Today is World Teachers’ Day, so we’d like to introduce you to Elle, one of 16 dedicated teachers at the RCH Education Institute who bring the joy of learning to our patients.

Teaching at the RCH allows former nurse Elle to combine her passion for health and education, and she loves creating a positive environment to help her students achieve their learning goals.

Tell us a little bit about yourself…
At the RCH, I am one of the secondary teachers within the Education Institute. My strength teaching Maths, however this job has allowed me to teach a wide range of subjects to a wide range of students with different abilities. Away from work I love to travel and I am a big foodie. I’ve been fortunate to travel to 47 countries and I’m planning another big trip next year, maybe to South America.

How did you get into teaching?

After completing Year 12, I studied nursing and worked in a range of fields; from emergency to mental health. I then spent a few years travelling overseas before returning to Melbourne and completing a Masters in Education. Teaching was always something I was always interested in and the opportunity arose a little later in life for me.

Why did you decide to work at the RCH Education Institute?

My friends, family and colleagues encouraged me to apply as felt this job was a “perfect fit” for me with my diverse background. For me, working at the RCH in the Education Institute is an opportunity that allows me to combine my passion and skills in both health and education.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

Creating a positive learning environment and supporting our students to achieve their learning goals. For many of our students, illness has impacted their education and they’ve come to us with “learning gaps,” so working with them at this critical point in their education and helping them achieve gives me great satisfaction.

What makes working at the RCH Education Institute so different from a normal school environment?

Working at the RCH differs from a normal school environment in so many ways. Our sessions with students are either one-on-one on the ward or in a small group. This has allowed me to really get to know my students in a way that is almost impossible in a mainstream school. Building positive relationships with our students and understanding how they learn enables our teaching to be really student focused.

Tell us about a favourite memory since starting work here?

It would have to be working with a year 12 VCE student, who has unfortunately not been able to attend school this year. Last week she handed in her last VCE School Assessed Task (SAC) and she is studying for her final exams at the end of this month. Collectively, our team has really contribute to her success, so we are very proud of everything she has achieved this year. Year 12 is hard enough to complete when you are at school, yet alone being in hospital.

You can read more about the RCH Education Institute here.