James Powdrell
Principal at Robinson River School, Big Rivers region at Education NT
Remote teaching has been hands down the best education experience I have had since commencing in the profession. It hasn’t always been easy, however the growth that has come from challenges, both personally and professionally, has made me a far better educator, and person.
Remote teaching has been the best experience I have had since starting my career.
Meet James Powdrell, Principal at Robinson River School, Big Rivers region at Education NT.
My wife and I relocated to the Northern Territory from New Zealand at the beginning of 2023. Our first year was filled with incredibly rewarding experiences, colleagues who quickly became family, and students and community members who welcomed us with open arms. In 2024 we were presented with the opportunity to move to the remote community of Robinson River and again found students, staff and the community were supportive, kind, and warm.
Remote teaching has been hands down the best education experience I have had since commencing in the profession. It hasn’t always been easy, however the growth that has come from challenges, both personally and professionally, has made me a far better educator, and person.
There are countless highlights teaching out remote. I have made lifelong friends, seen some breathtaking sights, and have made some exciting momentum in my teaching career. One of my favourite moments during 2023 was being given a skin name by one of the elders in the community I was teaching in.
Another highlight was being given the opportunity to become a principal of a small remote school in 2024. There was a senior student who couldn’t read at the beginning of the year, and the senior teacher had worked diligently with this student every single day. One day, I walked into the classroom and the teacher had the student reading fluently. Both the teacher and I had tears in our eyes, this was a very humbling experience for me, one that I will always remember. In essence, teaching in the NT has really instilled in me the importance of seeing the potential in every child, and that every student is capable of learning if they have a teacher who believes in them.
Working alongside the educational leaders in the Northern Territory has been a humbling experience as high-capacity, experienced leaders have shown a willingness to spend the time to invest into me both personally and professionally. Coming to the Northern Territory has given me what I estimate to be 5 years of career growth in the space of a year, it is a fantastic place to live and work.
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