Maryna Goodwin

Maryna Goodwin started teaching at Taree High School in 1957 specialising in biology. She was responsible for several innovations, introducing student biology excursions, developing a specimen collection for this relatively new subject and introducing choreography into the school’s production of Orpheus and Euridice. Taking leave of absence, in 1958 she returned to the University of New England as a Graduate Assistant in the Botany Department with some responsibilities in research, student demonstration and administration. As the main science building burnt down that year, she was involved in the collection of replacement specimens, developing a catalogue system and filing the reprints of journal articles that flooded in from sympathetic institutions around the world. Due to her marriage that year she moved to Melbourne with her husband in 1959/60 and then to Wagga Wagga in 1961, where she was asked to lecture in Natural Science to students at the then Wagga Wagga Teachers’ College, which she did until growing family commitments made this impractical.

After arriving in Canberra, Maryna returned to secondary teaching in 1966 at Canberra High School teaching general science and/or biology to all year levels in the Wyndham Scheme. By 1967 she had assumed responsibility for the senior biology program and worked collaboratively with other teachers throughout the ACT schools and with appropriate scientists, in forums arranged by parent organizations to ensure successful outcomes for the Level 1 Biology students. After the ACT Schools Authority was established Maryna developed a Year 7-10 Science Curriculum Program to cater for the needs of the students.

Over seventeen years at Canberra High School Maryna was promoted to Mistress in Charge of Girls and acted as Mistress in Charge of Student Welfare. Working closely with students inspired her to research and develop a Year 7-10 Living Skills Program taking into account the responses of students, parents and teachers to questionnaires regarding proposed content. This was implemented in stages as elective units in Years 8-10 and finally to all year 7 students. Up to half of Year 10 and a third of Years 9 and 8 chose this elective. Students appreciated the opportunity to achieve a Preliminary First Aid Certificate and to examine different attitudes to issues in areas such as health, drugs, sex, civics, legal studies, the environment, budgeting and career development. The program was organised to ensure that all students could experience success regularly and develop confidence in their abilities. During this time she was a coordinator for Health Education, Transition Education and TAFE Linked Course Coordinator.

As Assistant Director for several large-scale school musicals, each with about one hundred students, Maryna took advantage of working with dancers and actors, helping with choreography, costuming, make-up and coaching but most importantly encouraging them to reach their potential. Because of her background in dance Maryna was appointed as a member of the ACT Schools Authority Dance Accreditation Panel.

Maryna was appointed Career Education Consultant in Curriculum Section in the ACT Schools Authority in 1985 with responsibilities in administration, policy development, curriculum development and resource development. She established an effective work education network with TAFE, tertiary institutions, government and other agencies and increased schools/TAFE cooperation. She initiated, developed and negotiated to fund a set of subject-based career posters which were distributed nationally by DEET. This was followed by a second set of posters, Options after Year 10. She coordinated large-scale system career education programs, such as TAFE Linked Courses, girls Careers Conferences at TAFE/CCAE, Careers Displays and Tertiary Orientation Program. She initiated and helped to develop a `Career Education and Counselling’ course accredited by the Canberra Institute of Technology. She revitalised and strengthened career education in-service by developing a Career Coordinators’ Training Program. She organised `Curriculum and the World of Work’ Conferences with interstate speakers, organised `Career Education in Primary Schools’ courses and provided school-based programs for Work Education, Personal Development and Living Skills. She received a `Public Education Award for Outstanding Service’ acknowledging her valued contribution to education in the ACT.

In 1990 Maryna was appointed to Campbell High School initially with responsibilities for Curriculum Development, the Arts Faculty and the School Review. Later she moved to the Science Faculty instead of the Arts. As the School Review Coordinator, she generated a project plan, developed working party guidelines, collated reports for the Review Panel, prepared the Review Report and Development Plan and implemented the Programs section of the plan. As Executive Officer of the Curriculum Committee she formulated, gained acceptance for and implemented the timeline, criteria and format for course development and approval. She managed the introduction and development of the Canberra School of Music (CSM) Music Education Program. She proposed, gained staff support for, implemented, evaluated and modified an innovative timetable to accommodate differing staff needs and the ACT Curriculum Policy. She led the Science Department in revising the Year 7-10 Science Program and in introducing the use of computers in conducting science experiments. This computer program was used as an exemplar by the ACT Department of Education for visiting interstate educators.

Maryna has been an active member of many professional associations such as the Science Teachers Association of the ACT (1967-2000), Ausdance (1978-1995) (Australian Association for Dance Education), ACT Career Education Association (Secretary `84/’85), Australian Council of Educational Leaders (1989-2007) committee member and Australian College of Educators 1986-2007, (ACT Conference Convenor 1998, Secretary `1999-2000′, President, 2001-2002. Maryna was accredited as an Educational Administrator in the fields of School Administration and Educational Consultancy in 1994 by the Australian Council of Educational Leaders. She was awarded a Fellowship by the Australian College of Educators in 2004.