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Tara Towns

Bribie Island State High School

In her five years of service as an educator, Tara Towns has made a significant impact in her school community.

She has developed a vast repertoire of teaching strategies to cater for the different levels of learners in all her English classes.

Through her knowledge of Project Based Learning, she developed a Grade 7 poetry unit that saw an 86 per cent improvement in academic performance and similar units are now being developed for other grades.
​
Tara has set a high benchmark of academic expectation that her English students strive to meet.
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She is also a literacy coach, working closely with school staff to integrate and develop new literacy strategies to maximise student learning.

Tara has also started and run numerous extra-curricular literacy programs at Bribie Island State High School – including six debating teams, a competing public speaking team, a literature club, a creative writing club and a ‘Nerd Club’, engaging students who have niche interests in pop culture texts.

The weekly Nerd Club involves over 90 students ranging from Year 7 to Year 12 who have formed lasting friendships while bonding over their ‘nerdy’ passions which include debates about ‘Superman Vs. Batman’ and ‘Which is the best Hogwarts House?’.
​
“It’s so popular because it fills a niche for a lot of students who often don’t have a place at high school,” says Tara.
“The other great thing about it is that students are engaging with literacy without even knowing.” 
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Tara has worked with public speaking club Rostrum to develop programs and inter-school competitions for her students.

She has also been a judge in both the Queensland Debating Union (QDU) and the University of the Sunshine Coast (USC) Schools’ debating competitions, where she assumed the role of Lead Administorator this year.

Her passion for literacy led to local newspaper, The Island and Surrounds, asking Tara to develop a section written by students.

English Head of Department Kirsty Leishman says Tara is an exceptional teacher who exhibits sincerity.
​“Her participation in extra-curricular activities exceeds that of any other member of the school community,” Ms Leishman says.
“Students participating in these activities have also exceeded past achievements by the school.”

Tara is well respected among her students, colleagues and the wider school community.

Congratulations Tara on your nomination.
 
Written by Mark Zita

Queensland College of Teachers
Level 5, 601 Coronation Drive
​Toowong Qld 4066
Call (07) 3377 4777
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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