Kip McGrath Eastwood - Education Centre

		Melissa Mills BSc, BEd Melissa has strengths in both Maths and Literacy. She is an outstanding teacher whose programs are carefully planned and sequenced, with the result that many of our past clients recognise her expertise and request Melissa as a tutor. She enjoys exploring how students approach new tasks and supporting them to successfully complete a task that was previously seen as difficult. Melissa has been with the Centre for four years.

		Jarad Lonsdale BEd Primary, Advanced Diploma in Graphic Design Jarad is a fully qualified primary teacher with four years’ experience. He is currently studying to qualify as high school visual arts teacher. His strengths are with upper level primary, both Maths, especially fractions, decimals and percentages and creative English writing tasks. Jarad’s interests are drawing and painting. He has been with the Centre for two years. Jarad has a passion to see students reach their full learning potential and feel successful when they leave the classroom.

		Tom Coghlan BSc, BEd, MEd Tom has taught in both Victoria and Sydney. He has been Subject Coordinator in Mathematics and other areas. Tom is passionate about teaching Physics and Mathematics. Because of his experience with teaching all years and ability levels in both single sex and coeducational schools, he has acquired skills which enable him to identify a student’s particular difficulty. Tom states “In a session, I rely on students setting the agenda that needs to be covered – I ultimately want the students to walk out of the session with at least one refreshing or new idea about the topic of the day. The small group allows one to one clarification of ideas, and time for the students to practise the ideas. Building confidence is very important.” Tom is commencing his third year with Kip McGrath.

		Tony Everett BSc Dip Ed Tony has more than 34 years’ teaching experience, gained at four different State high schools in Sydney, as well as experience at Bradfield College, a joint TAFE/ NSW Department of Education initiative. He began tutoring at Kip McGrath in 1998 on a semi-regular basis while still teaching, with the aim of moving into tutoring as a retirement income. Since 2004 he has been teaching at the Centre, sometimes for up to five days a week. Tony’s interests include bushwalking, gardening, eating out, and travel. And tutoring students in mathematics!

		Maryann Cullis Maryann taught English and History at Rooty Hill High and Greystanes High for twenty years. She spent a year teaching in California as part of the NSW Department of Education’s exchange program. Her special interests include 19th Century novels and poetry. She has studied German and Spanish and is currently studying for a Diploma in Languages (French) at Macquarie University. Maryann particularly enjoys teaching at Kip McGrath because it gives her the chance to teach very small groups and encourages the students to explore the wider world of language and literature. Maryann has been with the Centre for two years.

		Gay Thursby BA (Hons) Dip Ed, AD Asian Studies, Grad Dip EC Gay Thursby has over forty years’ teaching experience in a wide range of subjects, including Language, Maths, English and ESL. Most of that experience was gained in schools in the Ryde/Eastwood area. Currently Gay is supported by a staff of nine fully qualified teachers, using Australian materials and familiar with the NSW curriculum.