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Michelle Ragen
​Brisbane Grammar School

Picture
Passionate teacher Michelle Ragen is instilling the importance of learning and community service in the next generation of young men at Brisbane Grammar School (BGS).

Ms Ragen’s ability to engage boys in learning and her championing of professional development are just some of the reasons she is a finalist in this year’s Queensland College of Teachers TEACHX Excellence in Teaching Award.

Enjoying a diverse career in education, Ms Ragen first taught in the small country town of Atherton. She has also served as an Education Officer in the Australian Army, teaching literacy skills to soldiers from all over the country.
Her early teaching roles emphasised the value of professional development and reinforced the need to personalise student learning, make a connection and work towards outcomes. These are lessons she carries in her work at BGS.
Ms Ragen said some of the best advice she has received in her 18 years at BGS is to teach the individual student. “Regardless of what you’re teaching, you’re teaching the students, you’re considering their development and you’re considering what they need.”

With that advice in mind and building upon previous experience, the English teacher gets to know her students and what engages them. “It’s essential that students develop the ability to think independently, so they can make critical, well-informed decisions and contribute meaningfully to society,” she said.

“As a teacher at an all-boys school, ensuring our students are active participants in their learning is a priority. We create complex learning tasks that require collaboration and independent thinking. Through structured, cooperative learning tasks, our students are encouraged to share their views and offer feedback to each other. This assists the boys to refine their thinking skills and develop their confidence.”

Ms Ragen aims to instil a sense of public purpose in her students and has led them in fundraising for the World’s Greatest Shave and the World Vision Backpack Challenge. BGS has raised almost $100,000 for World Vision over the past three years.

Community service has been modelled by Ms Ragen over the years, an example is when she went to Dili to teach English to East Timorese adults for two weeks in 2000. In more recent years, she has joined BGS students by participating in the Backpack Challenge.

Being nominated by her peers for the TEACHX Excellence in Teaching Award has led her to reflect on 28 years of teaching. The former English Teachers Association of Queensland (ETAQ) executive member is grateful for her career so far and is still inspired to improve learning experiences for students.

In 2011, Ms Ragen received the ETAQ Peter Botsman (school category) Award for exemplary contribution to and excellence in English education in Queensland.

As a finalist, Ms Ragen received $500 for professional development. 
​
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  • Home
    • TEACHX AWARDS >
      • Beginning to Teach Award Nominees 2019
      • 2019 TEACHX Winners
      • 2019 TEACHX Finalists
      • 2019 TEACHX Nominees >
        • OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO SCHOOL COMMUNITY AWARD NOMINEES 2019
        • Excellence in Teaching Award Nominees 2019
        • Innovation in Teaching Award Nominees 2019
        • Excellent Leadership in Teaching and Learning Award Nominees 2019
        • Outstanding Contribution to Teaching Award Nominees 2019
  • Teacher Stories
    • Teaching graduates meet tough standards
    • Rachel Downie
    • The importance of teachers
    • Marsden State High School has the answer to keeping beginning teachers in the classroom
    • Exceptional support for early career teachers in Far North Queensland
    • QBECT
    • 2018 Awards >
      • 2018 Winners
      • 2018 Finalists
      • 2018 Nominees >
        • Excellence in Beginning to Teach Award
        • Excellent Leadership in Teaching and Learning Award
        • Excellence in Teaching Award
        • Outstanding Contribution to Teaching Award
        • Outstanding Contribution to School Community Award
    • 2017 Awards >
      • 2017 Winners
      • 2017finalists
      • 2017 nominees >
        • Excellence in Beginning to Teach
        • Excellent Leadership in Teaching and Learning
        • Excellence in Teaching
        • Outstanding Contribution to Teaching
    • 2016 Awards >
      • Excellence in Beginning to Teach
      • Excellent Leadership in Teaching and Learning
      • Excellence in Teaching
      • Outstanding Contribution to Teaching
    • HAT and LT >
      • Meet the Assessors
      • Ruth Graham
      • Tracey Peden
      • Helen and Dwayne
      • Carly Sopronick
      • Jessica Roberts
      • Jessica Roth
    • OAM >
      • Kathryn George, OAM
      • Keith Graham, OAM
      • Dr Judith Grimes, OAM
      • Michael Goodwin, OAM
      • Steve Parle, OAM
      • Dr Lyn Bishop, OAM
      • Dr Catherine Day, OAM
    • Taryn Gollshewsky
    • Vanuatu
    • NAIDOC >
      • NAIDOC Week 2017
      • NAIDOC Week 2016
    • QLD Day >
      • Bundaberg East State School
      • St Catherine's Catholic College
      • Mornington Island State School
      • Queensland Week 2016
    • ANZAC
  • Anxiety and trauma―an expert’s advice