, so was able

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FROM CLASSROOM RESOURCE

TO SOCIAL ENTERPRI$E IN CONVERSATION WITH TOM RAVENSCROFT Teach First Alumni Tom is the founder of Enabling Enterprise, a social enterprise that is driven to ensure that students of all background develop broader enterprise skills, experience of the working world and develop aspirations that they need to be successful. “I was developing this course in my first year of Teach First. By my second year, I could see the impact it was having on my kids, so I just wanted to share what I thought was a good idea with other teachers.” “I started out by approaching individual Teach First teachers—senior leaders and head teachers who have decision-making power—who helped get the program into more schools. What encouraged me to think about it as something bigger was feedback from those teachers, who were also seeing an impact.”

18 STORIES FROM OUR COMMUNITY

“It’s been quite a challenge convincing senior teachers that it’s valuable to change their curriculum to include your thing – people tend to say no more than yes. But we needed critical mass to build credibility before we could charge for the program.”

“So many people fantasise about starting an enterprise, but there’s always a reason not to do it. So even if you do it really small with your class, with one school – once you start, the original idea will probably change and grow.”

“After my two years with Teach First, I decided there was enough proof of concept to have a go at it.”

“I thought Enabling Enterprise was just going to be an after school club. But I found that students drop out and teachers become tired – it became ineffective. To really build the right skills, we needed to run the program every week. So, your idea might change over time, but getting started is how you test it. Don’t overthink it. Try it.”

“I started seeking broader support with just a small ask. I organised for businesses to meet with our kids for a couple of hours. From that, they become engaged. Over time, they become financial supporters. What’s been really key is to start small.”

“What I would say to others thinking about starting their own ventures, is don’t buy into all of the myths around entrepreneurship – like you’re naturally entrepreneurial or need to have the perfect idea. The best entrepreneurs are those who get started.”

“We’ve had people using the program in international settings – so if there are other teachers in the network who want to try the model out in their classrooms, I’d be really happy to support them.”

MEET LISA QIN Leadership Development Program Cohort 2011 Lisa is an education officer for UNICEF China in the Education and Child Development section. Experiencing the transformative power of education—the type of education that is still inaccessible to many—drew Lisa to Teach For Australia in Corio, Victoria, and towards international development due to the focus on addressing educational inequities. Despite being born in China’s poorest province of Guizhou, Lisa grew up in one of the world’s wealthiest cities [Canberra], benefiting from a world-class public education system that gave her the platform to become a corporate lawyer and a high school teacher. She then studied International Education Policy at Harvard on a Frank Knox Fellowship and consulted to the Asian Development Bank’s $1.6 billion partnership with Guizhou to build skills and reform vocational education and training. Lisa’s current role focuses on education program management and advocacy across UNICEF China pilots, such as on social and emotional learning, sports and effective teaching, to help China’s most disadvantaged children, develop policies, and bring work to scale. It’s part of UNICEF’s broader mandate in promoting the rights and well-being of every child which can be a challenge in China’s context of a rapidly developing economy but growing wealth divide, 103 million children affected by migration and 65 million children in poverty-stricken areas. Lisa is motivated by community-building, cross-cultural engagement and the educators who do the hardest work every day in teaching children. She runs a yoga, meditation and wellness group and was previously a director of the Australia China Youth Dialogue which advances the bilateral relationship.

BUILDING A CHARITY IN CONVERSATION WITH SIMON COYLE Teach First Alumni Simon is Co-Founder of The Brilliant Club, alongside fellow Teach First Alumni Jonathan Sobczyk. The grassroots project utilises the expertise and passion of PhD students to deliver academic enrichment programmes to high potential pupils, seeking to increase the number of students from under-represented groups progressing to highly selective universities. “We felt that under-representation required system level change, especially around selective UK universities. From the outset, Johnny and I wanted to build an organisation that could have system level impact, at scale.” “We talked about wanting to build a national movement to mobilise the PhD community. No one else was doing this, and we saw an opportunity. We tested the idea with a pilot and saw that there was something in it – so we took steps to make it happen. “We consulted with system level leaders. We put together a board of system level leaders. We went about building an organisation as quickly as we could. Our first strategy was a five-year business plan on how we would build sustainable infrastructure and a financially sustainable model.” “Lots of our tutors aren’t from the UK. So, when they go back home they take The Brilliant Club with them and set it up in their home country. In the beginning it was all laissez faire. Now, it’s more successful and structured. This was a great opportunity to catalyst growth in more systematic way.” “We set up an independent sister organisation—AccessEd—to support other likeminded people to adapt the program to their context. We give our time and assets and provide mentoring, coaching and consulting to share our experience and expertise on how we scaled The Brilliant Club. Basically, what we’re trying to do is find people who are committed to the mission and work in the same way we do, and support them.”

