Awardwinning Wallarano Primary School teacher Snezana Jovanovic with student Lida at last week’s school assembly where she was awarded a National Excellence in Teaching Award.“WHY ME?” was Noble Park teacher Snezana Jovanovic’s first thought when she won a prestigious national teaching award last week.
The Wallarano Primary School teacher’s focus on involving students in community activities saw her become one of 120 teachers Australiawide to be awarded a 2005 Australian Scholarship Group (ASG) National Excellence in Teaching Community Merit Award. The award recognises teachers who actively link students to the community through educational activities.
Ms Jovanovic was given the award unexpectedly at a school assembly on Friday 4 November by Isaacs MP Ann Corcoran.
“I didn’t expect it because I tend to do everything for the kids and take each day as it comes,” she said.
“Honestly, I thought ‘Why me?’
“There so many excellent teachers at Wallarano. I felt a bit awful at first. I have only been here four or five years. But then I was in shock more than anything.”
Among her achievements, Ms Jovanovic has developed a variety of projects linking students to the community, including the Wallarano Idol singing competition, various excursions, tree planting with the City of Greater Dandenong Council, and the Police in Schools program.
Ms Jovanovic was nominated for the award by two parents of past students.
She said she owed a lot to the school community, which had supported her teaching style, and consequently led to the award.
Ms Jovanovic said Wallarano was a leader in community integration with its students.
ASG is a nonprofit organisation that assists parents in planning for education costs.
The group established the National Excellence in Teaching Awards 11 years ago to recognise hardworking teachers across the nation.
