Will Hunter, Yorke Peninsula Country Times
Annette Morphett says she has always had a deep affinity for rural schools and communities.
The passionate educator has spent more than 20 years at Wallaroo’s St Mary MacKillop School where she has positively impacted the educational outcomes of countless students.
Dr Morphett, who is also a dedicated teacher at the University of South Australia in addition to her role as St Mary MacKillop’s leader of learning and inclusive education coordinator, recently completed her PhD for which she explored the reality of middle-primary mathematics education in rural Australia.
Dr Morphett said this came from her interest in the continual reporting of rural school achievement as deficit compared with metropolitan schools and her belief this should be challenged.
“When I applied to study for a PhD, I was surprised to be accepted,” Dr Morphett said.
“I completed it last year after three years of full-time study, whilst still teaching part-time — it was a very busy period!
“I have always had a thirst for knowledge and an interest in finding answers to unresolved questions I have about varying aspects of teaching.
“I was interested in exploring rural mathematics education further, including how data is reported and how rural locations are defined and classified.”
As part of her PhD studies, Dr Morphett developed a framework called the Blueprint for Rural Education which she hopes will be used by teachers, graduates and policy and curriculum writers when they make decisions which affect rural learners.
“They really need to develop an understanding of the rural context and the identity of rural people by consulting with them, and the components of the blueprint can help them with that,” Dr Morphett said.
“The blueprint calls for action — to ask us and include our voice.”
Dr Morphett was recently recognised for her commitment to rural education at the national 2023 Schools Plus Commonwealth Bank Teaching Awards where she was awarded a 12-month teaching fellowship.
“Being a 2023 Schools Plus fellow is a great honour — Schools Plus was established as a direct result of the recommendation of the 2011 Gonski Review and, at the fellowship presentation, I was lucky enough to meet David Gonski AC,” Dr Morphett said.
“I found the Gonski Review of education in Australia a valuable reference point in my volunteer work over the years — as a SPELD council member, UniSA Academic Board member and as a current SPERA national executive member.
“The fellowship also provides a substantial financial prize for our school which will be used on a strategic project over the next 12 months.
“We are hard at work planning this project and look forward to its implementation in 2024.”
Dr Morphett said she still finds it incredibly rewarding to see students learning and contributing to society in meaningful ways.
“I continue to enjoy teaching at St Mary MacKillop School with our brilliant principal and a team of outstanding teachers and support staff who work tirelessly and go above and beyond for the benefit of our students,” Dr Morphett said.
“Teaching is such a wonderful occupation where teachers can help students to work towards their dreams.
“Teachers need to be prepared for hard work and long hours — and to be constantly amazed at how awesome young people are.”
This article appeared in Yorke Peninsula Country Times, 31 October 2023.
