Tara.Ed

Introducing the 2012 Tara.Ed Ambassador: Megan Ayre (UNSW)

admin — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:34:31 +0000

Megan Ayre is a second year education student at the University of New South Wales, studying to become a mathematics and science teacher. Megan believes that all children, despite background or social position can, with education, become whatever they want. She is very passionate about education and her motivation for teaching is to inspire and equip her students to pursue their dreams and not settle for anything less.

Travelling to and living in different cultures is not a new thing for Megan, who moved to Romania with her family as a teenager. Throughout her time in Romania, Megan was active in the volunteer sphere, coordinating summer camps for underprivileged and gypsy children.

Megan hopes the Tara.Ed Teacher Tour will consolidate her past cultural experiences and allow her to not only contribute to the teachers and students in India, but also gain the skills and experience to enable her to cater for cultural differences in her own classroom in the future.

The Tara.Ed Ambassadorship is a scholarship to the value of $3100 that allows one exceptional Pre-Service Teacher from a participating NSW university to attend a Tara.Ed Teacher Tour in India. The Ambassador is selected on the basis of community service, leadership, academic excellence and potential to contribute to a Tara.Ed partner school in India as well as the organization of Tara.Ed as a whole.

Congratulations to Megan for being named the Tara.Ed Ambassador for 2012!

Home Grown Heroines

admin — Tue, 01 May 2012 08:53:53 +0000

Tara.Ed Founder Jen Star featured as a “Home Grown Heroine” in Fernwood’s magazine. Be inspired! Home Grown Heroines

Applications Closed

admin — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 07:26:17 +0000

Applications for the 2012 Tara.Ed Teacher Tours are now closed – thanks for applying! Shortlisted candidates will be notified of interview on Monday 30 April 2012.

Watch this space to see who the Star Teachers of 2012 will be!

Interview: Tara.Ed Teacher Tourer

admin — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 11:42:36 +0000

The low-down on the Teacher Tour – direct from the Teacher!

Name: Sarah

Tour Year: September 2010

What was the best moment of the Tara.Ed Teacher Tour?:

To be honest I cannot say one moment was the best. However, one of my favourite moments or memories was that first day being introduced to the school. We were paired up with another person from the tour and we went around the classes introducing ourselves and getting to know the students. It is one of my favourite moments because that was the beginning of some wonderful relationships we built not only with each other but also the students that we met on the tour.

What was the worst moment of the Tara.Ed tour?:

I wouldn’t say it was the ‘worst moment’ but it was definitely a learning experience. The first lesson I taught that was fully observed by my supervisor, Professor Ian Gibson, went wrong in every way possible. Looking back now it was a combination of my teaching style and the students’ learning style. Neither was wrong, but both very different. I can say with all honesty I was taken aback by the outcome of the lesson but it was a learning curve. I learned new strategies and techniques from Professor Ian after my debriefing session but also gained some insight from the rest of the team. What turned out to be a ‘bad lesson’ was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. To add to my so called ‘worst moment’ there was another time I’d like to talk about and that was leaving. I know it’s cliché to say but leaving was the worst moment for me. We arrived as strangers from the land of Ricky Ponting. We left as revered and honoured teachers, respected colleagues, adopted daughters/sisters/aunties, friends and members of the community.

What was the thing you missed most while on tour?:

I would like to say my family but as much as I did miss them I hand a stand-in family with me wherever I went. I think food would be what I missed most at that time. Now, I absolutely love Indian food. It is one of my favourite cuisines. However, to back track in time, on the beginning of the tour there was a little mishap on the plane and low and behold my front tooth had broken off. Yes the rumours are true, a Tara.Ed-der was toothless on her arrival to India. Anyway, it was all fixed and sorted by a wonderful dentist in Bangalore but my fears of eating anything caused me to eat a limited amount of the food in Ajra. Although, the food I did eat-absolutely wonderful!

Finish the sentence: After experiencing the Tara.Ed Teacher Tour I will never ever … complain about a class of 30 again. I had standard 3 (our equivalent to Year 3) in Ajra with a class of about 48 students. The behaviour management and respected conducted by my Master Teacher Rufina was absolutely wonderful. She managed the class with an air of authority that I still find fascinating.

What’s your never fail strategy to deal with a class of 40 excited Indian students?:

They want to learn and want to hear what you have to say. They are excited and are willing to listen to you so if they are talking don’t talk over them. They won’t hear you, you’ll lose your voice and the entire lesson is gone. I learned that the calmer and lower you speak the more they become quiet as they try to hear what you have to say.

