It was a privilege to finish World Teachers’ Day 2022 with some of SA’s driven and inspiring educators at the Educators SA awards ceremony held at the Adelaide Oval.

The Teachers Registration Board seeks to highlight the importance of educators working with early career educators and mentors, as this has a significant effect on the longevity and effectiveness of a teacher over their working life.

The Early Careers Mentor of the Year Award recognises an individual who has used, developed or implemented professional learning to mentor and/or support early career educators in their career development. The winner receives $500 from the TRB.

The 2022 winner was Mandy Conner from the Australian Association of Teachers of the Deaf.

Mandy is a highly experienced teacher of the deaf who has extensive knowledge of working with students in early interven tion. She has supported her colleagues who have moved into the early intervention area, providing ongoing advice and mentoring. She accesses and critiques relevant research, engaging in high quality targeted opportunities to improve practice and offer quality placements for preservice and experienced teachers who are retraining into deaf education.

Mandy is highly collaborative and has supported early career teachers in deaf education to develop a good understanding of the deaf community and the unique needs of students who are deaf and hard of hearing. She is always willing to have preservice and early career teachers and they have felt valued and supported and able to discuss concerns and issues.

 This support has included

• classroom acoustics and visual environment
• development of individual learning plans
• working within transdisciplinary teams including educational interpreters and note takers
• the social and emotional wellbeing of deaf and hard of hearing students
• other digital technologies benefitting students who are deaf and hard of hearing and much more

We congratulate Mandy on a well-deserved award in this category.

See the full list of the 2022 winners on the Educators SA website at: https://educators-sa.sa.edu.au/world-teachers-day-2022/