Today we would like you to meet one of our tutors – Jade Sciascia.
Jade joined ACS in January, 2009. And in that time, she has been a committed and supportive tutor with her students and is a very valued member of our in house team..
We asked Jade a few questions –
What did you want to be when you grew up?
I always wanted to be a teacher. I imagined having a classroom and being part of a school community. That said, on leaving school, I decided to take a break from education for a while. Instead, I worked undertaking various positions and roles. I recall the excitement of independence, of buying my first car and travelling overseas as I'd worked and earned. I went back to tertiary study to pursue my professional ambition at twenty-one.
What is Jade up to now?
Currently, I'm enjoying life on the beautiful Gold Coast, Queensland, yet my cultural roots are in Scotland. I have many memories of growing up riding horses or walking dogs on the hills in the country near our home. I had itch to follow a friend who was travelling on a gap year, which took me to Western Australia for a long trip in 2006, then from the UK to Victoria in 2007. Having fallen in love with Australia, I've lived in Queensland since 2008. I enjoy transforming outdoor spaces in functional spaces to play, learn or relax!
In what area do you work?
My interests remain in biological science, nature, geography, food science, human health and the wellbeing of children and young people. I settled for studying living science as understanding how natural systems function and interact always fascinated me.
As a classroom teacher, I’d take students on wilderness walks and orienteering. We would organise map reading workshops and conduct sampling from dams or riverbeds. We grew a rooftop garden and bred Giant African snails. I loved bringing the outdoors into the classroom.
What is your favourite thing about your work?
Making a difference to others. The classroom I work in today is online. The ACS courses encourage awesome practical experience in the student's chosen industry which I highly appreciate and would recommend in any learning setting. I see my students have valuable hands-on experiences. Set tasks in the courses really cater for people who want more than to read a textbook! They find authentic learning in experience. Being involved in education means being part of something that imperceptible in the lives of students.
What subjects do you write courses on or tutor in?
The subjects I currently write and teach are grounded in biological science and education, including some behavioural science, health and wellbeing, animal breeding, genetics and husbandry and so much more. I tend to contribute across many industry courses from my varied personal experience or research.
What was your career progress to get to this point?
Other than my formal teacher training, I've taken on a number of professional development courses over the years. From strategic financial planning, auditing, risk and harm in children, inclusive education approaches, antibullying workshops, IT training and more!
From 2013-2016 I was proudly involved in a 3-year project to develop a healthy relationships and sexual health program delivered to children aged 8-16 years in Queensland schools. That role saw me deliver presentations to teaching colleagues and parent groups too - supporting education staff and carers recognise the wider social, emotional and physical needs of children. In 2018 I spent the year representing ACS with staff and stakeholders in the United Kingdom whilst working for the UK school. I've developed some long-term relationships with partners and associates of ACS both in the UK and Australia.
I've also worked for the International Approval and Registration Centre (IARC) since 2010. First as Secretary moving into the role of International Business Manager during 2018 whilst in the UK. I work to ensure the operational needs of the business are met and goals achieved and the members standards are maintained.
Now we know a bit more about Jade and how she became a tutor with ACS. Does she have any advice for students?
Jade’s Advice to Students
Jade says to any student –
“Get experience! Do the theory and read the books, but understand real learning always takes place on the job. Get yourself a workplace mentor or get connected with an experienced individual who can kindly show you the ropes. Seek out lots of placements - variety teaches us to look at things in different ways. Be open to feedback - don't shy away from criticism. Go for it!”
What about studying online?
“Online study requires a great deal of motivation. Recognising when you work best, say when you have the most energy, or what times in the day you can realistically make time for focused study will be key to making online learning a success. Online learners absolutely do need to set aside time to learn. Don't expect academic results without work or commitment. You will get out of a course only what you put into it.”
Variety
Jade’s experience of teaching has obviously been varied. Moving from Scotland to Australia, teaching in the classroom and online. She enjoys what she teaches from breeding Giant African Snails to biological science and genetics!
She said she liked bringing the outdoors into the classroom as a classroom teaching. Today, she is also bringing teaching out of doors. That’s one of the beauties of ACS, you can study literally anywhere. So, if you want to study outside, inside, in the library, by the river, then take your course along with you and get started.