User:Stephen Williams
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[edit] Biography of Mr. Stephen Williams
[edit] An Introduction
Stephen Williams (November 10,1973-) is a husband, father of three boys and secondary teacher of social sciences and performing arts. Located in Dubbo, a central western New South Wales (Australia) City of 38,000 people Mr. Williams is an active community member and has many diverse interests.
[edit] A Brief History
Mr. Williams was born in Hawks Bay, Napier in the North Island of New Zealand to parents Carol (Waitress) and Errol Williams (Driver). Before his third birthday Mr.Williams and his parent immigrated to Australia seeking a better future. Arriving in Sydney, NSW, The young Williams family sought employment in Narrabri, Tamworth, Nundle and St George cotton growing regions in North Western New South Wales / South Western Queensland. After an unsuccessful year 2 in St George the family moved to Bundaberg, in the Wide Bay region of Central coastal Queensland. With only a little over a year in Bundaberg the family moved to the Central Western town of Emerald (pop. 8,000). Here Stephen commenced his 3rd year of primary schooling.
A young Stephen enjoyed the persuits of Swimming training becoming a competitive swimmer inn regional and state championships. Being a hot capricornia climate summers were regulary spent at the local pool of swimming in the Nogoa River. Stephen also enjoyed cubs and scouts along with unsuccessful years of soccer and rugby league football. Finding himself far better suited to individual persuits he entered into the study of Japan Karate Association of Australisia (JKAA) Traditional Shotokan Karate at the local dojo. With a natural talent for martial arts he went on to perform will in competition in both Kata (Styles) and Kumite (Combat) to attain second place nationally over two years for 6th kyu and 4th kyu (Green and Purple belts respectively).
After a difficult divorce of his parents during early high school, Stephen channeled his anger into his study of his Karate and establishing strong friendships. He recieved guidance from the significant school teachers and senseis that influenced his life. Later in his late teens Stephen went on to further himself in the scoutings new Venturer and later Rover units. He raised monies of the local Royal Flying Doctors service, assisted the local Lions and Lioness clubs and participated in local community events raising money for aged care and historical museums. These efforts were recognised when he was awarded Citizen Youth of the Year. This same year Stephen also became an Australian Citizen having only returned to New Zealand twice and little knowledge of the culture and little connection to New Zealand.
Completing his Higher School Certificate year aged 18, Stephen soon enters the Australian Army Reserve posted as an infintary rifleman to the 49th battalion in Wacol, Brisbane. As the last recruit and IET course to exit this regiments barracks he transfers unwillingly to the closer 42 battalion located at Rockhampton and the nearby Blackwater. He worked regulary for this unit again as a rifleman but now seeking transfer to either Military Police of Recruiting. Unsuccessful in transfer due to declining parading numbers he later transfers to 'C' coy Mackay. Here he was employed to carry out salvage and clearance diving for a PR unit of the 42 battalion cleaning up the Great Barrier Reef. After completion of this activity Stephen decided not to continue his contract with the military after 3 year and 6 months of active part time duty. During this time Stephen also complete a 9 month tourism, catering and hospitality course at the local TAFE college. Worked in a cafe as a drinks waiter, was employed as a gardners assistant and co-managed his mothers cleaning business.
In an effort to retrace his past Stephen returned to New Zealand to meet with family and visit the land of his birth. This 18 week trip allowed him to focus on developing a plan for the future. With aspirations of becoming a Police Officer, Stephen left his home town following the advice of a local constable to seek life experiences before entering the Police Service. Returning to Austalia he entered the local workforce initially selling and laying carpets and vinyl then managing the same gardening company he was previously a gardening assistant in. After less than a year in this position Stephen entered full time night work for the local security company Wormald Security seeking a similar working life to the local night shift police. After 12 months Stephen transfered to day shift on mostly mine sites and training new recruits while he returned to year 12 as a 23 year old adult student at the local high school. This return to education was for entry into University. It was this year, 1997 he met his wife and they later fell pregent with their first child due early Feburary the following year.
1998 saw the move to Wallsend, Newcastle (New South Wales) where Stephen studied with enthusiasm the rigorious Bachelor of Teaching / Bachelor of Art double degree. With electives in English, History, Aboriginal Studies, Management and Psychology, Stephen initially commenced a Drama Major and English Minor. Taking Geography as an elective subject saw high distinction results so a quick shuffle soon turned his Major to Geography and reverted Drama to his minor study. This four year degree soon became a five year degree with a small bout of depression causing the failure of an education and a geography subject in his third year. This event actually became a benifit allowing him to undertake many more education electives in Gifted and Talented education, Special education and Aboriginal education.
As the double degree came to a close the interest in following teaching as career became much stronger. Career wise he was still working for a very successful security firm and was now a very experienced security trainer and competent security operative. In his final year of study he transfered to another security firm and worked as an armed plain clothes operative at events and for cash in transit firms. Stephen was now a father of two sons, a husband, employee and a graduating student.
After briefly working as a casual teacher for coastal school Stephen put in to work for either the NSW Department of Education or the NSW Police Service. Upon the successful employment into the Public Eduaction System he retracted his application into the Police service and undertook a full time teaching position at Dubbo College (Senior Campus). His parents still live in Rockhampton and Emerald coastal and central Queensland respectively.
Some significant people who he would like to acknowledge include: Mrs. Sally Williams, Mr. Sean Williams, Miss. Jenni Kruck, Mr. Darren Teale, Mr. and Mrs. Errol and Jo Rosenblatt, Senseis' Mostyn Fletcher, Peter Brimblecombe, Steve Black and John Sweeney.
