Debra Coyne

Background

About Debra Coyne

I am an experienced team leader with a history of applying my own learning and passion for mathematics in the classroom with others. I have a Postgraduate Certificate in Curriculum Leadership focused on Curriculum Design and Leadership from University of Melbourne. The course allowed me to research and apply my learning in designing an innovative curriculum at Year 8 to improve student outcomes and learning. Evidence based on data and student and teacher feedback was gathered, discussed and reviewed with an improvement in the Year 9 NAPLAN results noted and acknowledged.I am very interested in the Harvard Project Making Thinking Visible routines and am committed to trialing them in my Mathematics classes. The routines are simple tools to engage a deeper thinking about how mathematical concepts and how they connect with everyday issues, ideas and scenarios. In 2018, I joined a small team of five teachers passionate about investigating which routines best suit the needs of our students to become deeper thinkers. I have trialed a number of routines in my mathematics classrooms (Year 9 to 12) and share my observations and feedback from students with my colleagues. I am continuing to trial routines with a small team of Maths teachers this year. I have enjoyed sharing my learning in using thinking routines in the the Maths classroom with interested Maths teachers through Independent Schools Victoria (ISV) on their New Frontiers of Learning PL day 13 September 2019.I developed interest in STEM related activities and skills and how that plays out in the mathematics classroom and I was one of a team of three teachers to receive the inaugural Chrysanthe Award for Research and Development : Embedding STEMD at Year 9 and 10 at Ave Maria College, in 2016.Like most teachers, finding a balance of work, life, friends and fitness can be challenging I find, for me, the occasional running of a half marathon helps! PB: 2:00:55!