Promoting Resilience in Higher Education
National Network
Join our national network if you wish to get involved in Staying BRiTE by:
- using the resources and giving feedback
- embedding the BRiTE modules in your program and sharing challenges and successes
- contributing to discussions about teacher education, resilience and wellbeing
- connecting with a network of teacher educators with a shared enthusiasm for supporting pre-service teachers build professional resilience
Western Australia
Sue Beltman and Sonja Kuzich Curtin University
Teacher resilience and wellbeing for practicing teachers
Well-being of educators at all phases of professional life is a current focus of employers and researchers. Resilience occurs when individuals harness resources in themselves and their contexts to overcome challenges. In teaching this is often called “everyday resilience”. Participants attend a series of four workshops to develop knowledge, skills and strategies to support their professional resilience. The four workshops will cover the nature of resilience, building relationships and networks, wellbeing and emotions, and taking initiative. Sessions will include reflections, discussion and personal plans for further professional learning and support. Between workshops, participants will be expected to complete 5 online modules of about 1 hour each.
Associate Professor Susan Beltman, a former School Psychologist, is a lecturer and researcher at Curtin. Her research on teacher resilience includes two Australian projects: Keeping Cool and BRiTE (Building Resilience in Teacher Education), as well as the European project ENTREE (ENhancing Teacher REsilience in Europe).Sue has presented workshops on teacher resilience for Child Australia, the Cockburn-Fremantle Education Network, and the EU RESCUR project in Crete.
Ms Sonja Kuzich is an experienced classroom teacher and lectures across several programs in relation to professional practice, curriculum and sustainability. Sonja developed the Professional Standards for Teaching (WACOT), the Code of Ethics and the Professional Learning guidelines which guide teachers’ work in Western Australia.
Caroline Mansfield and Susan Ledger Murdoch University
New South Wales
Peter Hudson and Suzanne Hudson Southern Cross University
BRiTE forms part of the final professional experience unit at SCU that supports students to make the transition to the teaching profession. Students complete BRiTE as part of their weekly learning towards creating personal goals for their professional experience and their first-year of teaching. The goals that are formulated, along with the BRiTE certificate, are uploaded into the students' Eportfolio as evidence of professional learning. In the Mentoring for Effective Teaching (MET) program, BRiTE can be accessed by participants to develop knowledge around building resilience in beginning teachers.
Dr Peter Hudson (PhD) is an Adjunct Associate Professor at Southern Cross University (SCU). Dr Suzanne Hudson (PhD) is the Director of Professional Experience at SCU with previous leadership roles in education. Both Peter and Sue have substantial publications and have worked in education for over 37 years with a strong focus on Mentoring for Effective Teaching (see www.METprogram.com).
Daniela Falecki Lecturer & Leadership Coach
Daniela Falecki is an experienced educator and founder of Teacher Wellbeing, specialising in Positive Psychology to support teachers develop both capacity and resilience. Daniela also lectures at Western Sydney University across several areas, helping pre-service teachers be better prepared for the demands of the teaching profession. BRITE is one of many resources used within both of these arenas to give new and existing teachers opportunities to connect, succeed and thrive at work. The self-paced nature of the program, and online access, allows people to move and learn at their own pace after concepts have been explored in classes and workshops.
Sue Duchesne, Noelene Weatherby-Fell and Cathrine Neilsen-Hewett University of Wollongong
Northern Territory
Al Strangeways Charles Darwin University
South Australia
Lisa Papatraianou Charles Darwin University
Victoria
Sharon McDonough and Amanda McGraw Federation University
Queensland
Loraine McKay Griffith University
Dr Loraine McKay lectures in teacher education at Griffith University, Queensland. She is currently First Year Coordinator in the Bachelor of Education Program. Her research focuses on teacher resilience, agency and identity; student engagement; and inclusive education. Loraine is interested in the affective dimension of teaching and engagement in learning.
Loraine’s research is predominantly qualitative with a focus on researching with preservice teachers. She is currently using arts-based methodology in a Third Space project. This project is an evolving longitudinal intervention with a group of preservice teachers undertaking their Bachelor of Education. The aim of the project is to support the development and awareness of resilience, agency and identity in preservice teachers so they can meet their own needs and those of the diverse learners in their class. Loraine also researches with early career teachers in relation to their wellbeing and agency in the teaching of literacy.
Leanne Crosswell, Denise Beutel and Tania Broadley Queensland University of Technology