[edit] The Teacher
Stephen was recognised in his late teens by close friends as having a certian knack with children. This was evident at family gatherings, scouting events and at school functions such as fetes and musicals. It was suggested that when choosing a degree to enter the police service that teaching would be the most suitable choice. The plan would be to use the education degree as a fall back should policing no be a suitable vocation. Couple this with some life experience and an enthuastic work ethic he would make a very good educator.
I love for the outdoors, society and performance soon culminated into a cross faculty dicipline of Geography and Drama. Stephens first year of teaching saw him teaching year 10 Geography / History and year 11 Drama. His second year led him into again year 10 Geography and History but this time with year 12 Drama and Year 10 Aboriginal Studies. Third year teaching saw Stephen contine year 10 Geography and year 10 Drama but with the inclusion of year 10, 11 and 12 Aboriginal Studies. This year Stephen is teaching again years 10 and 11 Geography along with 11 Drama and 12 Aboriginal Studies. Stephen enjoys the challenge of teaching across faculities is certianly difficult but the challenge is to teach each subject well and ensure the information is clear and most importantly, interesting and relevant to the students.
[edit] Whole School Responsibilities
[edit] Year Advisor
In his second year of teaching Stephen undertook the responsibility to becoming a year 10 year advisor. This position is an important role within the school as you are effectively the welfare guardian on the students of that year. The role of year advisor entail constant communication with parents and students, other teacher concerns for individual students and resolving minor issues between students within the year. Weekly meetings, phone calls and individual consultations are all an integral part of ensuring that students are adequately supported. I now share the position of year 12 advisor with another teacher. This year we have over 250 students to write references and plan a graduation for.
[edit] Committees
Seeking to leave my mark on the school before I'm required to move to a junior campus (Middle school 7-9 years) I joined the environment committee in my first year of teaching. Being a year advisor I'm also automatially a member of the welfare committee which are a group of concerned teachers that gather weekly to discuss school policiessuch as bulling and gender issues, planning assemblies, fundraising and awarding merit to students for contributing to self and school culture. Stephen also sits on the Teaching and Learning Committee which discusses training and professional development opportunities for staff along with planning development days and guest speakers for staff meetings. Through this Stephen liases with the technology committee to ensuregood communication between technological software and hardware and effective use of each in teacher training.
Following his year advisor duties Stephen is planning on developing a Gifted and Talented Committee to focus on developing additional support to students who a recognised as being gifted and/or talented students within the school. This committee will aim to support teachers who would like to better support their students.
[edit] Teaching Philosophy
I am committed to striving for the best result for each and everyone of my students. I would like to provide for my students not only a safe and comfortable learning environment but one where pupils can feel confident that they have been given every opportunity to achieve as high as they wish in their own education.
My primary obligation is not to the students themselves but to their parents. As I am a parent myself I would only want the best education for my child. Just as I would want the best mechanic working on my brakes and dentist repairing my teeth. So to I would expect parents of my students to want the best for their child. Each day I strive to improve myself so those I influence improve also.
Each day I strive in my preparation and delivery of lessons to aid each child individually and provide assistance in understanding knowledge, concepts and skills as they progress towards their School Certificate and Higher School Certificate.
Should you wish to meet, speak to me or schedule a meeting please feel free to contact me. Effective education can only come from a team work approach of Students, Parents and Teachers working together. This is essential in delivering an effective and valuable education.
Steve Williams.
[edit] Ambitions
Mr. Williams would like to see himself eventually as an executive member of staff of a either a secondary or central school. He has a strong interest in leadership, management and providing students with choices of opportunity. Before this can be achieved however it is important to attain exceptional teaching ability and organisational skills. The school is a very busy place with many demands. Students need to understand they are the reasons for the schools beings and that they need to make the most of what is available to them depending on the future they wish for themselves.
[edit] Hobbies
[edit] Volkswagens
Stephen is an active Offroad Volkswagen enthuasiast. He owns and drives a VW Baja Bug (Pronounced Baha) which is retro fitted with a fibreglass nose cone and tail on a trimmed front and rear, along with replacement wheel arches that fit oversize offroad tyres better suited to the harsh NSW roads and forestry tracks. His Baja is fitted with a rear mounted, twin port, 1600cc air-cooled flat four VW engine. This reliable motor delivers a modest 36 horse power to a reinforced type 1 transaxle. The baja is a very enjoyable car which is a favourite on the weekends when camping and exploring the country side.
[edit] Geocaching
Geocaching is an interesting hobby where one is to find a hidden cache at a set of latitude and longitude co-ordiantes using a GPS reciever. Stephen loves this hobby for the reason that you not only meet quite wonderfull people but you discover places literally off the beaten track. The prize is not the cache itself but discovering the locations or locations along the way. for more information see the links below.
[edit] Web Design
More recently Stephen has been spending a considerable amount of time designing webspace for his students and family. An example of this is www.lizarddrinking.com. Much of this has been developed using a Mozilla WYSIWYG HTML Editor product called Nvu. Building web pages is also a good way to allow images and information to be available to many studends and family at any given time.
[edit] Reading and Film
Stephen enjoys relaxing with a good magazine, book or web page to hover over. When the eyes are weary a good movie or radio program on the local ABC radio is a nice way to relax. stephen enjoys learning about the natural and human condition. Common sources for review include Australian Geographic, Year Books, Newspapers, PC Magazines, Automotive and Education Journals along with Online forums and bulletin boards.
[edit] Links
[edit] Teaching
[www.lizarddrinking.com] - Students web page [1] - Teacher Web for Mr. Williams [2] - Dubbo College (Senior Campus)
[edit] Geocaching
[www.geocaching.com.au] - The Australian Resource [www.geocaching.com] - The American Equilivant
