My name is Alannah McLatchey, and I am currently in my final year of a Bachelor of Education [BEd(K-12)] with Charles Sturt University, majoring in English. Various experiences over the last few years have helped to shape who I am and strengthen my desire to become a teacher. Volunteering as a leader in a local youth group, and participating in community events such as Midnight Basketball have encouraged me to develop my awareness of the crucial role teaching has in shaping and benefitting future generations of children.

Having moved to various schools across the country as a child, and later, as a teenager, I have learned the absolute significance of developing relationships based on meaningful communication with everyone within a school setting. This is something I strongly desire to share within my own classroom.

Further, my strong enjoyment of reading and viewing literature has only been heightened by the opportunity teaching provides in order to share the rich enjoyment and meaning that can be found within literature. Helping students to see reading, writing and speaking as valuable and enjoyable life-long tools rather than 'enemies' is a personal goal of mine.

Similarly, leading by example the significance of respect, enthusiasm, honesty, integrity and striving for excellence for students within Australia are key aspects of my personal values. These values are also integral in developing a stronger generation of Australians as a whole, in order to create a driven country with a sense of unity, integrity and respect for other people and their world.