Jill already had over two decades of experience in deaf education when she was awarded the Beth MacLaren Smallwood Scholarship, allowing her to take her skills to the next level.
“It had been a dream of mine to study at the University of Melbourne due to its history of excellence in education,” Jill began. “As a dedicated teacher with a passion for learning intervention, I wanted to study under the very best researchers and educators, and I believed that the University of Melbourne would provide me with this opportunity.”
When Jill discovered the Beth MacLaren Smallwood Scholarship, she immediately felt she would be a good candidate. “I read the information provided by the donor of the scholarship and knew that I embodied the skills and passion they were hoping to encourage in the field,” Jill said.
“The Beth MacLaren Smallwood Foundation has a long-standing connection to the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Education, specifically the Master of Learning Intervention (Deaf Education),” Jill explained. “The Foundation are advocates for students who are deaf and hard of hearing, so they provide financial support to professionals like myself to become skilled teachers of the deaf.”
Jill already had a lot to offer as an experienced educator: “When I applied for the scholarship, I had worked for more than 20 years as a classroom teacher in a school with a deaf facility,” she said. Even so, she was drawn to the opportunity to further strengthen her skillset and reach her full potential as an educator by completing a Master of Learning Intervention.
She was honoured to receive the Beth MacLaren Smallwood Scholarship, which was impactful in many ways. “It gave me the freedom to study without financial concern,” she said. “It gave me the peace of mind to immerse myself completely in my studies, and work towards gaining the most from this amazing opportunity. I thoroughly enjoyed my time studying at the Faculty of Education.”
Jill currently works as Team Leader of the Deaf Facility at Pearcedale Primary School. “In my role as a Teacher of the Deaf, I provide intervention and classroom support for students who are deaf and hard of hearing,” she explained. “I am an advocate for our students and their families, and passionately build connections between our school and the Deaf community.”
“I was very proud to receive this scholarship and want to dedicate the remainder of my teaching career to deaf education,” she concluded.
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