Hey! My name is Michael Gallagher, one of the two Michaels that work at Langports’ Brisbane Campus. I’ve been here since 2007 with a few breaks for study.
I love it here at Langports. I have great students and I enjoy my time in the staff room. The teachers are all lovely people and it’s always great chatting to them and catching up on their news. We have had a few current and ex- teachers having babies this year which has been very exciting. The teachers are all well travelled and interested in different cultures so it’s a very rich environment. We have a big range of nationalities with teachers from Scotland, England, Malaysia, Brazil, Hungary, and, of course, Australia.
One of the best things about the staff is the support that they give you. If I ever have a question about grammar, spelling or word use I can ask my colleagues and I know I will get an excellent explanation. Everyone is interested in language so there are always interesting and often funny conversations. Damian is the ‘go to guy’ for grammar, Diane for spelling and Tanya for everything.
In the photo: Damian, Diane and Michael.Tanya is currently on holiday
When I first started at Langports, I was surprised at the amount of help I received. Dave and Katie spent a lot of time helping me improve my teaching skills and all of the teachers who had taught the level or option before gave me lots of extra material and advice. It’s a lovely thing as I have worked in other schools where people don’t share materials or offer to help. It makes such a huge difference to your teaching in the long run when people share their ideas and makes for a great atmosphere in the present. I know that people having such a positive effect on each other in the staffroom must mean that they are very helpful, pleasant and interesting in the classroom too. I feel very lucky to work in a place with such great people.