Winners Announced For The Australian Awards For Teaching Excellence

Embargoed until 10am, Thursday 29 October 2009

Creativity, commitment honoured in teaching awards

Creative approaches to teaching, outstanding efforts in student outcomes and innovative achievements in school management have been recognised in this year's Australian Awards for Teaching Excellence, presented in Canberra today by the Minister for Education, Julia Gillard.

The awards celebrate high-level accomplishments by individuals and schools and recognise the pivotal role that the teaching profession plays in providing quality education for young Australians. The presentation ceremony, held today in the Great Hall of Parliament House, Canberra, coincides with World Teachers' Day on 30 October 2009.

Six best national achievement awards were made to teachers, principals, support staff and schools. A seventh national award for excellence in information and communication technologies was made by the Minister. In addition, a further 58 teaching professionals, school staff and schools were highly commended in the Australian Awards for Teaching Excellence.

"This year's awards show once again the enormous contribution that Australia's teachers make to shaping an educated, harmonious, forward-looking society," the Chair of Teaching Australia, Dr Gregor Ramsey, said.

"Those who have been honoured for their work today have pioneered new, imaginative approaches to teaching, they have helped school leavers and new settlers to establish successful lives, and they have fostered productive links between their school and the community in which it thrives.

"They have created wonderful learning opportunities for their students and brought learning to life, whether in language and culture, in the sciences or technology, or sport. They have motivated their students to succeed.

"It is significant that, on the eve of World Teachers' Day, teaching professionals and schools right across the nation have been recognised in the awards -- a clear indication of the high quality of teaching that Australians enjoy. It shows how well Australia is served by its teachers, principals and school staff," Dr Ramsey said.

Further information:
The full list of winners with citations is available at www.teachingaustralia.edu.au
Photographs will also be available from this site from the afternoon of Thursday 29 October onwards.

Media enquiries:
Shaun Rohrlach,
Manager Communications
02 6125 7651,
0438 739 488 or
[email protected]

Teaching Australia - Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership is an independent national body, funded by the Australian Government to strengthen and advance the teaching profession.

1800 337 872 www.teachingaustralia.edu.au

Awards overview

What are the Australian Awards for Teaching Excellence?

The Australian Awards for Teaching Excellence celebrate teaching and its contribution to our nation. They are the peak national awards for the teaching profession, supported by the Australian Government.

The Awards recognise the pivotal role of the teaching profession in delivering high quality education for young Australians. They honour exceptional teachers, including teacher leaders and beginning teachers, principals and support staff who work creatively and tirelessly to make a difference to the lives and opportunities of young people.

The national awards were introduced in 2003 and renamed this year. The new imagery is celebratory, spreading out to eight external rings, across the eight state and territories of the nation.

Teaching Australia, in partnership with the Australian College of Educators, has had a central role managing the awards on behalf of the Australian Government.

The nomination and selection process directly involves members of the teaching profession from all sectors, states and territories, and levels of schooling across Australia.

The Australian Government provides more than $1 million annually to reward outstanding individuals and schools in six categories. Individual winners receive a cash prize, with a further cash prize for their school. Winners in the school category receive a cash prize for their school.

The Awards for Teaching Excellence categories are:

* Excellence by a Teacher
* Excellence in Teacher Leadership
* Excellence by a Principal
* Excellence by a Beginning Teacher
* Excellence by a Support Staff Member
* Excellence by a School and its Community

A seventh award, for Excellence in ICT, is made by the Minister for Education.

An important aspect of the awards from their inception has been raising the status of the teaching profession and schools by:

* recognising and celebrating teachers, principals, support staff and schools who in different ways make an exceptional contribution to their students, their school and/or the wider community;

* developing a better understanding and greater appreciation among Australians of the skills and quality of the teaching profession; and

* providing professional learning by giving award recipients opportunities to share their knowledge and experience with their peers.

SOURCE: Teaching Australia