Beth Boland, UNE Lecturer in Early Childhood and Primary Education
Pushing her pram into UNE Tamworth one day, Beth Boland had no idea she would become such an active advocate of UNE’s big, new vision for the regional city she was only just getting to know.
The experienced classroom teacher, curriculum writer and teacher educator had recently moved from Sydney with her Tamworth-raised husband, child and young baby. Away from a major city, with the world in the grip of a pandemic, and a new baby in tow, Beth felt challenged in new ways, and she was ready to find her place in her still unfamiliar new town.
From Sydney to Jakarta
For most of her career at this point, Beth had been a classroom teacher, starting as a primary school teacher. Even a more academic endeavour about 10 years into her career – editing and writing for teacher training textbooks – led her to hands-on work educating teachers in Indonesia: building their confidence in teaching and using their resources effectively, while enhancing early childhood and primary school curriculum. She also travelled around Indonesia for four years, training and supporting teachers and leaders within a school network of 7000 schools.
But living overseas for five years in an unfamiliar culture wasn’t just about teaching for Beth; it was an experience that greatly shaped her perspective on teaching and leading.
“There are so many things I learned,” Beth says. “I learned about my own biases and the values that are held in different cultures and how they shape what we do and how we teach. I learned there are strengths in every culture and every context that we can draw on to build up our practice.”
The experience has helped her connect every context to the wider profession – proving no place is as disparate as it seems.
We might not really realise we’re in a global context here in regional NSW, but, globally, there are things happening that are impacting upon us.
A new start at UNE Tamworth
After starting a family, Beth came back to Australia – and Covid hit. After a brief time back in Sydney, their family moved to Tamworth with another new baby. Ready to seek new challenges while being a stay-at-home mum, Beth took her baby to UNE Tamworth that fateful day, looking for any job going.
She found a role as Academic Skills Coordinator, enjoying supporting and getting to know the university and the Tamworth community. Now, she’s a lecturer in Early Childhood and Primary Education, and undertaking a PhD with the goals to research and improve the literacy rates and interest in reading in the Tamworth region.
“The PhD is investigating the impacts of the shared book gifting program, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, on the literacy development of children from nought to eight years old in the Tamworth community.
"There has been a really high uptake of the program across Tamworth, so gaining further data on this and its impact on literacy development in children will help us to be able to support the community in finding ways to maximise the program’s impact."
From an initial sense of displacement, Beth is enjoying what Tamworth has to offer – and is excited for its future.
“Moving to Tamworth after growing up in Sydney and then living in Jakarta has been really different.
I love Tamworth, and I have a strong sense of purpose in being here and commitment to the place. I’m enjoying seeing the unique strengths and differences that are here, and drawing on those strengths.
Shaping a new campus
Beth says she’s also excited to see UNE Tamworth change and grow.
“I’ve seen our presence grow over the past three years from the space we’re working from now, seeing more and more students come on campus and hearing people in the Tamworth community talking about UNE Tamworth more and more.
“I’m super excited for the new campus, because it will provide for us expansion upon what’s already happening – further opportunities and spaces to support our students and to network with community.”
As a “very social” person, Beth has enjoyed the increasing interactions and engagement happening at UNE in Tamworth.
“I think community partnerships is a really crucial component of what we’re trying to do here and building connections with the industry, which is why I’m very excited about my PhD, because there’s a natural partnership with community in doing that.”
Overall, Beth remains passionate about classroom teaching and literacy, with the classroom always pulling her back to her roots in some shape or form.
“I learn so much from teaching. There is so much satisfaction and fulfilment that comes from it.
“I’m really passionate about equipping the next generation of teachers to create positive communities in their classrooms, build children who are resilient, children who have really strong literacy skills and children who believe they can be an agent of change in the world.”
