Early education is important to ensure your daughter obtains the critical love of learning to thrive throughout life. Creative thinking, collaboration, problem solving, digital literacy and strong fundamental literacy and numeracy are essential in building girls confidence and ability to thrive in learning and life.
Here at Strathcona our Prep program addresses all these key areas to build girls confidence and ability to embrace the educational journey. Leading the program and providing students with strong foundations is our Prep teacher teacher, Miss Kate Morgan.
What do you enjoy most about teaching?
I enjoy the incredible opportunity to share in the learning journeys of young people, to help provide them every opportunity to flourish and to watch them surprise themselves every day with a range of achievements and the realisation of how much they are capable of. Every day is a new adventure!
What’s different about teaching at Strathcona?
The opportunity to be part of a team so dedicated to the learning and wellbeing of each individual girl, supported immeasurably by an array of resources and opportunities for students and staff. A wonderful team where each individual’s strengths are celebrated and both staff and students feel a true sense of belonging and know that they are loved and valued for who they are.
What inspired you to become a teacher?
Many different people and experiences. All the amazing teachers I know, especially my loving and generous dad who is a teacher, seeing the impact that a teacher can have on a young person and striving every day to ensure I do everything I can to make it a positive one and one that supports students to thrive.
What inspires you now in teaching?
Similarly to what I enjoy most about teaching – seeing every child embrace the learning challenges that are set before them and achieve their very own personal best. To see children that are excited to come to school, nurturing beautiful friendships with each other and developing skills in collaboration and cooperation. Seeing students develop the self-confidence to be creative and take initiative with their learning, and those faces that are so proud because they’ve just achieved something else that is amazing!
Do you have a highlight moment from your time at Strathcona?
Highlights of my time at Strathcona are many, both as a teacher and as a student. All the little things – sitting in a bay window at Tay Creggan sewing pyjamas in Textiles in Year 9, playing tennis for Grenfell at lunchtimes, spending time with friends. As a teacher it is enjoying morning tea together under the tree outside our classroom, and countless moments every day as I am there to see and to celebrate every achievement of every girl.
What do you enjoy doing outside the classroom?
I love being at the beach – I take every opportunity to visit the Mornington Peninsula, regardless of the season! I play tennis every Tuesday night and I love to go to the footy (go Dees!).
What advice would you give students?
Believe in yourself, appreciate and celebrate your individual strengths and the incredibly precious and unique person that you are. Take risks with your learning, try new things, embrace mistakes as opportunities for learning and know that you can do anything!
