The best teachers are able to tap into every child’s unique strengths and interest and help to support their weaknesses in order to see them grow. ​ For the Junior Health and Physical Education (HPE) students at Sheldon College, this is certainly the case. Their teacher, Joshua McHugh, sees every student’s potential, and constantly strives to help them to achieve their maximum potential academically, socially and emotionally.
As a specialist primary teacher, Joshua is in a unique position which requires him to operate across multiple curriculums and ages. However, rather than considering this a challenge, he prides himself on being able to adapt the content to suit the diverse needs of his students. Every student is supported and challenged in HPE at Sheldon College. Joshua is consistently exploring and developing interesting ways to engage and challenge the students in his class. To do so, he constantly extends himself through his professional development, and is currently enrolled in a Master of Education program at Southern Cross University. Through this program, not only is Joshua developing his leadership capacity, but he is also able to apply learning to improve his current teaching practice. Through the positive relationships that he has built within the Sheldon College Community in a short time, Joshua's knowledge of the students that are in front of him generates an engaging and valuable environment for learning. He takes full advantage of the HPE syllabus and focuses on the promotion of? consistent reflective practice and continuous improvement. Organically, this style of teaching promotes risk taking and highly collaborative learning. Joshua has added significant value to the Sheldon College community. Through his participation in the Fathers' Committee, Joshua has organised a number of important community events, including the Sheldon College Fathers’ Camp-Out and Comedy Night. In addition, he has played an integral role in supporting families in the community. Joshua has also recently assumed the role of Head of Year, which has further allowed the demonstration of his leadership capacity and potential. Sheldon College is certainly fortunate to have such a committed HPE teacher. ​ Congratulations on your nomination, Joshua!