​Craig Johnson has sparked a keen interest among his Yandina State School students in doing their best and taking pride in their work, says P&C President Amanda Ballinger.
 
The primary school teacher has been the driving force to create a strategic STEM approach at Yandina, which gives every student the opportunity to explore coding and robotics, within the CSC units.
 
Ms Ballinger says Craig’s drive to give students their own learning journeys through STEM has paid off in the enthusiasm his students show in going to school.
 
“My son Ethan has been very lucky to have Mr Johnson as his teacher this year,” she says.
 
“This has been the first year that he has been excited to come to school and [he now] takes pride in all his work and wants to give his best.”

​“At our ‘meet and greet’ in January, Mr Johnson informed all students that he expected them to do their best and never be afraid to ask questions.”
 
“In return for this, he would make himself available before school, during lunch and after school to answer questions and would make learning enjoyable.”
 
Yandina State School uses the School Improvement Hierarchy alongside the Cycle of Inquiry model to improve student performance and sharpen each child’s learning pathway.
 
Ms Ballinger says Craig, through making connections with the wider community, provides examples to his students of how STEM study could be applied in the real world.
 
“....Over 250 students have been provided with opportunities to see where their coding and robotics skills, along with their collaboration and communication skills, could take them into the future – whether via high school, TAFE, university studies or directly into the workforce,” Ms Ballinger says.
 
“These experiences allow the students to see value in what they are learning now and provide firm pathways for them to follow into their own futures.”
 
Congratulations Craig on your nomination.