Staff 

‘Shine a Light On' 

‘Shine a Light On' provides our College community a snapshot into the professional lives of our staff and what makes them ‘tick’ on a daily basis. Whilst we know that our staff do an amazing job, it is not as often that we publicly acknowledge the work that they do and the many wonderful ways that they contribute to the learning journeys of our students. 

This week at the College we are profiling Mathematics, VCAL and Homeroom teacher, Felicia Limogiannis.

What originally inspired you to become a teacher and what motivates you now?

I studied Mathematics at University and it was never my plan to be a teacher. My uni friends went and got jobs doing analytics or took on honours programs. Neither of these sparked an interest in me. 

On the last day of lectures, a friend turned around and asked, “What are you going to do next?”. “I don’t know. I guess I'll start applying at firms for a job.” I replied. I really didn’t know what I wanted to do next and really hadn’t considered options. My friend replied, “Our friend who graduated last year has just become a teacher. Want to do a teaching degree with me? ACU has spots.”, and that was it! I called ACU and snuck in as a very last minute applicant in a Graduate Diploma in Secondary Education with a Double Mathematics Major. I had done plenty of tutoring in the past and thought why not. Through the practicals, I got to experience what it was like being a Mathematics teacher and realised this was the profession for me. 

Over the years, I have actually found curriculum design to be a fun experience. I have really enjoyed being able to share my love of manipulating numbers with my students, giving them the opportunity to find the joy as well. 

What is the most rewarding part of being a teacher at Kilbreda College 

There are too many 'parts' to describe! I have found that the 'light bulb' moments for my students are my favourite. When a student has found the current concept challenging, you can see them 'nutting it out', making the connections and then all of a sudden, they light up! They get an instant glow about them. They smile, laugh and bounce in their seat because they 'get it'. Then they rush to the next problem just to prove that they can do it. Once they have proved to themselves that they can do it, they will actually help their friends and explain the process in their own words. These are the moments that I treasure. 

As a VCAL Numeracy teacher, I am always trying to find exciting ways to share real world Mathematics with my classes. It is the outcome of these experiences that are the most rewarding. 

This year, I decided to run an activity in class where the students made 'Cookie Mix Jars', which were given to a significant person in their lives. With the spare jars and ingredients, the Senior VCAL class decided to gift some jars to staff. From this one simple activity, the students felt joy in giving a gift to someone important to them and they were excited to give a gift to their favourite teachers. The biggest impact was the response from the teachers and the recipients of the jars. Since that activity, I have received a number of emails from staff and parents thanking me for the opportunity to bake with their children and from staff who used the opportunity to bake with theirs. Knowing that I started a chain reaction of joy is a reminder of how one simple act can change the lives of many, even if it is for a moment. That is what makes being a teacher rewarding.

Tanya Kolb

Assistant Principal:

Staff