Celebrating our 2024 World Teachers’ Day winners
We asked teachers to share their most unforgettable teaching moments for world Teachers’ Day – and wow, did they deliver.
Choosing just 1 winner from each of the 8 Department of Education school regions was incredibly tough. The stories we received were heartwarming and inspiring, and showcased the incredible impact our teachers have every day.
A big thank you to all our nominees
To everyone who took the time to nominate a teacher: thank you. You've helped shine a light on the incredible work happening in classrooms across the state. Our teachers are building brighter futures for the next generation, and we're proud to support them.
What’s in store for our winners?
Each winner will get a $1,150 prize pack which includes a:
- $150 Coles Myer gift card for themselves
- $1,000 Officeworks gift card for their school to support student education.1
Congratulations to our 8 winners!
| Name | School | Region | Unforgettable moment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rosemary Hunsley | Logan Reserve State School | South East | Teaching a 5 year old Joe Brumm and encouraging him to continue, illustrate and keep his many stories about his Blue Heeler dog. (Creator of world sensation, "Bluey") |
| Kathryn Hunt | Mourilyan SS | Far North Queensland | Taught a student 1995 (year 2). 10 plus years later, this student was recognised at International Woman's Day. In her speech she said that I was her inspiration to do well and follow her dreams. So proud. |
| Tara Towns | Toowoomba State High School | Darling Downs South West | When teaching Animal Farm, a group of students led a revolution against me after I asked a student to face the front. I allowed the revolution to take place—watching magic happen. Using evidence from the text, they set up their own government and wrote their own commandments. |
| Deirdre Aldridge | Sunnybank SHS | Metropolitan South | It was coming to the end of year 12 and the chemistry students were talking about the formal. One blond, fair skinned girl turned to her friend and said “I am going to get spray tan do you want to get one too”. Her friend was Indian extraction and just smiled at her. All the other students laughed. I thought it was an awesome moment as the girl did not see the colour of her friend, she only saw another student, her friend. |
| Linda Hawes | Garbutt state school | North Queensland | Having a usually non-verbal student tell me I’m the best teacher. They chose to say those words to me. It broke my heart, and in that moment, I knew why I became a teacher. |
| Ralph Stacey | James Nash State High School | North Coast | Building a batting machine for a student in a wheelchair so he could play softball with his classmates. Then ordering a pitching machine so the same student could pitch, using his mouth, to his classmates. |
| Hayley Marie | Narangba Valley State School | Metropolitan North | A former student who struggled with school refusal in Year 6 visited my classroom in Year 12 to share he has been accepted into medical science. He credited this to my belief in his potential to succeed and our "I Am Worthy" lesson, which deeply resonated with them. |
| Lauren Isbel | Rockhampton State High School | Central Queensland | My most unforgettable teaching moment was seeing a student from a disadvantaged background in regional Queensland light up with excitement after understanding the concept of electrical circuits for the first time, realising their potential in science and engineering. |
1. Refer to the World Teachers’ Day 2024 terms and conditions for details.
