About Me
Hi, I’m Jude
A highly qualified, passionate and experienced teaching professional, I am creative and innovative, approachable, flexible and knowledgeable. A writer, musician and poet, I incorporate my creative skills into all aspects of my teaching and believe that learning should be serious fun.
I believe in shared problem-solving to achieve success. I work with people, not on people and take every opportunity to utilise strong instructional and leadership skills, collaboration and teamwork to positively impact student-centred educational outcomes.
A Bit About My Background
Growing up on a country property in a family of girls in the 1960s meant you learned many practical skills very early in life. Things like how to drive when your feet hardly reach the pedals, and you can only just see over the dashboard. We knew how to muster sheep and cattle on horseback and motorbikes, change the oil and tyres on the car and drive heavy machinery. Growing up back then also meant that nursing, hairdressing, or teaching were the honoured and most expected occupations of choice for young women who finished school.
Starting school in 1969, I was the child of parents whose own parents had lived through WW1 and they themselves WW2 and the depression. Our parents left school early to find jobs and help support their families. They were mostly self-educated and determined that my two sisters and I would have every opportunity to do well and succeed at school.
We were 10 miles from the nearest school and my eldest sister had correspondence lessons for the first two years until there was a bus run. I was two years younger and would sit with her and my mum lapping up the challenges of the work they completed at the dining room table every day. I was reading quite well when I went to kindergarten, in fact, I was accelerated to first grade in that year. The teachers had me sit out on the veranda of our little wooden schoolhouse listening to other children read. I found out early that some children struggled with reading and remember wondering why. Our very Irish household was full of books, poetry, and song.
I had great teachers over the years (and some not-so-great ones). The great ones were inspiring, spent time relating with a sense of fun and encouraged a love of learning. Everyone went to church back then; it was a community meeting place. In early secondary school, I was preparing lessons and teaching Sunday School. I believe that teaching came very naturally to me. For a while I thought I would love to study law or journalism however, a teaching scholarship in the 1970’s (the Gough Whitlam years), sealed my fate and education became my chosen career – just like that!
Connections
by Natalie L. Simmons
"Commissioned by her children, this piece, titled Connections is centred on the journey of Jude's life. One of passion, love and deep connection to family, the land and people.”
My Moral Code
Being true to my inner moral code, to my values and standing up for what matters; being flexible self-reflective and willing to learn from my mistakes are very important aspects in my approach to teaching. For me, success is defined by my attitude, how I approach everyday situations and how I bounce back when things don’t go so well. Understanding that everyone has their story and being prepared to really listen even when that story is told without words is a vital part of being truly effective and successful.
Always striving to remember - the way I see the world is from my point of view only. A great challenge I face is growing older and remaining innovative and flexible. It’s very easy in education, especially with a few years under your hat to take the attitude I know which is not just counterproductive, it also flies in the face of lifelong learning.
I understand belonging as the most basic of human needs. I have worked with learners with the most severe cognitive and physical dysfunction, yet I have not yet met the child, young person or adult who does not respond to gentleness, love, and care or who does not thrive in a community where they are accepted and feel they belong. I believe that to truly belong we need to belong to ourselves first and foremost, being comfortable in our own skin and accepting ourselves for who we are.
As a facilitator of learning who works with young people that concept is my starting point. It is only when we belong to ourselves that we can reach out and belong to others, to a community. As humans, we thrive when we can be our true selves among others and unaffected by fears of potential judgement or rejection. Whether child or adult, we all need to learn to walk a mile in another’s shoes to value what others bring with them without judgement or blame. That is to me what true belonging to each other, and what growing a healthy community is about.
Curious about how I can support your school? Take a closer look at the work I do with educators, students, and families to make meaningful change.