A COMMITMENT to quality education has earned 22 teachers from across NSW a 2014 Premier’s Teacher Scholarship.
Premier Mike Baird congratulated the winning teachers at a special ceremony at Parliament House on August 30.
Through the scholarships program, recipients can undertake an international study tour of schools and education centres.
“These teachers return to their classrooms professionally inspired and re-invigorated, ready to share new knowledge, teaching methods and skills,” Mr Baird said.
All teachers from NSW schools are eligible to apply for the scholarships.
This year 307 teachers applied for the 22 scholarships, awarded across 12 program areas – the highest number received since the program began in 1999.
The scholarships range from $10,000 to $15,000 each.
Mr Baird said the corporate partners providing scholarships had broadened the range of scholarships to encompass English, youth depression awareness, creativity and innovation, leadership, new and emerging technologies, financial literacy, special education support teachers (vision and hearing), health education, early childhood, contemporary Asian art, visual arts, Chinese language, history and vocational education for school and TAFE teachers.
“An inspirational teacher can make a huge difference to a child’s future pathway,” Mr Baird said.
“The scholarship program is designed to help those outstanding teachers to develop and share their considerable talents, mentor others, and provide inspiration for another generation of teachers.”
Education Minister Adrian Piccoli said the government recognised the importance of great teaching in improving student performance.
“The scholarships are part of a suite of initiatives in place in NSW schools which encourage and reward quality teachers,” he said.
Applications for the next round of scholarships will open in early 2015.
Adding the iPad touch at Lightning Ridge
A “NEWCASTLE girl” who travelled west to teach young children hopes to introduce technology to Lightning Ridge Central School.
Renee Fagan has won the $15,000 Premier’s Teachers Mutual Bank New and Emerging Technologies Scholarship to fund a study into culturally appropriate engagement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students with iPads to improve literacy benchmarks during early childhood.
Ms Fagan, who teaches Years 1 and 2, held full time temporary positions in Newcastle for four years.
Her then-principal had taught at Lightning Ridge and encouraged her to look further west for a permanent position.
“It’s a bit of a sea change in reverse – a Newcastle girl who has come out west,” she said.
“I’m loving my time here so much, going back to the east coast is not on my horizon.”
Her scholarship will take her to Sydney and Melbourne where she will look at previous studies into the use of technology in the classroom.
Ms Fagan will also travel to Vancouver and Winnipeg in Canada to investigate indigenous programs.
She hoped her research made students more successful in their daily lives.