Everyone deserves to find that fire inside them. That sense of who they are.
Helping students light that fire is one of the most rewarding things you could do.
I first chose teaching because I wanted to travel. I taught in London and then I went to Berlin.
Now, I'm a Koorie coordinator and I can't imagine doing anything else.
I didn't find out I was Indigenous until I was in university. Going through a relative's will, we found out that my nana had lived on a station.
A lot of my students understand that they are Aboriginal, but have lost those direct links with community.
My job is to make sure the school is a safe place to build those cultural connections. It's about growing their confidence inside and outside of the classroom.
Seeing the students meet elders or being able to cook traditional meals, their faces light up.
I can see how proud they are to be Aboriginal and it makes me feel proud as well.
Teaching has so many paths you can take. You never know where you can end up. I think if you can be that person who helps even just one student find their own spark, that makes it all worth it.
My name is Stephanie Swain. I work at Reservoir High. I've been teaching for 8 years and I'm the Koorie coordinator.
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