What advice would you give to the 2012 applicants preparing for their applications and interviews?:

Be honest and be yourself. Everyone has a skill or a talent and if you are enthusiastic about what you can bring but also going on such a life-changing tour you will shine from the rest. We had such a wonderful team not only because of our skills and talents but we worked well together in terms of connecting with one another. Show them your personalities and what tara.Ed would be missing out on without you on the team. Oh and remember, be prepared for change. You will gain so much more than you could ever imagine.

What are you doing now?:

I graduated from my degree last year and for term 4 last year and term 1 this year I’ve been the ‘top dog’ casual at my school. I’ve just signed a contract to take over a Year 6 class for the rest of the year at the same school and am looking forward to a great year ahead.

Applications for the Tara.Ed Teacher Tour are now open!

admin — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 14:18:58 +0000

Applications are availible by clicking on the “Get Involved” tab.

Applications close on Friday April 27 – Don’t miss out!

Australia in the Asian Century: The Power of the Teacher.

admin — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 13:01:39 +0000

The Australian Government has commissioned a White Paper on Australia in the Asian Century to consider the likely economic and strategic changes in the region and what more can be done to position Australia for the Asian Century.

Tara.Ed’s submission talks about the power of the teacher in shaping the minds of the future leaders of the Asian Century.

Australia in the Asian Century White Paper Submission: Tara.Ed

Tara.Ed Ambassadorships

admin — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 21:40:25 +0000

In 2012, Tara.Ed will be launching the “Ambassador Scholarship Program” in which two exceptional Pre-Service Teachers from participating New South Wales Universites will be named the “Tara.Ed Ambassadors” for 2012, each recieving a scholarship to the value of $3100 to attend a Tara.Ed Teacher Tour.

Applications will open in April…watch this space for more information!

Happy New Year – Tara.Ed 2012

admin — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 13:36:40 +0000

In 2011, Tara.Ed partnered with 5 schools, impacting the lives of 46 Teachers and more than 1500 children.In 2012, Tara.Ed will be partnering with 7 schools making change to the lives of 74 Teachers and more than 2500 children!

Applications for a place on the 2012 Tara.Ed Teacher Tours will open on April 2, 2012. Check out the Events page to see the dates of the Teacher Tours.

Tara.Ed is also launching the Long-Term Volunteer program in which exceptional education students and teachers will be placed in partner schools and organisations on a long-term basis to address identified skills shortages or lead projects within their area of expertise in both the school and wider community – stay tuned for more information!

Tara.Ed Founder named NSW Young Australian of the Year!

admin — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 23:09:07 +0000

The NSW Young Australian of the Year 2012 is 25 year old youth educator Jennifer Star for her efforts in an establishing an education partnership organisation which benefits thousands of Indian children and shares learnings between two continents.

An outstanding athlete, with a brilliant academic record, Jennifer was named one of Australia’s 100 Brightest Young Minds in 2007. Several years ago she went to India as a World Vision Youth Ambassador and teacher. There were no classrooms and Jennifer found herself sitting under a tree with 48 children and no resources. Then and there she resolved to return to India to improve the plight of some of the world’s most impoverished people. At just 21 she started Tara.Ed, an innovative non-government organisation promoting sustainable quality education in rural India by training teachers. It works as a partner organisation, with both Indian and Australian schools and teachers working together. Since 2007, Tara.Ed has reached out to 86 teachers and 1,340 school children. Her aim is to influence the prospects of 20,000 children, 200 teachers and 20 schools across two continents by 2020. Jennifer knows what it means to set her sights high. As a graduate from Macquarie University with first class Honours and an elite sportswoman in judo, representing Australia internationally, she is accustomed to applying hard work to her considerable talents. Through Tara.Ed, Jennifer’s determination is certainly paying off for thousands of Indian children.

For more information see the Australian of The Year site

Congratulations Jennifer!

Tara.Ed Founder nominated for Young Australian of the Year

admin — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 09:40:52 +0000

Tara.Ed’s Founder, Jennifer Star (nee Purcell), has been nominated as a NSW Young Australian of the Year 2012, and has been named as a State Finalist in NSW for her work in India with Tara.Ed.

Congratulations Jen!

Check out this website for more information: NSW Finalist – Jennifer Star