December TOPS Winners Announced
SSTUWA in conjunction with Police & Nurses are happy to announce the Winners of the TOPS competition.
Congratulations - $1,000 to Victoria McCann - the winner of “Current and new TOPS account holders” category .
Congratulations - $500 to Brook Johns - winner of “Members who join up new members” category.
The SSTUWA provides free online access to the TOPS online planning system by Curriculum Organiser for all members to use at work or at home. Since its inception, thousands of members have used TOPS to produce integrated programmes, lesson plans and assessments.
Brook Johns
1. How long have you been teaching?
Seven years
2. How long have you been a member?
I have always thought being a member of a Union is a priority when in the workforce. I have been a member the whole time I've taught (both here and in the UK).
3. How important is it to you to have access to TOPS?
TOPS is a great tool that makes planning so much easier.
4. Has having access to TOPS reinforced your feelings about becoming and staying a member of the Union?
Having access to TOPS is just another fantastic benefit of being a member of the Union.
5. What is it about TOPS that works for you as a teacher?
TOPS has programs readily available that you can cut and paste and adjust to suit your needs. It just makes life easier.
6. Can you describe how you felt when you realised you won the competition?
Couldn't believe it (I never win anything!) and being right before Christmas was just a fabulous surprise.
7. What will you use the money for?
I think the money will be used to go on a weekender down south with hubby and son.
Victoria McCann
1. How long have you been teaching?
6 Years - 2006 to 2009 at Jigalong Remote Community School and 2010 to Current - Continuing in a permanent substantiative position at West Leeming Primary School.
2. How long have you been a member?
6 Years and continuing.
3. How important is it to you to have access to TOPS?
TOPS is a wonderful, up to date resource for any teacher who is a member, offering topics, year group programs and activities with links to the WA and National Curriculums. You can add your own ideas as well, to come up with a plan that suits the needs of your students.
4. Has having access to TOPS reinforced your feelings about becoming and staying a member of the union?
The Union has done a lot to support the teaching profession, and I have found TOPS to be a much needed resource, especially with the increased demands placed upon teachers in the workplace.
5. What is it about TOPS that works for you as a teacher?
I love having access to TOPS, it helps with my planning, especially having such a wide range of abilities in the classroom. It enables the correlation of levels of skills in different learning areas. This makes it easier to work on them in various whole class and individual activities and allows me to cater to the students' abilities.
6. Can you describe how you felt when you realised you won the competition?
I was very surprised and thrilled when I received the phone call to say that I'd won.
7. What will you use this money for?
The money will go towards something special for myself, my fiancé and my family.
TOPS now supports the Australian National Curriculum has thousand of resources ready for immediate download.
Thank you to all who participated in the competition and to all members who use TOPS to help them in their lesson planning and programming.
Another opportunity to be in the draw to win with TOPS will be announced soon.