Reasons for Entering a Masters of Education...

We were asked to construct a "Professional Learning Statement" for the first subject Launching Learning. This was mine.

1. General introduction

A first generation Australian from a migrant family who is very active and likes to be busy. Excited by the innovative and entrepreneurial nature of life I believe that there is plenty to experience. Although, safe by nature. Always wanting to learn more and find more effective ways of doing things my patience with the closed minded and wasteful runs thin. A very visual learner who is inspired by other people, other experiences and everything that surrounds us I would rather do it than talk about it.

2. Professional Context Statement

Apart from the normal teaching load of an Economics, Business Studies teacher I am leading the Learning Environments Committee and the Touch Football Sport Programs at St Vincent’s College. I have been teaching in the NSW Secondary Education System for the past 12 years after a stint in the marketing/events industry for 6 years.

I enjoy the teaching aspect and the being in the classroom but I constantly grapple with the many inefficiencies of the educational framework I work in. I do get bored very easily. I believe there are many teaching professionals, school councils, governing bodies and educational suppliers who have exploited the system, created more bureaucracy and have driven the already archaic system backwards.

The main area of concern is the accreditation system for teaching professionals which is merely a temporary and ineffective system designed to make up for the mistakes BOSTES made years ago to deal with the shortage of teachers.

In dealing with this dilemma I have focused on areas where I can make a difference. With my interest in everything design I have chosen to focus on making learning spaces more effective in education and developing more effective coaching instructions for developing skills.

With an entrepreneurial spirit and a willingness to try things I am exploring other avenues where I can best utilize my skills. Secondary teaching can be very monotonous and at the moment I have developed an interest in training within the corporate setting. I see a gap in the market, with many companies downsizing Human Resource Departments and outsourcing training programs. In taking a bigger risk with the same skills I think the startup industry would be a good starting point, especially with the Governments focus on innovation, services and research.

Always learning myself, I am a big believer of practicing what you preach. I am feeling more and more like I am wasting my time in secondary schools. Education institutions don’t want to change, they tick boxes. I would love to spend more time reading and listening to all the interesting things that are happening in the World and make a difference.

3. Personal Learning Profile

As a young kid growing up with two siblings in a multicultural suburb of Belmore, I was always exposed to different cultures and ideas. Learnings about how different cultures thought and went about their business. Particular learnings about living with different people, compromise, hard work and the general values of growing up in a migrant family.

With no sense of entitlement, I learnt that effort would always rise above skills. Attending a multicultural pre school, primary school and secondary school the effort would be sometimes misguided. I wanted to do everything – sport, make money, be educated, travel and hang out with friends.

With never being given any official instruction on how to participate in sport, build a cart, deal with people etc. with many of my skills and learnings have been self taught from witnessing, experiencing, trial and error. E.g. Climbing fences to break into training sessions, self invites to events to experience how people conduct themselves.

Always wanting to enjoy life I struggled with the balance between sport, academics and lifestyle. Organization was becoming more important than priorities. I tried to find the time for doing everything rather than prioritizing. Patience was non existent. I put this down to unfortunately having no mentors to look up to. My parents were of the same mould. As a result, I hated education and the construct of education in the 90s because I thought it being very restrictive but I loved learning. I saw learning more as experiencing.

Also growing up in a religious family I struggled with the hypocrisy of religion. Discovering the idea of being agnostic I believed there was more outside my immediate surroundings and loved going walkabouts. I developed street smarts, spatial awareness and many societal understandings without religious bias or bigotry. I did get a bit loose – alcohol, experimental.

Playing professional sport at a young age I needed to develop a mature attitude and had to get my life sorted in order to survive. The sporting career and my competitive spirit ended quickly as I didn’t like the circles that I was involved in. To the credit of my parents they appealed to my senses and I completed my Bachelor of Education (Human Movement) at Sydney University whilst working fulltime in the sportswear and events industry. I felt the course was very theory based and not being stimulated by the course I undertook a marketing and management diploma in sports, Entertainment APM Training Institute. To be honest I was just ticking boxes. I didn’t think it was interesting but just easy. Means to an end. But I didn’t know what the end was?

I started to witness the disconnect between levels of education - between primary, secondary, tertiary and professional life. You can’t cage a doer. I think they call this ADHD these days.

This is where I developed a thirst for learning in something interesting. As a result of work experience and working with industry professionals I was rewarded Dux of the Year with a High Distinction Average in the sports management course.

In and amongst a lot of travel interstate and internationally, I started to be enticed by the bright lights of events. Over the next two years of university I took on roles with Fuzzy Entertainment and The Hordern Pavilion working as an event manager concentrating on ticketing and retail sales. I enhanced my project management skills with experience and realized that I need to work with people and not on my own. Interactions with colleagues and the public fuelled my interest in events. Crowd management and dispute resolution became my forte but I really didn’t enjoy those aspects of the events. I loved the developing and strategic planning behind running events.

