Sarah

I am Sarah Warry; I am a trainer on the Mathematics Growth Team for NSW Department of Education.

Thomas

I'm Thomas Pollard and I'm a trainer on the Mathematics Growth Team.

Kuldip

My name is Kuldip Khehra. I'm a member of the Mathematics Growth Team.

Jodie

My name is Jodie Hartmann. I'm a trainer with the Mathematics Growth Team and I'm based at Bowraville Central School.

Jovannah

I'm Jovannah Knight and I am a trainer on the Mathematics Growth Team.

Thomas

And basically I've just thoroughly enjoyed the change of pace, I suppose, and complexity around my role, it was working as a mathematics teacher in the school. I've enjoyed being able to broaden, I guess, the group of teachers that I've worked with and also the group of students.

Kuldip

A best way to describe my role is I teach students, but I also teach teachers at the same time as part of my role.

Jodie

At this school what I'm doing is leading professional learning with a range of different teachers across K to 12, working around mathematics teaching and learning and different approaches.

Jovannah

I am professionally the happiest I have ever, ever, ever been in this role.

Sarah

If you're thinking about applying to be on the Maths Growth Team, I don't think the question would be why do you want to be on the growth team? I think it's, well, why wouldn't you?

Thomas

If you're a math’s teacher that is at the point that they feel one, they want something a bit different and that they would like to have a broader reach with their skill set and to potentially take on a different challenge. That's personally I guess why I was attracted to it.

Kuldip

If you're passionate about mathematics and the teaching of it, this is a role for you. Not only do you teach students at the same time, but one of the best things is you get to teach teachers at the same time.

Jodie

For me, it really was that balance of all the things I love about teaching and it's about being in a classroom and being with students, but also having the opportunity to lead staff and to push boundaries and to do that in a way that is supported with evidence and good practice. It's just such a beautiful combination and it's unique. You don't see that in any other job.

Jovannah

In the last year and a half than I have, I think in my entire career in terms of getting involved in mathematics education research.

Sarah

The amount of opportunity you have in terms of building your own teaching pedagogies and supporting others in their teaching pedagogies, there is literally nothing to lose.

Thomas

I guess I would say to anyone considering a role on the Maths Growth Team, the team itself is obviously fantastic, but the skills you personally learn and can share with others within the team, but then the school context in which we serve.

Kuldip

When you teach teachers, one thing I've always loved about my job is watching teachers grow, so from where they started to where they end up and that's probably one of the most privileged journeys you can be on with someone, whether it only be for two weeks, whether it be for a year or two years. It's one of the best things to have a spectator seat and watch and do. Sometimes you have to switch between being a mentor and a coach, and that's OK as well if you're able to switch between the two. But having that impact on how someone does their practice, this is a role for you.

Jodie

I think I'd go back to thinking about why I wanted to be on the Mathematics Growth Team.

Jovannah

Looking at new strategies and pedagogy and other methodologies for being an even better math teacher than I already was is delightful and mind blowing.

Thomas

That ability or the opportunity rather to work collectively with the Maths Growth Team, but then the communities in which the team serve, there's just such a breadth of knowledge and resources and so forth that can be developed. And for an individual considering it, the professional learning that you gain is unparalleled. The experience and yeah, it's a challenge, but the challenge is, is highly worthwhile.

Kuldip

Well, one good thing about the team is we're all like-minded, as in we're all passionate about what we do.

Jodie

You need to push those boundaries. You're going to be in a position where you're going to be pushing your staff to push their boundaries. So it kind of starts now. So you need to fill in the application. You need to step outside your comfort zone just that little bit because that that sort of nervous feeling that you're getting, it kind of means that you're starting to look at that and you're on the right track because to be part of this team, it's special and you won't get that opportunity anywhere else.

[End of transcript]

Maria

I'm Maria Quigley and I'm on the Maths Growth Team.

Daniela

I'm Daniela Elford and I'm a specialist on the Mathematics Growth Team.

Matt

Hi, I'm Matt Whight. I'm part of the Mathematics Growth Team. I'm in the role of a trainer.

Leanne

I'm Leanne Hancock and I'm part of the Mathematics Growth Team and I'm based here at Gorokan High School.

Rachel

I am Rachel Winter; I'm on the Maths Growth Team.

Maria

I love working with teachers across both my own school and other schools.

Daniela

I love having this role because it gives me a chance to share my passion for mathematics with other teachers and with students.

Matt

So really, I'm here partially teaching, so teach a few classes. A lot of the rest of my time is working with other teachers. So, we're looking at evidence-based pedagogy, running little PL sessions, demonstrations, team teaching. It's quite a broad list if you like.

Leanne

One of the most important things I find in this role is the time to work with staff, the time to build rapport with staff and then the time to spend in their classrooms and helping them build engagement with their students. It's been a really good opportunity.

Rachel

I work with staff across a few schools to help develop their skills within the classroom and in content.

Maria

I feel really lucky to have had the opportunity to work with so many great teachers.

Daniela

I think this job is really one for people that are not just passionate about maths and teaching maths but are really passionate about helping other people. So that's one of the things that really drew me to it, was being able to help other people grow in their teaching. And I just don't think that there's really much better that you can do within this industry.

Matt

This role has been really great for me in terms of my growth as a teacher educator. It's actually given me the time to actually explore and delve deeper and trial things that in a normal role often doesn't exist.

Leanne

If you're passionate about teaching and learning, if your drive is around what I see is our core business, the actual pedagogy of what we're doing in the classroom and you enjoy that way over the admin side of things, then I would definitely put your hand up for it. But bear in mind, it is that really steep learning curve and it will it is life changing. I find it's been exceptionally different in my role here to what I've ever done previously.

Rachel

It's pretty hard not to go past the Maths Growth Team, like it's a pretty good job because you finally get the time to do the things that you want to do.

Maria

If there's someone that likes to share their practice. So, if it's someone that has already say, run professional learning at their school, run professional learning for maybe their network, perhaps run workshops for the maths association. And that's the sort of thing that they enjoy doing and they find fulfilling, then the growth team role is an excellent way of combining being a teacher, which I'm assuming they love doing because that's why they're here, with that opportunity to be able to share their practice with other teachers.

Matt

Actually being on the ground and being able to see what's changing in a classroom is what's really vital or really rewarding I would say as well.

Leanne

I think it's a great opportunity. I don't know if anywhere else this type of role exists. And so in my mind, it was a really good chance to improve my pedagogy. And one of my other goals is improve my delivery of professional learning and so this gets me right in there. I'm doing it all the time and I'm doing it across a number of schools but it's all that focused on instructional leadership.

Rachel

The feeling that you get back when staff feel good about themselves and they walk back in and they're like, oh my god, I've just had the best lesson of my life, it’s really, really rewarding.

[End of transcript]