EXCELLENCE IN BEGINNING TO TEACH
Sometimes it’s difficult for Sam Clark’s mentor and Head of Department, Nicole McRedmond, to remember that this Mathematics and Physics teacher is still a beginning practitioner.
Sam’s deep content and curriculum knowledge, professionalism, and leadership skills have meant that within a few short years, he has progressed from being a preservice teacher to becoming a highly respected member of staff and a favourite amongst the students and parents at Varsity College.
Sam has been described by his colleagues as an exemplary classroom practitioner. An observer in his classroom would likely witness Sam draw from his excellent subject knowledge and deep appreciation for how students learn, to promote higher-order and critical thinking and self-regulation amongst students.
“Sam was born to be an educator”, explains Nicole.
He is committed to providing each student with the best learning opportunity and will work tirelessly with students until they have fully understood a particular concept. In recognising the challenge some students find with his subject areas, Sam has developed outside-hours tutorial sessions to support his students, including online options for those unable to attend.
In short, going ‘above and beyond’ is Sam’s ordinary practice.
Outside the classroom, Sam is an invaluable support for his colleagues and the school. He has developed a range of ICT resources to assist students to visualise concepts in Physics, led reviews of whole curriculum units, implemented flipped learning pedagogy in his Physics classes, and developed short workshops and learning resources to support engagement with the eLearning platform, Blackboard.
COVID-19 presented challenges for teachers across the country, and like others, Sam took these challenges in his stride. He adopted a leadership role to support colleagues to transition their practice online and developed a range of resources to support continuity of learning during that challenging time. Sam has also become a valued member of the school’s Expert Teaching Team and played a key role in the development of the school’s new Pedagogical Framework.
Sam has been described by his colleagues as a young man who always displays integrity, professionalism and maturity beyond his years. He is an incredible asset to the teaching profession.
Congratulations Sam on being shortlisted for a TEACHX Excellence in Beginning to Teach Award.