Values in Action – Meet Jonathan

Our ‘Values in Action’ series shines a light on how our Caulfield Grammar School employees live our School values. Embracing Diversity authentically values the richness of difference, appreciating and recognising that all perspectives contribute to our community.  

Jonathan Twigg, Deputy Head of Wheelers Hill Junior, shares how Embracing Diversity builds a culture of collaboration and community and enhances the student experience.

My teaching career started in 1993 with an advertisement in a newspaper looking for ‘teachers to come teach and live on a tropical island’. What young graduate could resist that? The island ended up being Nauru, and so my overseas teaching life began.  

Over the next 25 years I was fortunate to call over 10 different schools in 10 different countries my home. I got to live and teach in international schools, with my backdrops changing from the temples of Korea to the desert sands of Qatar, from the magic of Istanbul to the snow-capped mountains of the Swiss Alps. 

In 2018 my daughter, Chloe, graduated and at that point I knew I was coming home. To ensure I moved to a school with the same educational values I hold, I asked my teaching friends for advice and ended up applying for the Head of Teaching and Learning position at Wheelers Hill Junior.  

It was a match made in heaven. At Caulfield Grammar, I found a school honoring the past and looking to the future. That progressive outlook has allowed me to challenge my skill set and constantly consider the needs of all our students.  

This year I took on the role of Deputy Head of Wheelers Hill Junior Campus, a role best described as ‘the ultimate puzzler solver’, with a huge focus on the wellbeing of our community. I have two big areas in which I support our students. The first is the pastoral piece – caring for the wellbeing of our students and ensuring that they can all access the curriculum and the multitude of opportunities to succeed as learners. The second area is to do with the health and safety of all our students – here the pieces must fit together to ensure all our students feel safe and secure from the moment they enter our School until the time they leave, remembering that they enter and leave at so many wonderful points such as camps, excursions and our learning environments.  

Each day brings a sense of adventure – I could be counting windows in the morning with Prep, then hop on a bus to the city with Year 4 and end the day with an evening parent session on wellbeing. For me, seeing the students rise to a challenge and share their learning stories is very special. The impact my position has had in assisting students with their learning is what has kept me here at Caulfield Grammar for six years and counting. 

A big part of all I do is based on building a strong community that communicates and collaborates with a clear purpose. A big highlight for me was the way the Junior School came together to support all our students during the pandemic. The switch to online learning was a major disruption for our community, but by working with the teachers we were able to create a learning environment that not only delivered essential content but also supported the wellbeing of the students, parents and teachers. 

I have enjoyed interacting with the parents and caregivers through our ‘Caulfield Connects’ morning tea each term.  These sessions incorporate wellbeing strategies to strengthen the relationships between our parents and caregivers, resulting in a strong understanding of who we are and what we stand for, and providing a safe place to laugh or share a concern. 

The School’s value of Embracing Diversity resonates deeply with me because my life journey has given me a profound appreciation for the richness that different cultures and perspectives bring. Having lived in many countries, I have experienced life through a variety of cultural lenses, each providing unique insights and understandings. This diverse background has allowed me to understand the power of perspective and the importance of acknowledging and celebrating differences. I consistently drive teachers to consider the diverse needs of our learners, encouraging them to embrace and integrate diverse perspectives into their teaching practices. 

From a community perspective, understanding that we all bring different strengths to what we do is incredibly powerful. Diversity enriches our School community, fostering creativity, innovation and mutual respect. It allows us to build a supportive and collaborative environment where everyone feels valued and included. Embracing diversity is not just about acknowledging differences; it’s about leveraging those differences to create a stronger, more cohesive community.