Rachel followed in her parents’ footsteps by becoming a teacher. But it wasn’t until one of her own children started attending school alongside deaf/hard-of-hearing students that she found her niche as an educator.
Having teachers as parents “instilled the love of learning from a young age,” said Rachel. After a brief stint in journalism, Rachel ultimately decided to become an educator, saying that “having helped my parents in their respective classrooms over the years, I realised I really did enjoy teaching.”
Fast forward ten years, and Rachel was working as a casual relief teacher while raising her children. “My eldest was about to start prep and they had a number of deaf and hard-of-hearing students at the school,” Rachel said. “I was inspired to undertake the Auslan course that the school was providing, and I was able to meet some parents of deaf children. Also at that time, while teaching at a local primary school, I came across a visiting Teacher for the Deaf who was supporting students in mainstream schools, and suddenly all the stars just seemed to align. I realised that after all these years, this was what I was genuinely passionate about and wanted to do.”
Rachel’s new path eventually brought her to a role as Head of the Hearing Unit at Yarra Valley Grammar School. “Within my role, I not only lead the Hearing Unit, but I also teach deaf and hard-of-hearing students. The Hearing Unit has six Teachers of the Deaf, a learning assistant and two speech pathologists.”
When a scholarship opportunity arose from the Beth MacLaren Smallwood Foundation, in which the successful candidate would have their Master of Instructional Leadership fully funded, Rachel applied and was “extremely fortunate to be selected”. She continued, “Without this financial support, I am not sure that I would have been able to complete the course.” The scholarship also served as a motivator: “I was driven to do well to show how fortunate I was to be awarded this scholarship,” she said.
At the Faculty of Education, Rachel felt supported by her lecturers, “particularly in my last year of study, which was the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic,” she said. She also enjoyed the research pathway she opted to complete in her final year, noting that she was able to work independently and study “what I was interested in and what was meaningful to me”.
“The Master of Instructional Leadership is tailored for educational leaders to grow and develop. I learnt how to track and evaluate student data, along with using evidence-based assessments to track student development effectively. It also taught me skills and strategies to support and understand the staff I work with each day, encouraging them to be the best they can be.”
Rachel was honest about the challenges of postgraduate study, admitting it was difficult to balance full-time work and childcare alongside the masters program. “Finding the right time management and organisational skills for your lifestyle is challenging for many students, no matter how many courses you’ve done or where you’re at,” she said.
In the future, Rachel hoped to return and complete a PhD in the field. “This is my passion and career, so I would like to do my doctorate in an area of deaf education one day, when my children are older,” she said. “That way I can dedicate the time needed, and hopefully by then I will know exactly what it is I want to research. There are so many facets of deaf education. I want to choose a pathway into a doctorate that is really going to make a positive impact.”
“I see my role as a leader to help other deaf and hard-of-hearing teachers and students across Victoria. Being a leader isn't always in your role, it's what you do to help others.”
“I would definitely encourage anyone to apply for a scholarship,” Rachel concluded. “It gives you a boost throughout your studies and although there is a little bit of pressure to do well, it spurs you on; you know you have been fortunate to be granted this opportunity, so you want to do your best in recognition of what you've been offered.”
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