Professional Portfolio: Kiriaki Kousourakis
Welcome
My Objective-Get to know me
Teaching is both an art and a science. It is concrete and abstract; it is evidence based but also based on feelings. My name is Kiriaki Kousourakis and this is my professional portfolio. I have over 20 years of experience in teaching, in Australia and overseas, providing educational programs in the area of Language Acquisition for Primary and Secondary students (MYP) as well as managing the Language Development Team. My objectives as an educator are to create an interesting, authentic language environment for students to confidently use their language skills while at the same time promoting global awareness and cultural understanding. In my role as the Head of LOTE, my goals are to build a creative team of educators, aspiring to provide students with the best possible educational programs, motivating my team to always drive forward, cooperate and build strategies to promote language learning in a global society.
About Me
For me teaching is a perpetual experience, the link from what "is" to what "will be".
Currently, I am the Head of LOTE in my school and my duties and responsibilities in that position include but are not limited to: Teaching students Junior School-Y12, actively leading the Language Acquisition program ELC and P-12, reviewing and developing faculty goals in line with the school’s strategic outcomes, being an active member of the school’s education committee and participating in educational decisions and the academic direction of the school. In terms of curriculum development, I am responsible for working with the school to develop, implement and evaluate teaching and learning programs in Language Acquisition, produce and document the LOTE curriculum plans and scope & sequence, oversee the development of innovative programs that allow students to access a wide variety of creative learning styles, creating and implementing eLearning initiatives and overseeing the quality of teaching and learning activities, assessment tasks and formative feedback to students. I have also been responsible for ensuring that department staff are aware of current trends in teaching and learning especially in the area of Language Acquisition as well as provided with appropriate professional learning opportunities. In my capacity as Head of the LOTE Department, I participate in my school's Curriculum Information Evenings, ensure that LOTE resources and promotional material are displayed at all Parent Teacher Interview Evenings and Information Nights, communicate information to students, parents and the wider community through a variety of ways and attend Junior, Middle and Senior school meetings to brief teachers on current issues and initiatives in the area on Language Acquisition.
I enjoy going to the cinema, to art galleries and to museums. I also like to paint, sing and write poetry.
My Experience
Roles & Responsibilities
Head of LOTE (Languages
Other than Enlgish)
Oakleigh Grammar
Melbourne, Australia
July-2006 - Currently
Lead and manage the LOTE department by demonstrating ability to work independently and as part of a team.
Teach Primary School students to Upper Secondary (Y1-Y12). Subjects taught while working at Oakleigh Grammar (former Sts Anargiri Greek Orthodox College) included: LOTE- Greek, EAL, Humanities (History/Geography), Drama and ICT.
Manage Curriculum development and implementation for MYP Language Acquisition as well as PYP curriculum writing.
Point person for questions and answers regarding the MYP Language Acquisition program.
Initiate and support Staff Professional Learning programs. Mentor pre-service teachers.
Prepare the Faculty's Annual Budget and Review and apply for grants and funding.
Initiate and oversee the development of innovative programs that allow students to access better quality learning with attention to detail. Handle sensitive information with discretion and confidentiality. Liaise with parents and the wider community including stakeholders such as the Greek Government, local community organisations and the Department of Education Victoria. Oversee faculty related school events.
Prepare the agenda, organise and chair LOTE meetings and disseminate information from the minutes.
Prioritise programs according to school needs.
Member of the school's Education Committee responsible for educational matters of the school and the innovation of the programs offered.
Present in conferences for the MGTAV and MLAV as well as the VCE seminars for LOTE - Greek held by MGTAV.
Participate in new staff interview process and conduct staff performance evaluations.
Actively involved in the application of ICT in the department. Organise and analyse data regarding students' examination results and performance.
Sts Anargiri Language Centre Coordinator
Sts Anargiri Language Centre Melbourne, Australia
July-2006 - December-2011
Teach Upper Secondary school students (LOTE).
Organise and manage school events.
Organise incursions and excursions
Oversee the LOTE faculty booklist.
