Celebrating educators of the future

We’re delighted to introduce Jacob Bellingham, the recipient of the Bank First Indigenous Leaders Scholarship at Monash University. 

Jacob’s journey to becoming a teacher began at the age of 16, when an injury took Jacob, an avid athlete, off the field and into his first coaching role. “Coaching cricket, I found it rewarding to watch children grow and develop so quickly while doing something they loved.” 

Now, two years into his teaching degree and approaching his second placement, Jacob is focused on balancing rapport with his students and structure in the classroom. “There is never a boring day in the class. There are new challenges each day, and this means learning to deal with them and coming up with creative solutions.” 

'As a teacher, you can always improve by using student’s voices and feedback to develop and implement new strategies in your teaching.' 

For many First Nations students, the cost of pursuing higher education is a significant barrier. Jacob, who currently works three jobs, finds unpaid work placements rewarding but also financially challenging.