Staff Spotlight Mrs Julie Pannell, English Teacher.
This month, Ruby C (Year 9) sat down with the newly appointed Oxley staff member Mrs Julie Pannell.
What do you like most about teaching English?
The wonderful opportunity teaching offers to engage with texts across a range of genres and forms while exploring the complexities of being human.
What inspired you to become an English teacher? What was it that got you interested in teaching?
My love of reading was the starting point. English offers us the chance to have interesting conversations and develop our ideas about the world around us, and I love being around people! Teaching feels like a natural way to combine the two.
What author/authors inspired you as a young adult?
I enjoyed Herman Hesse when I was younger, as well as travel literature like Paul Theroux. I also loved Arundhati Roy’s God of Small Things and Jostein Gaarder’s Sophie’s World.
In your faculty area of English, what expertise do you bring to Oxley?
I have a strong background in EAL/D teaching, so I am quite keen on grammar.
What do you think is your favourite book or book series of all time?
Tough question, but probably On Photography by Susan Sontag.
What are you looking forward to most about teaching at Oxley College?
I’ve always loved exploring ideas through richly woven texts, and I’m looking forward to teaching these at Oxley College while continuing to develop my practice alongside dedicated and passionate staff and students.
Why is English such an important subject for students at Oxley?
Because it develops critical thinking skills, the ability to question ideas, and the appreciation of other perspectives and experiences, different to your own.
Who are some of your favourite authors, poets, and filmmakers? How have they inspired you?
Murakami, Don DeLillo, Patrick White, Julian Barnes, Judith Wright, Wes Anderson and Tim Burton to name a few. They have inspired me, I guess, to think outside the box of what is possible in terms of creative expression. There is so much in our world to explore and understand, and I think having the courage to do things differently is brilliant.
What is something no one else knows about you?
I used to do fire-twirling on the beach in my early 20s.
What opportunities does English provide for students?
The chance to understand the evolution of language, in its capacity to reflect and influence society, and give voice to all sorts of people.
What is your favourite activity to do outside of school?
Go bushwalking.
What do you believe fosters a love of reading in our everyday lives?
Simply reading as much and as widely as possible, and staying away from your phone.
What do you think is a remarkable piece of literature of our day?
Monument by the Australian author Bonny Cassidy is a really interesting work of memoir.
When it comes to teaching, what are you most passionate about?
Supporting students to always try to do their best and expand their awareness.
Have you had any works published (such as a short story or a poem)?
No, not literature, but I have had my photography published as well as several exhibitions.
What is one piece of advice that you would like to offer to students?
Whatever you do, do it with all your effort and make it worth it.