Leading and Managing the Centre from Prep to Upper Secondary. Overseeing the Budget of the Centre and Teacher Payments. Communicate and liaise with parents and the wider community. Create teacher support material including Assessment and Reporting Guide, Professional Conduct.
Streamlining the Centre including updating administration documents and putting in place accountability procedures. Apply for funding.
Responsible for teacher Professional Development.
Handle important information of sensitive nature with discretion.
Organise and manage school events.
Organise, chair, and produce the minutes of the meetings for the Centre.
Teacher (TESOL)
My School- TESOL Language and Activities Centre Greece
September 2001 – June 2006
Teaching EAL Prep -Y12.
Student Preparation for Cambridge ESOL Examinations (KET for Schools / PET for Schools / FCE for Schools / FCE / CAE / CPE as well as the Michigan ESOL Examinations and IELTS. Creating handouts and news-reports.
Evaluating of educational material.
Communicating with parents.
Planning and delivering educational professional development Train the Trainer programs in CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning)
Teacher EAL / Team member of the Education Research Department
Ellinogermaniki Agogi Athens, Greece
September 2000 – June 2002
Teaching EAL to secondary school students.
Student preparation for Cambridge ESOL Examination (KET for Schools, PET for Schools / FCE for Schools / FCE / CAE / CPE & Michigan ESOL Examinations.
Evaluation of educational material.
Preparation of proposals for a variety of educational programs held by the school.
Communication with parents.
Co-writer of an educational material called ARTEMIS created as part of Lingua-Socrates program, which included: Teacher's book, student book, workbook, CD, DVD and an e-learning component, an educational material with strong emphasis in continuous education.
Part of a team for the Training for Life program run by Ellinogermaniki Agogi as part of the Leonardo da Vinci program.
Participating in the evaluation and dissemination of the above educational material
Educational Programs Coordinator
RMIT University Melbourne, Australia
September 1997 – July 2000
Creation of files and databases on Greek migration in Australia.
Creation of educational programs on migration and the Greek-Australian History
Organization of meeting, seminars and symposiums.
Language and skills facilitator for the Adult Multicultural Educational Service.
Organizing the dissemination of funds for the Greek's-Abroad program sponsored by the EU and managed by the University of Crete. Preparation, management, implementation and evaluation of the Laylor North Primary School bilingual program.
Presentation of papers on unit development in the Professional Development & Training program held by RMIT University Presentation of a paper in the Department of Education Seminars for Teachers series on Learning Centres: Theory and Practice.
Conducting interviews on migration issues with a number of people of different background and writing up the findings. Participated in seminars for the Independent Schools Association on (a) Multiple Intelligences and (b) Lifelong Learning. Conveyor of the 13th Oral History Symposium (RMIT University).
Education
My Studies
2005
Master of Education
(Information Technology) University of Melbourne
The use of ICT in an Educational Context. Innovation and Connectivity
including Information Technology and Society, Computers and
Curriculum, Online Education and Training, Teaching with Information
Technology
2003
Master of Education (Thesis)
RMIT University
Melbourne
Thesis : "The Professionalisation Process and Greek Ethnic Schools: The Changes
Towards Professionalisation in the Greek Ethnic Schools in Melbourne
in the late 1990s "
1996
Graduate Diploma in
Education
The University of Melbourne
Melbourne
Teaching Methods: Social Sciences (Humanities) and TESOL (EAL)
1995
Bachelor of Arts
The University of Melbourne
Majors in Political Science and Classical Studies
My MYP Profile
Learner Profile because teachers are foremost Learners
My Learner Profile
Teachers are Learners. This is part of my Learner Profile. Other attributes are part of my personality, character, how I learn and interact with others but these two came to my mind very quickly....
Personal Project supervisor
As a Personal Project supervisor, I have been privileged to have been involved in the thinking process and creation of very interesting projects. It allows me as a facilitator, to guide students through the process of completing the Personal Project and in this way I am able to see a different side to my students. Together, the supervisor and student, form a very important partnership with very creative results.
