Hayley Berry

 David Powell knows how to help students keep their eye on the ball, both in the classroom and on the table tennis court. As Deputy Head of Mathematics (Years 7–8), Head of Table Tennis, and a double Olympian, we asked David to shared how he inspires students to excel in both academics and sport. 

My sister inspired me. She taught me Biology and watching her made me realise how rewarding teaching could be.  

I’ve been involved as the Head of Sport (Table Tennis) since joining Haileybury in 2019. We’ve always had a strong program, and I’ve been fortunate to help build on that success. Outside of school, I’ve also worked with Table Tennis Australia, supporting our National Junior Squads, several of whom are Haileybury students. Being able to share my experience with them has been incredibly rewarding. In fact, Haileybury has now won the past 22 APS titles at firsts level, a remarkable record.  

I feel so lucky to have been part of the Australian Olympic Team in both 2016 and 2020. Competing on the biggest sporting stage was something I’d dreamed of since I was a kid, and getting to share that moment with our incredible team is something I’ll never take for granted. 

The most rewarding part of my role is working with the young people. They are full of optimism and energy, and always bring a fresh perspective. I also value my role in Maths leadership and having the opportunity to help shape the direction of our department and make a meaningful impact on the learning experience of our Middle School students. 

Set clear, specific goals, then map out strategies to reach them. Hard work and dedication are key but remember that progress is not always linear. Most importantly, find the joy in what you do. If you’re enjoying the process, everything else falls into place. In the words of gymnast Simone Biles: “At the end of the day, if I can say I had fun, it was a good day.” 

I love teaching quadratics and graphing parabolas! There are so many real-life examples that bring these concepts to life, from the design of suspension bridges to the arc of a water fountain, or even the flight path of a table tennis ball. It’s one of those lessons where maths meets the real world in a visual and fun way. 

Few educators have shaped the landscape of Drama education quite like Philippa Bell. As Head of Drama Curriculum from Prep to Year 8 at the City campus we asked her to reflect on the evolution of Drama education, and what inspires her. 

My association with Haileybury began in 1985 when I was employed to teach the new Middle School subject of Speech and Drama, to Years 7 and 8 boys. During this time, I was also the make-up designer for Senior productions, which gave me an insight into the broader benefits drama brings to school life. I taught at Haileybury until the end of 1991 and returned in 2001 to take on the role of Middle School Drama teacher and literacy support at the Castlefield (Brighton) campus. I proposed the introduction of primary drama and from 2002 this became a core part of the curriculum across Haileybury campuses. 

In 2016, I was given the opportunity to help establish the Drama program at the City campus, including contributing to the design of purpose-built facilities as part of the steering committee. I was passionate about ensuring a clear Drama pathway to VCE and we are now seeing our second group of City Year 12s complete VCE Drama. I have been fortunate to work at a school where Drama is central to the curriculum.

There are special moments every week. Recently I was exploring Shakespeare with my Year 6 boys and a young man from that class gave me an alternative meaning for one of the lines I had been teaching for years, and it blew me away. I love that my students are still teaching me.  

Drama is a subject that has always existed at the margins and been delivered by passionate staff. Students have loved the way drama has allowed them to express themselves and given them freedom to create. It has been my privilege to teach and be an advocate for this subject. I was motivated to teach Drama in the eighties by inspiring practitioners, who were advocates for Drama and showed how it develops empathy, critical thinking, collaboration and much more.  With Covid-19 and world political climates, Drama has lost its place in many schools. Although a rocky time for my beloved subject, my hope is we continue to see its worth for students.  

The challenge of every class being different and working with students to engage them so they love the drama space.   

To be proud of being different and unique and to respect the First Nations peoples of Australia.