Deb has had a lengthy career in the Catholic and Independent sectors and graduated from the Master of Leadership and Management in Education (MLMED) in 2010.

The qualification opened the door to new opportunities and Deb now works as Director of Research at the prestigious Trinity Grammar School. The diverse and challenging role has her working across the school’s campuses from Summer Hill in Sydney’s inner west to its field studies centre at Woollamia on the NSW South Coast.

Deb said the course’s flexibility was a factor in her decision to return to Newcastle.

“I needed to study externally and maintain a full-time position in my school. At the time there were not many universities that offered that flexibility,” Deb said.

More recently Deb has helped a group of teachers at Trinity to complete the MLMED externally as a cohort, liaising with the university to organise support for the teachers, including face-to-face contact.

“The combination of on-line delivery and some face-to-face delivery allows for the flexibility that busy teachers require to complete the course and stay motivated.”

“We saw this as an opportunity to organise a structure within the school to limit the isolation of completing an external course, and to enable teachers to work collaboratively and learn from one another.”

Once again the flexibility of the course was a factor in Trinity choosing to engage with the University, with the MLMED offering a broad range of options to suit teachers across a variety of disciplines and career goals.

Deb said the best part was that teachers were able to apply what they learnt to their own practice at school almost immediately.

“The recent module that the group have been completing this semester has produced some vigorous discussion about classroom space and has resulted in some changes to practice.”

Study Transformational Leadership in Education at the University of Newcastle

Study Leadership and Management in Education at the University of Newcastle

Photo of Deb de Ridder `

Deb de Ridder

After completing a Master of Leadership and Management in Education at the University of Newcastle, Deb has helped a group of teachers at Trinity to complete the Master of Leadership and Management in Education externally as a cohort, liaising with the university to organise support for them.

The combination of on-line delivery and some face-to-face delivery allows for the flexibility that busy teachers require to complete the course and stay motivated.