With a thirst of gaining more industry experience I took on a role as a sales representative for a small agency selling Champion Sportswear and Kappa Sports Wear. I quickly learnt that I was too nice to be a salesman. I enjoyed visiting vendors etc. and the travel but I didn’t believe in the product or the brand. I decided to change this and took on a role setting up a marketing department for the agency which worked with suppliers, vendors and consumers to build a brand reputation. The joys of a small business run by a rich Sydney family soon took its toll and the professionalism was soon replaced by nepotism etc. During this time, I took a sabbatical and worked as a contractor to the IOC on the Sydney Olympics. My role was to supporting the marketing and hospitality teams ensuring the best possible experience for clients of the International Olympic Committee. E.g. RFU, Channel 7, NBC.

I dabbled with contract work in the Sydney events market as well as casual teaching range of secondary subjects, including: PDHPE, Business Studies, Art, Economics, Languages, Humanities, Mathematics, and Science. I stilled enjoyed my sport and took on many coaching roles included rugby, basketball, touch football and soccer teams at Newington College, Randwick Boys and Kingsgrove North High. I was still searching for what I wanted to do. I wish someone told me to learn and and enjoy the process. It was all consuming.

In the beginning of 2002 I was not content with a small handful of clients and decided to gain more experience developing ideas and selling these ideas. I undertook a role as an Advertising Account Executive working for 6 females within an account team. I learn the differences with working with men and women. Working at Whybin Lawrence TBWA/Tequila the team worked on implementing projects and building client relationships with Sony Playstation, Mars, Dolmio, Absolut, Bulmers & Snickers.

I learnt in advertising the fickle nature of marketing and of the people involved. People were not working in teams they were competing with each other to get some where fast. I did feel I was more of an admin assistant but did learn a lot about design and the impact of different marketing strategies. More importantly, I didn’t want to be a dick.

In 2003, using the contacts from the events industry I gained a contract for the IRB working on the Rugby World Cup 2003. The Corporate Relations team we were called but I felt I was making a difference to normal proceedings coming up with new contingency plans and thinking on my feet. We looked after corporate clients from the RFU, Channel 7 and NBC. I had a developed a thirst for the hype surrounding major events and became more pragmatic. I still did like be prepared rather than having surprises.

During this time of the unknown, I took on semi professional sport again with a stint in Aussie Rules. I definitely knew how to have a good time and developed some lasting relationships with people I would of never of dreamed of being friends with. The support and close knit community definitely changed my take on life and most were from interstate. I learnt to love the game of Australian rules and the family culture.

I felt like I was being used abused in Advertising (not a lot of money and long hours – your time was dictated by others) and I began making in roads into the major event circuit. Where its who you know and not what you know. I developed some working relationships with those already entrenched in the industry and networked with everyone. This is where I made it my mission to know everyone and meet everyone. We took a risk and left Australia and took up a contract with the UEFA Euro 2004 Championships as a Venue Merchandise Manager in Lisbon. The role involved managing game day operations at both the Estadio De Luz and the Estadio De Alvalade in Lisbon. A highlight was coordinating over 70 staff to ensure customer service, marketing, sales objectives were met.

After a small travelling holiday, I brought my learnings to work with the IOC again at the Athens Olympic Games as an event manager. The role was to manage the venue retailing operations of the Athens Olympic Stadium. Focusing on the operation of eight outlets during key events, such as the opening and closing ceremonies, athletics and the football final.

Through observation and the effective use of spare time I began to learn how to take a good photo. It wasn’t hard to take a good photo during a plethora of events and goings on. This started my passion as a freelance photographer. I always knew it was going to be a side gig. Everyone was a photographer with new digital technology.

During the Greek Olympics I made contact with the Nike Global Marketing Director. This is where I learnt how to be patient and worked on being persistent. I moved to the UK and began my journey with Nike Sportswear. Unfortunately, a good thing was cut short and I learnt how politics worked in large corporations. I was made redundant and I went back to teaching to pay my way.

The experience with government schools in the London was an experience I don’t wish upon my worst enemy. It was being like a prison warden and I didn’t feel like I was teaching. I taught at a school where my old high school math teacher was teaching. I gave her so much grief when I was in school. That was a frosty two weeks.

After a stint as a Contiki tour guide, I yearned for more routine and a normal life. I accepted an invite to come back to Australia and I didn’t return to the UK. I spent 3 weeks in Noosa soul searching and then took on some teaching roles after some conversations with my old university friends. They were encouraging and welcoming. The money was also too good to refuse and not to mention the holidays. After a few short contracts I secured a role at an all boys private school where I stayed for 9-10 years.

The first three years I was enthusiastic and did everything. I travelled every holiday and really enjoyed my travel. I learnt how to travel on my own during this time. Everyone was telling how much my life was great. But I was missing a companion.

Always one to keep busy I always had an idea and worked on projects outside of work including: private tutoring, building online resources, presenting at HSC Conferences and marking HSC papers.

