2009 Awards
Special Commendation, Teacher Award
Mrs Loretta Simmonds
Music Specialist
Moil Primary School, Moil, Darwin, NT
Loretta Simmonds has made an enormous contribution to the development of the music program at Moil Primary School. Loretta has prepared and showcased numerous excellent student performances - both instrumental and choral - over years of teaching, but making a public 'splash' is not her preferred style. Rather, she has revolutionized perceptions and understanding amongst her students and school communities about the nature and impact of music education, initially by developing a caring relationship of mutual trust with children, then by fostering creativity, exciting children's imagination, and building self-esteem through achievement.
The strength of Loretta's work is mainly seen within her own music classroom, where joyful music-making is a result of her passionate belief that every child is musical, regardless of 'talent', and can achieve through music when effectively taught and inspired. Loretta's music teaching area is no custom-designed facility, has no electronic 'smartboard' or other built-in music technology. In fact it is not a classroom at all - only a stage area at one end of a multipurpose open-sided hall with a shuttable partition, but Loretta has turned this space into a haven of magical, creative opportunity for her students.
Her teaching approaches are varied and appropriate for her students. Of particular note is her work with newly acquired students from the Intensive English Unit, with many staff recognising that their progress is largely as a result of Loretta's singing program. Her classroom and choral programs attract teachers and choirs from all over Australia and in 2006 she was awarded an "Excellence in Music Teaching" award from Musica Viva.
The Moil Primary School community knows that Loretta's music program is benefitting not only student wellbeing across the school, but the whole learning journey of many of its students, and other schools are now seeking to learn from her expertise. Loretta aims to inspire, delight and ignite a passion for music in children that will last a lifetime. She believes that music is essential to a balanced curriculum and that through providing positive and creative musical experiences she can instil in her students the self-confidence to achieve excellence both at school and later in life.