“For those teachers who think they can’t do something like this, the first thing I would say is that teaching gives you superpowers – especially teaching in disadvantaged schools. A lot of the things we wanted to do, the challenges we wanted to overcome, we drew on from the skills we developed as teachers. The most significant aspect was having resilience—an openness to feedback and growth mindset.” “I would say—not just for social enterprise, whatever you choose—teaching provides you so much ammunition. Teachers are modern day farmers because they work really hard and can do anything.”

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SUPPORTING POSITIVE CLASSROOM BEHAVIOUR MEET TOM CAIN Leadership Development Program Cohort 2014 and Teach To Lead Cohort 2016 Tom is a former teacher at Western Port Secondary College and currently works at the Victorian Department of Education and Training. Throughout 2016 and 2017, Tom was a Fellow of the inaugural Teach To Lead cohort. As part of his professional development, Tom designed an Impact Initiative to develop, test and implement a system that would improve student perceptions of classroom behaviour. He started the initiative by trialling the School Wide Positive Behaviour Support framework with his Year 8 cohort—a key government priority that is backed by research and used in high performing schools.

improvement in student perceptions over just two terms

The trial was a success, seeing a five per cent improvement in student perceptions over just two terms. The framework was included in the College’s Annual Implementation Plan with a steering committee being established to oversee the broader rollout. The committee began by developing a systematic approach to supporting classroom behaviour, collecting baseline data which showed that behaviour was undermining student learning. A number of behaviour supports were trialed throughout 2017, including a token economy, the use of restorative practices, a classroom exit-and-reflect process and stronger supports for high needs students. A partnership with Positive Behaviour experts at Monash University provided coaching and access to expertise to inform the trial.

The committee led a whole-school professional development day in term 3 to build staff understanding and support for the framework. “The day was incredibly successful. Staff feedback on the day showed that an overwhelming majority agreed that this should a be priority for the College.” Results of the 2017 trial indicate that student perceptions are improving and participation and feedback from both staff and students have been highly positive – with the exit-and-reflect process being used twice a day on average. The framework will be officially launched across the school in November 2017 and its continued implementation and growth will be included in the College’s 2018–21 Strategic Plan.

MEET ALPHA CHENG Leadership Development Program Cohort 2013 Alpha is a teacher at Caroline Chisholm School in the Australian Capital Territory. Alpha took the leap to teaching after spending three years in the banking and finance industry. He is currently a Humanities and Business teacher and Humanities Curriculum Coordinator. Alpha is passionate about teaching important lessons from the Holocaust after completing the Gandel Holocaust Studies Scholarship for Australian Educators at the Yad Vashem in Israel. Through his work in Holocaust education, Alpha is also an ambassador for the Courage to Care Education Exhibit Program. Alpha believes that financial and economic literacy, and the important skills of empathy and understanding different perspectives are vital skills for students from all backgrounds. In October 2015, during his third year teaching, Alpha’s father, Curtis Cheng, was killed by a fifteen year old extremist while leaving work outside the NSW Police Headquarters in Parramatta.

MEET VERONICA PALMER Teach For America Alumni Veronica is a Co-Founder of RISE Colorado.

Alpha has since turned this tragedy into a call for Australians to unite, rather than be divided by hate. An advocate for gun control, Alpha has worked to promote a national gun amnesty. Moreover, he actively writes and speaks about the virtue of multiculturalism and standing up against extremism, Islamophobia and discrimination. In 2017, Alpha was a finalist for the Young Australian of the Year awards. Alpha strongly believes that Australia is a better place when we all respect our rich diversity of cultures. He remains committed to advocacy and inspiring his students and others to do the same.

Alpha strongly believes that Australia is a better place when we all respect our rich diversity of cultures. He remains committed to advocacy and inspiring his students and others to do the same.

As a 2006 Teach For America – Los Angeles Corps Member and later a teacher coach, Veronica Palmer recognised that many of her students’ parents were unaware that they had the power to influence decisions made in their children’s schools, and that school administrators often didn’t know how to effectively engage with families. In 2012, she returned to her native Denver, Colorado and co-founded RISE Colorado, with a mission to educate, engage, and

empower low-income families and families of color to end educational inequity in the city’s public school system. “Families are the sleeping giant missing from the movement to end educational inequity. When families have the knowledge about educational inequity and the tools to help their children at home and in school, families will stop at nothing to ensure their children are successful.”

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