Loganlea State High School STEM teacher Jamie Brown uses a variety of teaching strategies to cater to the diverse needs of his students physically, socially, culturally and intellectually. “Jamie’s teaching programs flow fluently and meaningfully through learning assessment and reporting cycles”, says lead mentor Marney Brown. His Year 7 students have maintained 100 per cent achievement levels of C or better in maths and science two years in a row.
He is developing a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) learning program at the school as part of his new role as the school’s academic excellence program coordinator and his units of teaching are designed around relevant issues in Logan, such as his unit on improving positive perceptions of vaccinations. Jamie is an active member of the school’s pedagogical framework working party. Jamie is currently visiting school’s within and out of Queensland in search of a suitable framework for his school. “Jamie is teaching a Year 7 excellence class which places emphasis on higher order thinking skills and preparing students for the rigour of Senior Assessment and Tertiary Entrance (SATE) subjects. Jamie has risen to the challenge by creating an early morning maths extension program for gifted students”, Marney says. In addition, Jamie has started his own YouTube channel which he uses to upload tutorial videos for his senior maths students. With iPads he has planned engaging activities, modelled the learning and required students to reflect on a weekly basis using keynote and audio recording. In collaboration with Griffith University he has begun a peer reviewed study on the role iPads and Apple pencils can have on student learning. He is also leading school and departmental workshops on effective iPad teaching strategies for his fellow teachers. Jamie works collaboratively with parents, students and fellow teachers. He articulates explicitly expectations and routines for his classroom and enforces positive behaviour. Jamie pursues professional development, reflection, coaching support and moderation processes for his students. “Jamie has been a school wide leader in embedding technology across faculties”, says Principal Brenton Farleigh. “When I arrived to Loganlea SHS this year, I found it hard to believe that Jamie is only in his third year of teaching. He has run professional development both for the leadership team and the whole school. He is an amazing asset to Loganlea SHS and the teaching profession”, Brenton says. Professional development has included Prime Futures with the Yumi-Deadly Maths (YDM) Centre (designed with the aim of increasing Indigenous participation and achievement using the unique mathematical pedagogies approach of (YDM) at QUT, a STEM specialist with the IMPACT Centre and STEM days at QUT. Congratulations Jamie on your nomination.