ISNZ Excellence

Sitting on a miniature chair at the back of classroom 5AR, it’s impossible not to hear the voice of Miss Sue Armstrong.
Her voice has held my attention since the class started and every word is as clear as crystal.
It’s not that her voice is angry or threatening, it’s just very prominent.
Although nearby there are students chatting happily and working together, Miss Armstrong’s voice is still clearer than theirs.
Her voice never rises to ‘telling off’ level and it never goes quiet, it’s just always there, complementing and reassuring the students.

Miss Armstrong is working at the front of the classroom with a group of pupils, who have been named ‘Group Triangle’.
The other groups of students are spread out around the classroom quietly solving maths problems together. As ‘Group Triangle’ work through their equations, Miss Armstrong and her voice hover between the students searching for anyone who needs a hand and making sure the other groups are concentrating on their work and not getting carried away with the sense of creative freedom they appear to have.
The children are always happy to ask questions and show their work, for the environment Miss Armstrong has created is a trustworthy and constructive one.

The reason ‘Group Triangle’ have Miss Armstrong’s attention is because they are challenged in the arena of maths. Fortunately for them maths is one of Miss Armstrong’s favourite teaching subjects.
It’s not the solving of equations that she enjoys; it’s the use of the technology involved, the Smart Board.
“It’s great to use because you can put the children’s names into the problems which helps them become interested. They get all excited and want to solve the equations; it’s also a great way of seeing the thinking behind their answers.”

It is her interest in technology in particular, that saw Miss Armstrong win the 2007 Independent Schools New Zealand (ISNZ), Excellence in Teaching Award.

Miss Armstrong is known for keeping ahead of the game and consistently reflects on her own teaching approaches and techniques to ensure she has ongoing professional development.
Dean of Y5-6, she was nominated for the award by her peers with great support from her student’s parents.

“Our daughter was in Miss Armstrong’s class in 2006. We hold Miss Armstrong in the highest regard. Her fairness, kindness and dedication to the class were commendable.
In challenging situations within the classroom we were impressed by Miss Armstrong’s unrelenting commitment to overcoming these situations. Her ability to consistently maintain equality and consideration to all in her care was admirable,” says one letter.

Associate Principal and Head of the Junior School, Mrs Liz Battersby, says Miss Armstrong is inspirational with her teaching, and is a worthy recipient.
“Sue has always been at the cutting edge of professional practice, but she does so in a modest and unassuming way. Curriculum differentiation is one of Sue’s real strengths and she’s prepared to put in the considerable time, reflection and planning to ensure this is implemented well. She is the consummate master teacher, firm, fair and with great respect for and high expectations of each child,” says Mrs Battersby.

‘Group Triangle’ has been implemented according to each student’s abilities and learning needs in maths. There will be similar groups and structures in other lessons to meet the needs of all students.

St Cuthbert’s College Principal, Mrs Lynda Reid says Miss Armstrong is more than deserving of the award.
“We are delighted that Sue won the award; it is great to see her abilities as a teacher, especially her leadership in integrating ICT into the curriculum, recognised in this way,” says Mrs Reid.

When asked how she felt after winning, Miss Armstrong’s wide smile brightens as her eyes search the ceiling for an answer.
“I’m very proud of it, but humble at the same time. These sorts of awards aren’t possible without the help of outstanding colleagues. We all get on so well and they’re so keen to help where ever they can. There is an expert in every field on education here and I think that Lynda and Co have done a great job at always trying to find a good fit, teachers who complement each others teaching style. It’s also the help of the support staff, the IT boys, the library and being able to have things typed. It all makes my life and job so much easier, so I’m able to concentrate on doing the best job I can.”   

Born and bred in Wanganui, Miss Armstrong made the move North in search of work and from what she says about her first job you get the feeling it set the pace for her career.
“After I graduated from Teachers College I moved to Auckland for work. My first job was at Bay View Primary School. It was new, when I say new I mean they will still building it when I got there. I remember on my first day I had twice as many children as I was expecting, which of course means it was pretty full on. It was a case of sink or swim. I managed to hang in there for a year, but it was a really intense introduction to teaching,” she says.

After 22 years of working at St Cuthbert's College Miss Armstrong says she has gained vast experience and skills.
When she first started at St Cuthbert’s College, it was different to what we have today.
There was a class for each Year level in the Junior School and each of these contained 35 girls. They all sat in rows and the teachers used black boards. The rooms were designed for senior students, so the younger girls had to tip toe to see out the window. These days that has changed.
The children in Miss Armstrong’s class have mini everything. The tables are mini, so are the chairs, no one has to tippy toe to sneak a peak out the window and the students are using notebooks, not the paper kind the computer kind.
Miss Armstrong’s interest in technology aided in her receiving the ISNZ Award and it was also this interest that set the ball rolling for the College’s Notebook Programme.

In the late 1980s the College had a computer suite, which contained 20 Commodore Omega computers. As the College updated the computers the older ones went into storage.
Miss Armstrong took advantage of this and managed to bundle a couple of the older computers into her classroom. She had the reading game “Grannies Garden” installed on them.
“I would let the children use the computers as part of our reading activities and instantly I saw the pleasure they got and how their imagination got going once they started using them.”
The Omegas eventually broke down, but the idea of having the computers integrated into the College Curriculum was born.
After two years of hard work and planning a team of St Cuthbert’s College teachers, including Miss Armstrong, launched the Notebook Programme Pilot in two Year 5 classes.
“It was such a success it was taken on board the following year. Now after a few years it’s just become a part of the College culture, it has been such an amazing journey.”

College Ties August 2007