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Spotlight on Codie Beerden, English teacher<\/strong><\/p>\n New English teacher Codie Beerden<\/strong> brings energy, curiosity and a deep belief in lifelong learning to the classroom. I sat down with Codie to hear about the path that led her to teaching and what she\u2019s excited to explore with students at MLC School.<\/p>\n Tell us a little about your background<\/strong><\/p>\n Growing up, I was one of nine students from my high school to make it into university, so education has always felt both hard-won and deeply valuable. I also had an incredible Legal Studies teacher who inspired me to become a teacher who was someone who showed me what it looks like to champion young people and hold high expectations with real care.<\/p>\n I began my career at Chester Hill High School through a targeted graduate position. This was an especially meaningful start because it\u2019s where both of my parents went to school. I trained in English and History, and over time took on roles that allowed me to support students beyond the classroom, including Year Advisor, Debating Coordinator and helping lead events like Multicultural Day.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve always liked to keep moving and learning, so I later went to Marsden High School to teach English. It was one of those \u2018jump in and grow quickly\u2019 moments as within three months, the Head Teacher left, and I was successful in attaining the Head of English position.<\/p>\n What attracted you to MLC School?<\/strong><\/p>\n The message of Daring to Be More<\/em>\u00a0really resonated with me, especially the way it invites both students and staff to stay curious and to keep moving forward as learners and leaders. I\u2019m excited by the idea of learning about the process of learning: encouraging students to experiment, take risks, reflect and try again. Once you catch the learning bug, you want to keep learning and I don\u2019t think we should ever become complacent.<\/p>\n What struck me straight away was the professional warmth of the community. I\u2019ve felt genuinely supported to experiment at MLC School. There\u2019s a safety net and a shared sense that we\u2019re all in this together. The conversations about learning here are thoughtful and generous, and there\u2019s a calm, positive energy. Nobody is walking in the shadows; any negativity is quickly outweighed by collegiality.<\/p>\n What do you love about teaching English?<\/strong><\/p>\n English is such a practical, creative space. We read, we write, we play with language \u2013 and we learn how stories and ideas shape the way we see the world. I love that students can experiment, refine their thinking and find their voice. There\u2019s always another interpretation to consider, another way to craft a sentence, another perspective to sit with.<\/p>\n What are your best hopes for English students at MLC School?<\/strong><\/p>\n My hope is that students build the skills that give them confidence because when you can communicate clearly, you can do just about anything. I also want students to genuinely enjoy English. It\u2019s a mandatory subject, and sometimes that can bring a bit of \u2018tall poppy syndrome\u2019, where students feel pressure to perform rather than permission to explore. I want our classrooms to be comfortable spaces where it\u2019s safe to try things, make mistakes and grow.<\/p>\n Ultimately, I\u2019d love students to leave with the sense that reading and writing can be part of their natural skillset, not just something you do for an assessment. English should feel a little like being an artist: experimenting, taking creative risks, and sometimes being a bit silly. In my classroom, mistakes are part of learning and growth (I\u2019m even a fan of banning whiteout), because what matters most is the thinking and the process.<\/p>\n What do you love to do when you\u2019re not teaching?<\/strong><\/p>\n I\u2019m a bit of a multitasker \u2013 there\u2019s often an audiobook playing while I\u2019m crocheting and watching a film. I also try to carve out as much downtime as possible, because teaching is such a full, busy job.<\/p>\n I love being in the park with my boys and seeing the world the way they see it \u2013 it really grounds me. Books and films do that too: they\u2019re different ways of stepping into other people\u2019s perspectives. And crochet is my way of creating something tangible. I love making things for other people and putting something a little handmade out into the world.<\/p>\n How are you settling in at MLC School?<\/strong><\/p>\n Really well. It\u2019s been a welcoming start, and I\u2019ve been grateful for how generous people are with their time and expertise. I\u2019m enjoying getting to know students and colleagues, learning the rhythm of the School, and finding the places where I can contribute \u2013 and where I can keep learning.<\/p>\n \u2013 Melissa McMahon<\/strong><\/em> Spotlight on Codie Beerden, English teacher New English teacher Codie Beerden brings energy, curiosity and a deep belief in lifelong learning to the classroom. I sat down with Codie to hear about the path that led her to teaching and what she\u2019s excited to explore with students at MLC School. Tell us a little about […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":8404,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","article_category":[20],"article_tag":[],"class_list":["post-44647","article","type-article","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","article_category-learning-and-teaching"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/mlc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article\/44647","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/mlc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/mlc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/article"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/mlc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=44647"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/mlc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8404"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/mlc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44647"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"article_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/mlc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article_category?post=44647"},{"taxonomy":"article_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/mlc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article_tag?post=44647"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nHead of Learning and Teaching<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"