Thursday, October 28 2021
Six of the state’s most outstanding teachers and school leaders have been announced as winners of prestigious teaching awards, as Australia celebrates World Teachers’ Day tomorrow.
The winners include a principal who has led a stunning school transformation and introduced state-first initiatives now available to students statewide, a teacher who helps her students serve their local, national and international communities, and a teacher who has used her own personal experience to change the lives of Cherbourg and Murgon students and champion inclusion.
One teacher is breaking down learning barriers for pupils with learning difficulties – defying stereotypes in the process. Another teacher is helping students lead the world in using cutting-edge technology to analyse global problems including Ebola and Malaria in Africa, food security and environmental issues. A sixth teacher still has former students approaching her decades on about her lessons, and provides exceptional support not only for her pupils, but also for parents, preservice teachers, and colleagues.
The winners of this year’s Queensland College of Teachers (QCT) TEACHX Awards are:
Excellence in Beginning to Teach Award: Ariel Hsu-Chia Chen, St James College.
Excellence in Teaching Award: Elizabeth Hitchmough, Edens Landing State School.
Excellent Leadership in Teaching and Learning Award: Michael ‘Mick’ Hornby, Mabel Park State High School.
Innovation in Teaching Award: Brett Dascombe, Wavell State High School.
Outstanding Contribution to School Community Award: Elyse Johnston, St Laurence’s College.
Outstanding Contribution to Teaching Award: Zara Hebbel, Goomeri State School.
QCT Board Chair, Professor Emeritus Wendy Patton, said each winner highlighted the important difference registered teachers make in the life of the state.
“Congratulations to all of our winners. Each has made a significant difference to the lives of not only their students, but also their students’ families and carers, their colleagues, their entire school communities, and in some cases, students statewide,” Emeritus Professor Patton said.
“They are a reflection of the strength of the teaching profession in Queensland, which in 2021 is celebrating 50 years of having a teacher registration authority, which helps to uphold and maintain the standards of this important profession,” she said.
“Tomorrow, as Queensland celebrates the important work of teachers on World Teachers’ Day, I encourage all Queenslanders to say ‘thank you’ to a teacher who inspires, or has inspired, them.”
The 2021 TEACHX Awards winners, who were chosen from 29 finalists and more than 200 nominations, were announced late today at a virtual awards ceremony. The TEACHX Awards are the only Queensland teaching awards that recognise teachers from all schooling sectors and the early childhood education sector, across all subjects.
The QCT would like to acknowledge, and thank, its generous sponsors—TUH Health Fund, RemServe and Schoolzine—for their support of the TEACHX Awards, Queensland teachers, and the profession statewide.
For further information please contact Tanya Chilcott, QCT Media and Communications Manager: Tanya.Chilcott@qct.edu.au (M) 0499 105 363 (W) 07 3377 4776.
The QCT is the state regulatory authority for the teaching profession in Queensland, which registers, regulates and promotes teachers.