Eumemmerring College teacher Debra Gaudoin made the final five in the Herald Sun Teacher of the Year Awards. 21982 Picture: Meagan Rogers.By Monique Ebrington
EUMEMMERRING College English teacher Debra Gaudoin made the final five in the Herald Sun Teacher of the Year Awards.
In May, Ms Gaudoin’s colleagues nominated her for the Secondary Teacher of the Year award, which recognises excellence and leadership in teaching.
“When the assistant principal approached me and said, ‘we’d like to nominate you’ it was really very touching,” Ms Gaudoin said.
Her colleagues nominated her for the award, believing that she deserved the nomination for her commitment in running the select entry accelerated learning program at the school as well as her leadership work with staff.
Although Ms Gaudoin wasn’t the overall winner, she already felt the nomination and her career to-date was award enough.
Ms Gaudoin said she hasn’t considered changing professions or schools since completing her last teaching rounds at the Gleneagles campus of Eumemmerring College 10 years ago.
“I like that I’m always learning and that I get to work with such a supportive principal, team and colleagues. I love working with young people, I love encouraging young people to learn more and push the boundaries of their learning,” she said.
Since her nomination in May, Ms Gaudoin was short-listed and required to attend a panel interview at the office of the Herald Sun and Weekly Times.
Not intimidated by the panel of judges, which consisted of teachers and representatives from the newspaper, Ms Gaudoin simply highlighted the variety of activities she had become involved with through the college.
She said her nomination was the best part of the process as it compelled her to reflect on her teaching career so far.
“It was a lovely experience not having to prove anything, just shining the light on the work that I had been doing with the students.
The interview makes you reflect on your whole teaching career – I came out smiling thinking about the whole experience,” she said.
The winners for all teaching categories were announced last Friday at a formal dinner in the Melbourne Cricket Club members’ dining room.
