3. CAREER DETAILS
B.A. (Hons.), Macquarie University
I completed my Degree, with Honours, graduating in 1988 having majored in Australian and Australian Economic History, Russian and European History with Lingusitics and Medieval History as minor interests.
Teaching at T.A.F.E.
During my second year of Honours, part-time, I was employed by Hornsby T.A.F.E. to teach Modern History and English in the Higher School Certificate Course and remedial English language Skills for Life to pre-Apprentice students in the Building Trades. This continued into 1988.
Appointment to The Hills Grammar School
In 1989 I was appointed to the position of History Teacher at The Hills Grammar School and remain employed by them to the present teaching Year 7 to 10 History and Senior Modern History as and when required to by the demands of the timetable
Since my appointment I have taught, and been responsible for the maintenance of, the Stage 5 Australian History courses including the re-writing of programs, units of work, work sheets, source booklets, tests and examinations for the three syllabuses used since 1989.
From 1991 to 2001 I was responsible for the maintenance of the 3 Unit Modern History Course.
Promotion to Senior Teacher 1
In 1996 I was appointed to the level of Senior Teacher One in recognition of my on-going commitment to best practice teaching at the School, my commitment to the Pastoral Care System and my involvement in Extra and Co-Curricular Activities
Higher School Certificate Marker
My appointment as a Higher School Certificate Marker in Modern History in 1996 allowed me to continue my professional development in this subject and I marked for two years.
School Certificate Marker
When the trials began with the first School Certificate Reference Test in Australian Geography, Australian History incorporating Civics and Citizenship in 1998 I applied for, and was granted, a marker's role in that examination and continued with this professional development until 2002.
Acting Head of History Department
For 1998 I was appointed an Acting Head of the History Department for that year, responsible for Stage 5 History and Senior Modern History while the Head of Department was on exchange. During that time I also completed all the administrative work required in a busy department.
Pilot Study using the Internet and Email
In 1998 I conducted a Pilot Study for the School in using the internet for teaching and learning and using email as a means of communication between students and staff. This Pilot Study was conducted with a Year 10 Australian History class and proved to be very successful. The students acquired knowledge and skills they otherwise would not have had access to and the School resolved to extend internet and email access to students. The Pilot Study web pages may be accessed through this link but none of the students' work is attached here as it was destroyed, at their request, at the end of the trial.
Filmed for the Association of Independent Schools
In 2001 my Year 9 Australian History Class and I were filmed for the Association of Independent Schools Professional Development Team on the theme of Teaching Strategies in History Teaching with an emphasis on the use of sources and using nominalization to change recount to account writing. A short excerpt may be accessed here which introduces the film's concept, ideas and overview.
First History Department Website
Also in 2001 I established a History website for the Department onto which was put general subject-related material for all subjects in the Department from Year 7 to Year 12 and both Ancient and Modern. As this website was on the internet and not the School intranet, it was available to students and their parents at all times thus providing constant and accessible support.
Assistant Head of Social Science Faculty
In 2002 I was appointed Assistant Head of Faculty to the Social Science Faculty responsible to the Heads of Commercial Studies, Geography and History. Whilst most of my role was general administration I was also encouraged to keep expanding the History Website into a Social Science Faculty Website, now incorporating material from all subjects in the Faculty.
Assistant Head of HSIE Faculty
The Departments were combined into one HSIE Faculty in 2003 under one Head of Faculty. I retained my position as Assistant Head of Faculty to the combined HSIE Faculty but was now made responsible for Stage 5 Geography, History and Asian Studies, and continued developing and maintaining the HSIE Faculty Website which I continue to the present day. This website is at www.ans.com.au/~hsie In addition, I assist the Head of Faculty in day to day administrative work. I was responsible for coordinating and presenting the subject material for the Faculty's School Registration in 2004. I also acted as a consultant for another School during their registration preparation on behalf of the Deputy Principal, The Hills Grammar School.
WebQuests - a new way of teaching and learning
During December, 2003 and January and February, 2004 I created eight WebQuests for the Association of Independent Schools Discovering Democracy Team under the auspices of a Quality Teaching Program Grant, QTP 3, Using Technology. One WebQuest, Federation, was done in conjunction with another member of staff. The remaining seven, on Roman Government, American Indians and William the Conqueror, for Stage 4, and Migration, Political Parties, the Dismissals and Heritage were all my own creation and two, Federation and the Dismissals, have since been trialled at the School. All the WebQuests may also be accessed through the HSIE Website at www.ans.com.au/!hsie (Teachers' Page) and are therefore "on the net" for others to use.
Consultant and Reviewer
in 2003 and 2004 I acted as a Consultant and Reviewer for Heinemann Education in their preparation of a new textbook for the new 2003 Syllabus in Stage 4 History.
Branching Out into Geography
Most recently I have provided a Unit of Work for the Association of Independent Schools, 7-10 Geography Professional Development CDROM completing that work in February, 2004. I have also been asked to complete another unit for the same CD which will be completed in September.
Macquarie University Travelling Fellowship
In August, 2004 I was awarded a Travelling Fellowship by Macquarie University as part of the Schools Partnership scheme and will be taking up this Fellowship in April, 2005. At that time I will be travelling through China researching the Qin and Han Dynasties, acquiring pictorial and print resources and, on my return, preparing a website, webquests, classroom materials and an electronic photo album which will be given to Macquarie University for distribution to their partner schools. An alternative version will also be made available through the HSIE website for other schools to use.
Quality Teaching Award
In November, 2004 I was awarded a Quality Teaching Award by the New South Wales Government in conjunction with the Australian College of Educators in recognition of my contribution to the development of ICT in the History Classroom and my general commitment to the teaching of History.
Writer for McGraw Hill
In 2006 I resigned from my teaching position and took a year's leave to take on the task of reviewing the excellent Experience of Nationhood for McGraw Hill and developing resources to complement this book for inclusion on a CD-ROM to be published with its new edition.
In addition I am writing two Teacher Resource Black Line Master Books with accompanying CD-ROMs. One is to complement Experience of Nationhood and the other in support of Experience World History.
These books are all due out in October/November, 2006.
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