In my spare time I would also work as a contractor for different things like: carpentry, landscape gardening real estate sales etc. whilst teaching at The Scots College. I was an enthusiastic and qualified secondary teacher with sound corporate experience. I started in PDHPE, dabbled with being a librarian and ended up working with business studies and economics students. I was very lucky to have mentors who cared – hance why I gravitated to the business studies department.

Key highlights include: working with special needs students, coaching talented athletes and setting up the Inaugural Scots College Golf Program.

I reinvented myself a couple of times and I was having fun and enjoying teaching. I thought I would be there all my life. I lived the lifestyle which meant surfing in the morning, school (which didn’t become a priority after being jaded), golf after school then socializing with mates in the evenings. I taught myself how to play golf and as a single man I did OK.

I saw a niche in TVET subjects at school as I didn’t think there was many options for lesser able students which formal education didn’t suit. I upskilled in a few TVET subjects and gained a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment.

Then my social network and support network at school started to leave. Some on their own accord and some got shafted. I tried to more and more to upskill without any support. Change was imminent and I was becoming disgruntled. The school started to head in a culture of nepotism, entitlement, contradiction and poor leadership.

In 2011, by chance I met my now wife and life was pretty good. I moved from the beaches to the city. In the end I endured one of the worst years of my life professionally dealing with poor management, insecure staff and back stabbing etc. I lost all faith in the school etc. In that process my learning of persistence shone through and I took a voluntary redundancy after knowing the day before that I got a job with another school for the following year. Winner, winner, chicken dinner. For half a year I started to build my breath of work as I completed my time of employment. and I undertook a Certificate in the IB Business Management (Category 1) International Baccalaureate course.

During this year I also had the best time of my life socially – got married and had the greatest bux of all time in Las Vegas. I learnt there are more important things in life than work. It was the end of an era and the start of a new one.

I enjoyed the change to a catholic school and although they were in transition I enjoyed the idea of reflection which was the focus of the school. I undertook a role as a HSIE Teacher - Lead teacher for the HSC Business Studies and Preliminary Economics courses whilst also teaching Year 9-10 Geography. I had an active involvement in the Boarding School Study Program and Community programs such as Sydney Night Patrol.

Looking for areas to focus on outside of teaching I co-chaired the Learning Environments Committee. This involved being the lead researcher for the building and learning environments projects. Writing proposals for the College strategic plan, future proofing classroom design, exploring effective learning for students and improving College work flows.

Hesitantly, I became the Head of Touch Football. Coordinating and leading the SVC Touch Football Program. Roles include: Implementing effective training programs, team management, supporting coaches and player development. Along with undertaking the HSIE Head of Department role. Coordinating and leading HSIE subjects including Business Studies, Commerce, Economics, Geography, Ancient History, Modern History, Legal Studies, Society and Culture. Supporting colleagues with writing and administering exams, coordinating and writing reports, setting academic standards and activating learning and student development.

I wanted to teach overseas and the opportunity came up last year. A friend was teaching at the AIS in Singapore. But we learnt a few things about the IB system, English run schools, and ourselves. We also wanted kids and that would be difficult in a place like Singapore. Using reflection, we had to make a life decision and whilst enjoying the fruits of a renovation etc. we decided to stick around.

I needed some guidance professionally. The novelty of something new was wearing off. I know what I am good at but don’t know where to place my focus. Direction came in the form of a father/son relationship. An ex-principal/consultant in education asked me to mentor his son who following a similar path. I really enjoyed it so I explored avenues such as undertaking a Masters in Learning. Still no sense of direction but plenty motivation to do something about it.

This year I am working in an organization which is stuck in tradition and doesn’t give much room for movement or improvement. Then the learnings I believe is very similar of all secondary schools in NSW. The frustration with executives and the lack of change and foresight.

I need collaboration with motivated people as a constant source of motivation. Hence why I am exploring options which would provide this all the time or most of the time.

4. MyCourse Learning Goals

• Be able to communicate learning ideas and influence the status quo.

• Work with individuals from think tanks and the UTS creative intelligence and innovation courses.

• Complete a business ideas and proposal course.

• Enhance research skills and academic writing style.

• Have plenty of research backing up theories and new ways of thinking.

• Have my say heard, making a difference and not feeling helpless.

• Network with different industries and faculties to find my true calling with learning.

The plan of attack is to stay in secondary education and try institutional changes from time to time (concerned that I am just delaying and shifting my concerns). Maybe looking at improving teacher accreditation and implementing more learning than just mere box ticking.

The other is to have a crack at becoming a training consultant and change agent for corporations or create a online training product which allows businesses to set up and monitor learning matrix’s. Connect the gap between different learning and educational stages.

After conversations in the first block, I would like to concentrate on bridging the gap developing more direct links between learning in all forms of education.

Another area of interest is linking qualitative social theory and the contemporary data centric new World.