Welcome to week three (the median) of the weekly introductions to the exceptional members of the east team at anzuk Education. Today I’m thrilled to introduce one of the newest members of the team, Matt Moloney, who will discuss his love for music as well as give us an insight into his 2 years of teaching experience.
Rob: How long have you been working at anzuk for now?
Matt: I have been working at anzuk for the past 3 months and am finding it an incredibly rewarding experience. While I am still learning and growing in certain areas, it’s been great to try something completely new and work with some great people.
Rob: You’ve settled in exceptionally well in those 3 months and what so far gives you most satisfaction from your role with anzuk?
Matt: I really like the puzzle of trying to find the best candidate for a school based on experience and expertise. I am also a very sociable person so I like meeting new people, and this position allows me to talk with a wide range of people with a huge range of experiences.
Rob: I think that sociable attitude has been what’s made you such a culture fit for the office! What’s your nickname and is there a good story behind this?
Matt: My nickname is Snowy, which was given to me when I was about 4, as I had incredibly blonde hair. Even though my hair is now brown – slowly heading back to white – the nickname has stuck.
Rob: Wait until it starts falling out like mine and then you can be worried! In your short time with anzuk, what is your favourite moment so far?
Matt: Placing my first teacher in a contract position was pretty great. Also, going out for team dinners has been awesome, and the end of term celebrations were fantastic!
Rob: That was an awesome achievement so early on in your career with us. Outside of work, what are your hobbies and interests?
Matt: I really enjoy going to live music whenever I can, as well as expanding my music library as much as possible (I like to listen to everything from Johnny Cash to Parkway Drive). I love being able to go see new movies at the cinema, even if the popcorn is overpriced. I like to catch up on new TV shows and books (hurry up Game of Thrones!) and try and play guitar – horribly i’ll add – when I get the spare chance.
Rob: Horribly? You’re joking! Your performance at the end of term drinks was incredible, had the crowd wrapped round your little finger! As Jordan said, you’ll now be performing at every event we have! Having been a CRT yourself, what advice would you give a CRT in Melbourne?
Matt: Make sure you make the most of every opportunity. Try a new schooling environment like an open plan or team teach, have a go at Special Education Needs schools (the best 2 weeks of CRT work I had was at a Special Development School) and take on half or shorter days, as you can develop great relationships with the schools. If you are a graduate teacher or coming back to teaching, working as a CRT is a great way to find out what environment or year level suits you and build up skills and resources.
Rob: What was your best experience as a teacher for the 2 years you taught?
Matt: As mentioned, the 2 weeks I spent working in a Special Development School was very rewarding. The students were all fantastic, and while it was quite confronting (as I had no initial SEN training), the experience was well worth it. Also, I got the chance to travel to the Northern Territory and Queensland with a secondary school I worked with. I visited Uluru, the Devil’s Marbles and swam in the Great Barrier Reef.
Rob: My school trips were never that good! What do you see in the future for anzuk?
Matt: As anzuk grows into new cities as countries, it would be great to be able to take my skills to different offices and work in new areas.
Well the anzuk Education future looks brighter with Matt “Snowy” Moloney in it. He’s made a fantastic start with the company and has very high expectations of himself which shows in the exceptional level of work he produces. His guitar-playing and singing skills are fantastic and if you need someone to perform some acoustic covers at an upcoming event, get in touch!
Matt is always keen to speak to qualified teachers and teaching assistants to work around the Dandenong and Mulgrave areas so if you are looking for some extra CRT work, a contract, or know someone who is, please get in touch at matthew.m@anzuk.education or 9249 2444 (ext 276)
