Secondary school teacher with a strong commitment to creating supportive learning environments that enhance student success. Proven experience in delivering engaging lessons and assessing student progress effectively. Skilled in promoting critical thinking and fostering a culture of academic excellence.
Transferable Skills - Personal Support Worker to Teaching (AITSL Alignment) Pastoral Care and Student Wellbeing Key Transferable Skills: AITSL Standards Alignment: Catholic Ethos and Ethical Practice Key Transferable Skills: AITSL Standards Alignment: Holistic Development and Differentiation Key Transferable Skills: AITSL Standards Alignment: Collaboration and Communication Key Transferable Skills: AITSL Standards Alignment: Resilience and Professionalism Key Transferable Skills: AITSL Standards Alignment:
The following transferable skills from my Personal Support Worker experience (2024–25) align strongly with the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (AITSL), demonstrating my commitment to student wellbeing.
• Empathy and Compassion - Providing emotional support nurtures deep understanding of diverse student needs and fosters a caring classroom culture.
• Active Listening - Recognising subtle cues and responding sensitively supports student mental health and engagement.
• Trust- Building - Establishing safe, respectful relationships is essential for inclusive learning environments.
• Standard 4.4 - Maintain student safety: Building trusting relationships supports a safe, positive learning environment.
• Standard 1.1 - Physical, social, and intellectual development: Empathy allows tailored approaches to diverse developmental needs.
• Standard 7.1 - Meet professional ethics and responsibilities: Care - driven practice models ethical behaviour.
• Service Orientation - Daily work focused on dignity, respect, and service reflects Catholic values of stewardship and care for the whole person.
• Ethical Decision- Making - Handling confidential and sensitive situations with integrity mirrors the moral guidance expected in Catholic education.
• Spiritual Sensitivity - Understanding holistic care of body, mind, and spirit supports BCE’s mission of nurturing faith- filled, compassionate learners.
• Standard 7.1 - Meet professional ethics and responsibilities: Upholding dignity and service reflects Catholic values and professional ethics.
• Standard 7.2 - Comply with legislative, administrative, and organisational requirements: Confidentiality and ethical decisions align with school policies.
• Standard 1.6 - Strategies to support full participation of students with diverse backgrounds: Spiritual sensitivity supports inclusive practice.
• Individualised Support - Tailoring care plans parallels differentiating learning tasks to meet varied abilities and backgrounds.
• Behaviour Management - De-escalating challenging situations translates to maintaining positive classroom behaviour and student safety.
• Strength - Based Planning -Identifying individual strengths aligns with growth- focused teaching practices.
• Standard 1.5 - Differentiate teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities.
• Standard 4.3 - Manage challenging behaviour: Behaviour management strategies ensure positive engagement.
• Standard 5.1 - Assess student learning: Strength- based planning informs differentiated assessment.
• Teamwork with Families and Professionals - Coordinating with health teams and families enhances parent–teacher partnerships and pastoral collaboration.
• Clear, Compassionate Communication - Essential for building rapport with students, parents, and colleagues.
• Standard 3.7 - Engage parents/carers in the educative process: Experience collaborating with families enhances home–school partnerships.
• Standard 7.3 - Engage with parents/carers: Effective communication supports student learning and wellbeing.
• Standard 6.3 - Engage with colleagues and improve practice: Collaboration with multidisciplinary teams strengthens professional relationships.
• Calm Under Pressure - Managing demanding care environments equips you to stay composed in busy classrooms and high- stakes assessments.
• Time Management - Balancing multiple responsibilities ensures efficient lesson planning and delivery.
• Continuous Learning - Adapting to changing care needs mirrors a teacher’s commitment to professional development and lifelong learning.
• Standard 6.1 - Identify and plan professional learning needs: Commitment to ongoing growth mirrors lifelong learning.
• Standard 6.2 - Engage in professional learning and improve practice: Reflecting on care experiences informs teaching practice.
• Standard 7.4 - Engage with professional teaching networks and broader communities: Resilience and adaptability support active participation in school communities.
My experience as a Personal Support Worker has deepened my ability to meet AITSL Standards 1, 4, 6, and 7. Providing holistic, faith- aligned care has strengthened my commitment to student wellbeing, ethical practice, and lifelong professional learning, which are foundational to the Catholic mission of Brisbane Catholic Education.
QCAA Secondary Professional Development Achievement
This course provides guidance for the planning and explicit teaching of cognitive verbs, the course is
appropriate for teachers of all subjects across years 7 to 12, as the processes explained can be readily
adapted and applied to the explicit teaching of any cognitive verb, and the associated cognitive process
The course complements the Years 7–10 and 11–12 cognitive verb toolkits
This course is an online module for teachers of applied syllabuses, designed to assist teachers in
Understanding and implementing applied syllabuses in their school contexts
This course complements learning undertaken in Accreditation courses 1, 2, and 3
This online course expands on the guidance provided in the strategies that check for understanding
toolkit. It supports teachers in enhancing classroom practices that improve learning and student readiness for assessment. It is suitable for teachers of any year level, or subject background
This course is an online module for teachers of General, General (Extension), and Applied (Essential)
Syllabuses are provided to support teachers in the delivery of the Queensland Certificate of Education
(QCE) system This course outlines how syllabuses have been developed to inform teaching, learning, and
assessment. It provides advice on tools that can be used in
This course is an online module for teachers of senior syllabuses in Queensland to support their
Understanding academic integrity and academic misconduct: the course complements the QCE and
QCIA policy and procedures handbook, sections 7 and 8
School and college achievements
DETE Professional Experience & Internship Overview - "Outstanding"
"Kirk developed positive relationships within the classroom and very quickly developed a positive rapport with students within the classroom. Kirk has shown how to research students on OneSchool and showed a keen interest in learning OneSchool and IDAttend functions. "
Jack Morton - Position: Supervisor | Head of Year 9 (2015) / Head of Year 10 (2016)
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"(Kirk) takes into account the content and changes according to abilities of students.
