As a high school student, Jerry Lea Burgmann was encouraged to apply for a scholarship through the NSW Department of Education and Communities Teacher Education Scholarship Program by one of her teachers, who had also been a scholarship recipient.
Following her successful application, Jerry Lea studied a combined Bachelor of Teaching (Secondary) / Bachelor of Health and Physical Education through Newcastle University, and was thankful for the many benefits of the scholarship program. Jerry Lea appreciated the financial support offered by the program, which she says allowed her to ‘focus on my studies and build up my confidence to be able to complete them, and I finished third highest in my course. I was privileged to be able to do that.’
Now a PDHPE teacher at Nepean Creative and Performing Arts High School, Jerry Lea enjoys working at a western Sydney school. ‘They are very supportive. All the staff there have been able to help me and assist me in any way they can, which is really good. The students are great. They can be challenging at times but on the whole they are fantastic.’
As an Aboriginal person, Jerry Lea is an active advocate for increasing cultural awareness in the classroom and broadening student ideas about Aboriginal Australia, past and future. ‘I bring a fair and consistent approach to all students in the classroom,’ she says. ‘Coming from a background where I have had personal struggles in the school in context, I feel that I have the skills to be able to bring all of that together, creating a classroom that’s safe and supportive and also catering for individual learning needs.’
To support her goal of increasing awareness of Aboriginal culture, Jerry Lea will soon be implementing a games day where students in Years 7 and 8 will learn the different skills that are involved in traditional indigenous games.
‘Teaching is a really rewarding experience,’ Jerry Lea says, ‘not only for yourself, but for the students that you teach and connect with in your classroom and in the wider school community. Being a strong Aboriginal leader within the school can help to shape those strong Aboriginal leaders for the future.’
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants for a Teacher Education Scholarship can contact the Scholarship Team on telephone 1300 301 435 or alternatively may wish to contact the Department's Aboriginal Employment and Career Development Team on telephone 02 9836 9103 or by email at Aborginal.Employment@det.nsw.edu.au to obtain further information and assistance.