Language Acquisition
"Language is the road map of a culture. It tells you where its people come from and where they are going."
Rita Mae Brown, writer
Our language journey in life is a never ending one. It is through language that our thoughts and dreams are formed, our aspirations and visions are communicated in order to materialise. It is my dream that my students' language journey involves a lot of stops on the way. Language after all connects us in a global way. Language is creation. Linguistic cosmogony takes place when language gives birth. The notion of creation is internal to language learning. We create every time we think, we speak and we write. Let's get students involved in creating their own language cosmogony.
Recognition
My Achievements
Teacher Champion
2014- present: One of 80 teachers from around Australia to participate and create the Scootle Community an educational platform that provides Australian schools with more than 20,000 digital resources aligned to the Australian Curriculum created by Education Australia and
funded by the Australian Government Department of Education.
The Juice Bar - Online multi language learning suite
2019 - Part of a team creating resources through the Modern Languages Teachers Association of Victoria for the Department of Education's Early Childhood Languages Program.
https://fuse.education.vic.gov.au/ResourcePackage/ByPin?pin=8LRKQ7
Presentations
2020: Second Language Learning breaking the rules: Accelerating learning in novice learners.
2020: MGTAV: Online Presentation- VCE Examination Part 3: Writing
2019: Presenter at the Greek Community Seminar on The Greek Language in Australia: Past, Present and Future
2015-2019: Annual presenter at the VCE Greek Seminar for the Modern Greek Teachers Association of Victoria preparing VCE students (Year 12) for their end of Year Examinations.
2018: Presenter at the Modern Greek Teachers Association of Victoria. Asking the right questions: From the Socratic Method to Concept Checking.
2014: Presenter at the Modern Languages Teachers Association of Victoria. Storytelling: An old technique a new Delivery.
CLIL
Content and Language Integrated Learning
Language and Art
Teaching Art through Language Acquisition provides a springboard for students to creatively use the language while focusing on the Art's curriculum.
Teaching History using Language Acquisition
Amalgamating the teaching and learning of History and foreign language CLIL in this case, increases the students' exposure to the language while at the same time language is approached lexically rather than grammatically and the learners' styles are taken into account in task types.
Student Well-being & Pastoral Care
My educational philosophy is based on a holistic approach in teaching and learning. Student well-being and pastoral care is a major part of teaching and learning. Optimal student well-being is characterised by positive feelings and attitude, positive relationships with others, resilience and satisfaction with self and experiences and engagement in learning.
7 Habits of Highly Effective Students
It is a great privilege to be working in a house with Lighthouse status. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective students of Steven Covey, have created a common set of reference points for both students and staff to become more effective individuals in their relationships, attitudes and experiences at school but also as life skills.
IB Learner Profile Attributes
The IP Learner Profile Attributes are a common set of values, developed in all three IB programmes, that transcend international boundaries and help develop internationally minded people. IB learners strive to become inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, caring, risk-takers, balanced and reflective.
Students as well as staff in our school are encouraged to recognise and support these attributes with everyone in our community. It is the responsibility of all members of the school community to model these attributes.
Certification in Pastoral Care
27 October 2019, Student Wellbeing Hub
Australian Student Well-being Framework
Module 5: Support
26 June 2020, Student Wellbeing Hub
Australian Student Well-being Framework
Module 2: Inclusion
26 June 2020, Student Wellbeing Hub
Australian Student Well-being Framework
Module 3: Student Voice
My Skills
Tricks of the Trade
Excellent Interpersonal Skills, Team building and Managing, Creative and Critical thinking, Coaching and Mentoring,, Research, Design and Implement new programs, Interviewing and Public Speaking, Budgeting, Data analysis, Publishing (reports, articles for newspapers, educational material for teachers), Language skills: English: Native Speaker, Greek: Native Speaker, French: Beginner, German: Beginner, IT skills: MS OFFICE (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, Outlook),Web designing programs, Online Platforms.
Email:
“Γηράσκω δ΄αιεί πολλά διδασκόμενος” As I get older I learn a lot.