With teaching in his blood, Mr Jeremy Potter has enjoyed 13 years and counting at Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School. Mr Potter talks about where his passion stems from and his experience leading the Year 7 Transition Program at the School.
I come from a large family of teachers, my father was a primary school teacher and principal. Therefore, I have been surrounded by schools and teachers my whole life. As I was growing up, my family was posted to different places around WA and we would become involved in the local community where the school was often the central hub. The values that I have learnt through these experiences have continued to shape my approach to teaching and education and I appreciate the close-knit community at Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School.
I was fortunate to have been inspired by many fantastic teachers as a student during both my primary and secondary school days and many of them were very encouraging of me to pursue a career in teaching. I was one of those people that felt a strong calling to teaching and that was what I decided I wanted to do just after Year 10. Over the course of my career, I have worked with many amazing teachers and I feel fortunate to be part of such a talented and dedicated group of people at BCGS with a wide array of skills and experiences to offer our students.
After completing my training as a primary school teacher, I commenced my teaching career working in state and independent schools which also included a teaching stint in the United Kingdom. This was also a time where I discovered the joys of travelling and I would spend holidays and take time off work to travel to many different parts of the world. I particularly enjoyed visiting the least travelled parts to find hidden wonders. This culminated with a year-long trip driving around Australia with my wife Katrina, just before starting at BCGS in 2007, where I was appointed as an upper primary teacher. During my time in Primary, I strongly advocated and successfully created a stand-alone Science program in the Primary School before I was appointed to the inaugural position of Year 3-6 Coordinator.
After that, I was asked to lead the Year 7 Transition Program in 2010, the first year that our Year 7 students moved from Primary to Secondary. It was an exciting opportunity because as a school we were one of the first of a handful of schools in WA to move Year 7 students to Secondary, with a purpose-built transition centre. As the Year 7 Coordinator, I had the wonderful opportunity to work with a blank canvas of brand-new facilities, enthusiastic teachers, and resources to develop and evolve the well-regarded Year 7 Program that we have today. Over time, this has included a dedicated Orientation Program for Year 6 students, including a specialised pathway called Outreach for students who live out of Bunbury coming to board at the School and the introduction of a Character Strengths focus as part of our whole school emphasis on Positive Education.
As a Year 7 teacher of Mathematics and Science, I am passionate about developing in students an awareness of environmental responsibility and equipping them with the skills to meet a rapidly changing global environment particularly in the STEM area. I also have a special interest in developing students’ wellbeing using the Positive Education model. BCGS has a wonderful and supportive community and working with parents to help students achieve their potential is one of the great rewards of my role. This cuts across all aspects of the School including the co-curricular and sporting program and I enjoy the opportunity to work with students of all ages especially as it takes me out of the classroom and allows me to get to know the students and parents on a different level.
