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Tahnee Brown

Wisdom College

Every day before school starts, Prep teacher Tahnee Brown communicates with each student in her class – 90 per cent of whom speak English as a second language, some of whom have fled war-torn countries – about how they are feeling so they know they are in a safe and caring place.

Then she uses her extraordinary background in early childhood education, having worked in child care centres and kindergartens for more than 15 years before studying to become a teacher, to provide exciting lessons which include the use of activity stations, nature walks, and even writers’ workshops with Years 3 and 4 buddies.

Her warm, insightful and academic approach has earned profuse praise from parents, grandparents, colleagues and her school leaders at Wisdom College on Brisbane’s southside. 

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Her approach is one of the reasons she has won the 2017 Queensland College of Teachers (QCT) Excellence in Beginning to Teach Award.

Ms Brown said while she teaches everything that is in the Australian Curriculum and ensures her children are academically challenged and progressing, developing a child’s social and emotional wellbeing was equally important to their learning.

“Before we start each day, I ask students questions such as ‘How are you today? How are you feeling? Why are you feeling that way?’ and ‘How can we fix that?’,” she said.
“We work together, recognising that all emotions are okay, finding ways to process and manage these effectively and thinking of ideas to help ourselves better. This is a great strategy to ensure that all students have a positive start to teach day, having been heard and having their feelings validated.”
 
Ms Brown works with another teacher across two classrooms – one of which has exciting activity stations that are changed every few weeks. There are plastic animals in sand buckets, a medical station with x-rays and dress ups, sensory boxes, word cards, colouring and numeracy-based activities.

For students who have English as a second language Ms Brown uses word and picture cards, facial expressions, translator apps and even students’ siblings, but most importantly, she builds relationship with them and their families. Some are refugees who have faced extreme hardship.  

She encourages students to bring something from home to make them feel safe and secure: photos, toys, even the blanket they hide under if that is was they do to feel safe.

The winners of the QCT Excellence in Teaching Awards were announced at a ceremony today, as Queensland celebrated World Teachers’ Day.

​Congratulations Tahnee on winning the 2017 Excellence in Beginning to Teach Award.
Queensland College of Teachers
Level 5, 601 Coronation Drive
​Toowong Qld 4066
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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
  • Claire Cummins
  • Anxiety and trauma―an expert’s advice