Rebecca Sochanik
Varsity College
In her role as the head of Varsity College’s Social Science department, Rebecca Sochanik has provided excellent support to her teaching staff, which has ultimately trickled down to improve the student body’s overall learning experience.
As Head of Department, Rebecca has established effective teaching practices for the whole department that have improved class programs for a wide range of social science subjects, including Geography, History, Economics, Accounting, Business Studies, Social & Community Studies, and Chinese. In just three years at the school, Rebecca has provided both formal and informal support mechanisms to assist her teachers. She has developed strong systems for curriculum reviews, assessment, calibration, and moderation, and can always be counted on to give individual support to each and every member of her team. |
“Rebecca Sochanik is one of the best teachers I have ever had the pleasure of working with,” Principal Steve MCluckie said.
“She’s not only an amazing teacher, but she’s also an outstanding leader, and we are very privileged to have her on the Varsity College team,” he said. Rebecca’s strengths as a leader lie in her strong interpersonal skills; she leads by example and is passionate about helping each individual teacher develop their skills and become the best teacher they can be.
She regularly visits other teachers’ classrooms to provide feedback, organises meetings focused on developing sound teaching skills, and provides opportunities for further professional development for all of her staff. Rebecca has also organised events to bring Varsity College’s students together with the wider school community. Her A Night at the Museum event saw parents and friends of the College come together to view work her Year 7 students’ had created about ancient civilisations. Rebecca leads the College’s Chinese Immersion Program, which has seen her organise a range of extra-curricular events in partnership with the Tourism Confucius Institute of Griffith University, including the school’s 2016 trip to China. She will lead another immersion trip to China in 2018 and is currently organising the College’s first ever Senior Social Science Europe Trip for 31 students. Congratulations Rebecca on your nomination. By Claudia Farhart. |