The Girton eLink

Meet a Teacher

Mrs Kerrie Stewart

Life before Girton

 

I completed my Diploma of Secondary Teaching in 2004 and commenced teaching at Girton in 2005. My previous working life commenced in 1982, after completing a Bachelor of Business (Accounting). The following summarises the varied positions held in the Accounting profession:

  • Accountant at an International Insurance Broker (Hannan Insurance),
  • Corporate Accountant at a large public company (Humes Ltd which was taken over by the Smorgan family Group of Companies),
  • Various Part-time Accounting/Bookkeeping positions at local Bendigo businesses. Sports Centre, Loan Broker, and Pizza Restaurant to name a few,
  • Accountant at Provincial Home Loans,
  • Administrative position at Sandhurst Trustees and
  • Accountant at AFS and Associates

What I Love about Teaching

The teaching profession is vastly different to any other profession. Every day, in fact every class is different with different challenges. Engaging the students in the content of every class is the focus and seeing the students enjoy learning is extremely rewarding. The “light bulb moment”, when a student “gets it” is very gratifying.

Helping students and their families navigate secondary schooling and the challenges it can bring is also very satisfying. Seeing the students rise to challenges and overcome difficulties is rewarding. Saying “goodbye” at the end of Year 12, I am bursting with pride for them and the young adults they have become.

Girton Grammar School is a wonderful place to work. The students are respectful and their families are extremely supportive. The collegial nature of the staff is far beyond any work place that I have experienced.

What do you like best about the subject/s you teach?

I teach Accounting and have taught other Business subjects in the past; Legal Studies and Business Management. These subjects are relevant to all students as in the future they will have interactions with the Business world. Some legal knowledge will also help them have a better understanding of social and political current events in the media.

The Business subjects all help students make some sense of the world around them. That business decisions have consequences and that all stakeholders should be considered when making business decisions.

 

My favourite classroom activity

As funny as it may seem, I enjoy the more traditional type of activity in the classroom. Demonstrating a particular treatment of an Accounting transaction on the board, explaining the theory behind the treatment and then seeing the students practice the new skill with confidence and satisfaction that they acquired a new skill.

My favourite activity in the past has been taking students on excursions. Taking the theoretical lessons from the text books to real life situations; such as a real trial in the Supreme Court or visiting a prison and speaking to prisoners at Loddon Prison. These experiences make the class room learning relevant.

 

What difference can good teaching make?

Having a positive relationship with the students is the key to good teaching. As the headmaster often states; “From the heart to the head”. Respect, given to and given by the students, develops a bond that makes learning enjoyable. Students that enjoy class, in a safe environment, will no doubt gain a deeper understanding of the subject matter and have confidence that they can succeed. This will help nurture a lifelong love of learning that will undoubtedly benefit them in the future.

 

Other Hats

I am currently Head of Millward House and since 2014, I have been involved in the Volleyball Co-curricular activity at the School. Not a Volleyballer myself, I mainly undertake a supervisory role, attending training on a Tuesday night and games on a Thursday night. I have attended National Volleyball Tournaments in the past. Prior to this, Netball was my Co-Curricular activity.

My time outside work is spent evenly divided between our home in Bendigo and Torquay. I escape (with my husband) to the beach at each opportunity where our time is spent walking on the beach, kayaking, being a passenger on my husband’s Harley Davidson Motor Bike and socialising with family and friends. Pleasure time in Bendigo is spent renovating my house and garden and of course socialising again with family and friends.