CCSP ACU Teacher Scholarship Award
To additionally promote and support parent engagement for several years CCSP has provided a scholarship to a pre-service teacher at Australian Catholic University (ACU). The scholarship acts as an incentive to further their understanding and subsequent application of parent engagement in their teaching role.
Our 2024 recipient is Taleise Pickavance. Congratulations Taleise and good luck with your studies and career.
Taleise is undertaking a Bachelor of Education Primary at Strathfield campus through the Away from Base program at the Australian Catholic University.
Taleise chose a teaching degree because of the significant impact that her own Aboriginal Education Workers had on her as a student. Their support and understanding inspired her to become a positive influence for others, particularly First Nations students. Her passion for engaging parents in their child’s learning journey stems from her commitment to making a positive impact on children’s lives and helping shape their future. She says, 'I believe that creating a safe, inclusive environment is crucial for students to develop confidence and a strong sense of self-identity. By fostering open confidence and collaboration between parents and teachers, it allows for the opportunity to build a supportive network that helps students feel valued and motivated.
Engaging parents means partnering with them to better understand each student’s unique needs, strengths and challenges. I prioritise transparent communication, offering opportunities for parents to share insights and be involved in their child’s progress. By doing so, I can create a cohesive learning experience that extends beyond the classroom, empowering students to dream big, achieve their goals and feel supported both at school and at home.
'Parents offer valuable insights about their childen than can help teachers talor their approaches to meet individual needs. By actively involving parents in the education process, teachers can support students' overall wellbeing, helping them feel safe, understood and valued.
'Encouraging parental engagement is vital as it fosters a collaborative environment where students can thrive. When parents and teachers work together, they can create a supportive network that enhances children's success both academically, socially and emotionally.'
We are delighted to support Taleise in her teaching career.
2023
'I believe that education is a partnership between schools, teachers, and parents and this partnership is vital to the success of a student. Establishing open and authentic communication with parents will help give teachers broader knowledge of a student's learning ability, motivation, behavior, and attitude toward education. This in turn creates a strong relationship, between teachers and parents, of trust and a united approach that will benefit their child's educational success.'
Congratulations William Hack recipient of the 2022 CCSP Pre-Service Teacher Award Australian Catholic University.
"Through my Catholic upbringing, I have developed a strong passion for education and community engagement. I believe it is essential that students, their families, the school and the community work collaboratively to enhance the social, emotional, spiritual and academic outcomes for all students."
"I chose education because I believe it will enable me to make a meaningful difference in the lives of many young people.
I believe that teachers are extremely privileged to work with students at such a critical time in their development, in which their impact can help students to live a more meaningful and fulfilling life. I hope to foster a growth mindset in all my students and empower them with the belief in their own ability to achieve mastery in whatever they choose to pursue.
Establishing positive parent-teacher relationships at the beginning of the school year will also enable me to engage parents in their child’s learning progress throughout the year and to be able to communicate openly about any problems that may arise throughout the school year.
I will seek to actively engage parents in their child’s learning."
We congratulate William, and look forward to him inspiring students.
Congratulations Alannah Kassis, recipient of the 2021 Council of Catholic School Parents Pre-service Teacher Scholarship, Australian Catholic University (ACU).
Alannah is undertaking a Master of Teaching (Secondary) at ACU. Alannah spoke about her motivation to change career and become a teacher, "I love helping students, I have been tutoring students since I left school, I enjoyed working in corporate roles however it does not compare with the feeling of joy of helping students. After studying law and business as an undergraduate and working in both respective fields, I realised my true passion lies in teaching.
Congratulations to Saige Conners, recipient of the 2021 Council of Catholic School Parents Pre-service Teacher Scholarship, University of Notre Dame Australia (UNDA). Saige, who received an ATAR of 97.75 in the 2020 HSC at Loreto Kirribilli, is enrolled in a Bachelor of Primary Education at UNDA.
CCSP created this scholarship in 2019 to promote to future teachers the importance and subsequent application of parent and teacher engagement.
“My goal and passion since the beginning of High School has been to become a Primary School Teacher.”
Congratulations to Emily Swinburn recipient of 2020 Council of Catholic School Parents Pre-service Teacher Scholarship UNDA.
Emily Swinburn is a Bachelor of Primary Education student at UNDA.
Emily said it was her interest in parent/teacher engagement that prompted her to apply for this scholarship. “I was pleased to find a scholarship that supports the vital relationship between parents and teachers in creating an encouraging community learning environment,” she says.
"I have been fortunate enough to observe how the relationship between the parent and teacher affects a child's learning during my previous practical experiences,” says Emily. “Last term I noticed the correlation between the success of the students learning in the class and the relationship my supervising teacher had with their parents.”
Congratulations to Veronica Ishak, recipient of the 2020 Council of Catholic School Parents Pre-service Teacher Scholarship at Australian Catholic University (ACU)
On 4 December 2020, Peter Grace and Dinidu Illangakoon, Donor Relationship Manager, Advancement & Alumni, Australian Catholic University, met with Veronica Ishak and Liz Devlin, Principal, at Mother Teresa Primary Westmead.
Veronica understands the vital link between parents and teachers and students. She explained to us how she interacted with and established relationships with parents when students were required to undertake schooling at home due to Covid-19.
The 2019 recipient of the scholarship at ACU was Jessica Hook, a final year student hoping to teach in a Catholic primary school.
The inaugural recipient of the UNDA scholarship in 2019 was Joseph Woolnough, a Bachelor of Primary Education student at UNDA’s Broadway Campus. Joseph wrote about how critical engagement and co-operation between parents and teachers is achieving positive outcomes in children’s learning, while also providing additional benefits for both parents and teachers alike.