Continued to differentiate during maths - used revision. "
Eva Russell - Year 4 Supervising Teacher
/Mentor: Yandina State College - May 2019
"Kirk creates a professional learning cultural environment that promotes every student to perform at their optimum best. "
S.Pobucky-Crompton (B. of Arts; Dip of Ed. (Primary/Secondary) Y9 English - Gympie State High School
"Kirk managed to assist students' various needs, one on one. Kirk's ability to work with children is evident as many year 7 students responded positively to his teaching methods... "
R.Neumann - Year 7 Mentor : Coolum Beach Christian College
'Kirk continued to link all lessons and achievement/ knowledge gained from previous
lessons. "
Eva Russell - Year 4 Supervising Teacher
/Mentor: Yandina State College - May 2019
"Kirk has been of great support for a couple of individual students whose confidence in their own literacy capabilities was low. Kirk managed to engage and turn their original lack of interest, into enthusiasm resulting in commendable submitted work.
Kirk’s attitude to working in and with a large class of Year 9 learning support students was always positive and he can easily draw students into conversation, developing a rapport that then allows the student’s own inner resources to be enriched. "
Peta Lehane (Dip. Ed; B. Ed Secondary) LPP Learning Co-Ordinator - Gympie State High School
"Kirk's involvement with the student has been beneficial. The student has shown signs of improvement in his reading, partially as a result of Kirk's Management Plan. Kirk has developed a good rapport with the student. "
-A.Scudamore - Year 3 Mentor Teacher: Peregian Beach College
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"The Unit Plan looks fantastic. You've done a great job...Thanks for your hard work. "
S.Roach - Year 9/10 Digital Technology Teacher - Peregian Beach College
"You (Kirk) have done a GREAT job on your prac - well done. I was very impressed with what I saw when I visited you.."
Randall Burow - Lecture in Education Practice Placement Supervisor - University of the Sunshine Coast
"Kirk presents himself in a professional manner both in dress and preparation. He has shown commitment and initiative in his planning. He conducts himself well and speaks to children appropriately. Kirk has shown he can be well organised and prepared. He promotes a positive learning environment. " (APTS 6.1)
M.Wright - Year 2 Lead Teacher Mentor: Saint Thomas More Sunshine Beach
"(Kirk) takes into account the content and changes according to abilities of students.
Continued to differentiate during maths - used revision
Continued to link all lessons and achievement/ knowledge gained from previous lessons.
Carried on the gradual release and explicit teaching - I Do, We Do, You Do.
Modelled maths strategies throughout lessons. "
E.Russell - Year 4 Supervising Teacher /Mentor: Yandina State College -2019
Leadership Support
"Kirk has attended every staff meeting since his arrival. There are two staff meetings each week,Tuesday afternoons and Friday mornings.
The Tuesday afternoon meetings usually finish at approximately 4:45 PM; however, last week Toogoolawah State School was scheduled for an audit. Kirk assisted with final preparations by staying until 9:00 PM the evening before. Each afternoon Kirk stays until 5:30 PM, or later,discussing the lessons from the day and planning for the following day. Kirk has built a good rapport with the students both in the class and throughout the school. He has been umpiring games on the oval before school. "
J.Coleman - Year 6/7 Supervising Teacher/Mentor, Relf, AF Indigenous leader - Toogoolawah State School
"Kirk has an established ability to be well prepared for tutorial activities. He has demonstrated an excellent record of attendance and participation in the activities of the tutorial.
His writing skills and time management have been of a sound level, as has his ability to complete the set tasks in the course. "
Dr. P .Curtis - Associate Professor/Lecturer/Tutor - University of the Sunshine Coast
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"On Friday I had the pleasure of visiting the Pomona State School service. I was blown away
by the changes already implemented at the service by Kirk who has only been with us for 2 weeks. Kirk has not only improved the physical look of the service he has also put his immediate focus onto getting to know the children. Already he has identified what the kids like and used this knowledge to plan ahead and the result is some very excited children who arrived to find things on offer just for them.
Well done Kirk, I have nominated you via One Team. Keep up the good work. "
T.Thompson - Regional Manager Camp Australia
"Hi Kirk Your reflection is outstanding and evidences engagement with the topic, links to the literature and identification of how you will enact changes when you are out there in the battlefield.
You are an asset to all teachers of Languages.
Well done. Result for this whole task is HD.
"
Peter Grainger - Language Lecturer - University of the Sunshine Coast