Kathryn Sobey is no stranger to In2science.
Kathryn Sobey, former In2science mentor and Science Domain Leader at Auburn High School
As a former In2science mentor – and now the Science Domain Leader at Auburn High School – Kathryn has been a fantastic supporter of the program, experiencing the impact the program can have both as a volunteer mentor and as a teacher.
Kathryn was an In2science mentor at Footscray City College in her second year of university. “It was so formative in cementing my desire to be a teacher,” she said. “It was my first opportunity to see the classroom outside of a student’s perspective”.
As very proactive mentor, Kathryn was keen to make the most of her placement. “My placement teacher let me lead the class one day,” she said. “That was great, and an amazing opportunity that I don’t think I would have experienced anywhere else.”
A love of learning led her to pursue a career in teaching and she hasn’t looked back. “I love the intellectual challenge that being a teacher brings,” Kathryn said. “I can’t think of another profession where I would get the opportunity to practise problem-solving, critical thinking, creative thinking, resilience, leadership and innovation like teachers get to.”
Having In2science mentors visit Auburn High School has had an influence on both students and teaching staff alike. “We have loved having mentors in our classrooms to promote thinking about the deeper ideas of science and the world around us,” Kathryn said. “Teachers learn a lot when they are able to talk about what they do. It’s great to have the opportunity to do this with a mentor, someone who has fresh ideas and a fresh perspective. It can be both clarifying and gratifying to share your craft with someone else.”
Auburn High School has hosted In2science mentors throughout 2015, with six mentors from Swinburne University of Technology visiting the school over two semesters. It is a relatively new school, having opened in 2014, and currently has around 300 students. The school has a culturally-diverse student population and run bilingual classes in French and Chinese.
“We are very proud of the diversity we enjoy within our school,” Kathryn said. “I love walking down the corridors to the tune of staff and student chatter in Chinese, French, Vietnamese, Hindi and Amharic.”
The cultural diversity at Auburn High School has led to some unique opportunities for mentoring. “It has been wonderful to host some Chinese-speaking In2Science mentors who have been able to step in and assist in this highly specialised role,” Kathryn said. “The mentors were able to go through the content at a slower pace with the students, which has been a huge benefit.”
