Jessica Smith, Forbes High School, Forbes NSW
Introduce yourself and the school you have come to us from.
Hello, my name is Jessica Smith and I am an English teacher, and the only Drama teacher at Forbes High School in Central West, New South Wales. I am extremely passionate about the performing arts, and believe Drama provides students with opportunities to understand themselves and others more deeply. I grew up in South-West Sydney, but decided I wanted to teach students in rural communities and applied for the Teach Rural Scholarship. I was successful and allocated to Forbes High School in 2021. This is my third year of teaching, and each year comes with more opportunities while also, more challenges than ever before. In my first year, like everyone else, we went into covid lockdowns, and in my second year, Forbes succumbed to multiple major floods within weeks of each other and the community is still recovering. Our school was temporarily closed as students and staff were unable to get to work, and upon reopening, became host to one of our local primary schools that sustained significant flood damage. I am hoping that this year will provide a sense of normality in my educational career to understand the heart of my practice. At Forbes High School, we have approximately 300 students from 7-12, many of whom have diverse learning needs. We have a high percentage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, as well as students with low-socioeconomic statuses and diverse family structures. Our students are resilient, and take any opportunity offered to them. I have thoroughly enjoyed supporting these students in becoming better, more knowledgeable versions of themselves during my time at Forbes High School.
Describe your RTM experience in three words.
Life-changing, insightful, reflective.
Has there been a highlight or lightbulb moment in the four days you would like to share with us?
Honestly, the lightbulbs were constantly flickering on throughout this experience. But, to choose one; at the start of this program, we were told we would be different people when we returned to our schools. I thought this statement was far-fetched and ambitious, yet, somehow became truth before I even returned home. After a phone call to my husband at the end of the second day, I spent at least ten minutes describing the hour we spent breaking down iambic pentameter and verse, he told me I sounded like a completely different person. He said he hadn't seen me be so excited about Shakespeare for years. I realised in this moment that I had forgotten one of my true passions in the fast pace of everyday life as a teacher. The Regional Teacher Mentorship program reignited that spark, and it is one I have already excitedly returned to school and shared with my students.
What advice would you give to teachers thinking of applying for, or about to embark on the Regional Teacher Mentorship?
This Regional Teacher Mentorship has been the best professional learning I have undertaken, and I know it's a big statement, but I honestly believe it is the best I will ever attend (unless one day we have an alumni program). You also need to accept the fact that you will do things out of your comfort zone, and you will spend most of the time being up on your feet, but the sense of community you will experience is second to none. If you're an English or Drama teacher that wants to reignite that spark with likeminded people from around our beautiful country, please don't hesitate. Apply for this program, it will be the best thing you ever do.
Sharny Joyce, St Luke's College, Karratha WA
Introduce yourself and the school you have come to us from.
My name is Sharny Joyce and I work at St Luke’s College in Karratha, Western Australia. I am a third year teacher who has spent my career so far working in the coastal town of Karratha, 16 hours north of Perth. We are surrounded by beautiful islands and a culture of sporting, boating, camping and fishing. It is a beautiful place with its own unique set of challenges, many students are uninterested in academic success or seek to work only for the mining giants.
Describe your RTM experience in three words.
Refreshing. Motivating. Enabling.
Has there been a highlight or lightbulb moment in the four days you would like to share with us?
As a Drama major and English minor, I was always overwhelmed by iambic pentameter. It simply never made sense to me! The practical workshops with Huw McKinnon broke down such a difficult concept in easy to understand language and activities. In addition to this, the bank of knowledge that is Ben Crystal helped me to not only understand iambic pentameter... but enjoy it! I am now so intrigued by the way that Shakespeare would use his verse to draw the reader/viewers attention to the heartbeat of the character.
What advice would you give to teachers thinking of applying for, or about to embark on the Regional Teacher Mentorship?
I understand the thought of writing four days of relief and being away from family is a big commitment. But it is simply SO worth it! To build not only your knowledge and confidence in teaching Shakespeare, but also to build an incredible network of like-minded teachers and artists who will support you throughout the entirety of your career. It is a MUST DO.
Zoe Hilliar, Gippsland Grammar, Sale VIC
Introduce yourself and the school you have come to us from.
My name is Zoe Hilliar and I teach English and Media at Gippsland Grammar in Sale, Victoria. We are an independent school from ELC to Year 12, drawing students from around Eastern Victoria, many of whom travel up to 4 hours a day on buses, or live in our small boarding house.
One of our neighbouring communities is Victoria’s own Stratford on Avon, which each year hosts a Shakespeare festival in April. I am shocked at the low representation of our students in this festival, which is indicative of how Shakespeare is currently received at our school. Obviously, this is all about to change. I am very lucky to be the Head of English, leading a group of highly engaged teachers, who I am confident will all love teaching Shakespeare with me.
Describe your RTM experience in three words.
Enriching, pedagogical, exciting.
Has there been a highlight or lightbulb moment in the four days you would like to share with us?
As teachers, we know that young people, especially boys, struggle, especially in the English classroom. This can, at least in part, be attributed to ‘classroom culture’ stifling the release of dopamine, a chemical essential for motivation to learn and retention. Every time we insist that our students “sit back down” we are likely hindering their ability to learn. Whilst I have been experimenting with movement in the English classroom for some time, the RTM has equipped me with ideas and skills to ensure my English lessons will be characterised by learning-aligned movement; even at the nitty-gritty end where students are planning essays, they can plan through movement and collaboration. Further, Huw and Emily had a way of making sure that all ideas were valued and even celebrated; yet another dopamine hit. The RTM gave me the space to reflect on how important this is, and modelled how to do it well. I can’t wait to watch the increased engagement in texts in my classroom because my students are moving and thus able to focus, feel motivated and retain their learning- in fact, I’ve already started, 2 days back at school!
What advice would you give to teachers thinking of applying for, or about to embark on the Regional Teacher Mentorship?
Stop thinking about applying and go for it! The RTM is the opportunity to be a student learning from passionate and astoundingly knowledgeable experts, and to do the fun activities that you will definitely be recreating in your classrooms. The learning space has one of the best views in Australia, yet even with your eyes on the iconic Harbour Bridge, your mind will stay right there in the room, because what is being said and done is so interesting, fun and useful. After just four days, you will have a new team of colleagues from right around Australia to continue the collaboration and conversation and ultimately, improve the outcomes for each of your students.
Regional Teacher Mentorship 2023 (c) Emlyn Crockett
For more information on how you can support education programs like the Regional Teacher Mentorship, get in touch with our Philanthropy team at giving@bellshakespeare.com.au.
