It is with the greatest of pleasure that the College can introduce one of our long-term teachers, Mr Greg Spencer.
 
Greg comes with over 18 years of teaching experience and holds a Diploma of Teaching from Edith Cowan University and a Graduate Diploma from the Institute of Christian Tertiary Education.  Within the College he is responsible for a number of subjects.  These include: Outdoor ED; Health and PE; Computer Graphics and Photoshop; and Red Cross Cadets.  In each of these fields he aims to have his students grow and develop to their full potential.
 
Greg’s subjects are mostly practical.  As such there is a high expectation of students developing skills and to be willing to have a go and learn from any mistakes they make.  He believes that students don’t have to be the best, but they do need to be willing to learn and grow. 
 
He believes there is one significant focus in many of his classes and this is in the development of a student’s character.  Wherever possible, he seeks to set up tasks for his students that allow them to make decisions while being responsible for the outcomes.  With some activities, particularly in Outdoor Ed, there is often a certain amount of physical risk involved, and therefore self-control and trust are vital for the safety of the individual and the group.  Greg works hard in helping his students display growth in these areas.
 
As part of the development of character, Greg sees that his students can reflect this growth in a number of ways.  For instance, learning sportsmanship in Physical Education or leadership in Outdoor Education both require personal development.  Likewise a student applying themselves in Photoshop to use finesse in the fine details can produce masterful creations, but also show character traits such as dedication, commitment and perseverance.  The basis for a great deal of academic success is strength of character.
 
The extension of this is the focus on leadership development that is part of the desired outcomes in Outdoor Ed and Red Cross Cadets.  Greg’s view on leadership is clear.  ”We will always encourage the value of servant leadership, where the leader’s goal is the serve the people he or she is leading, rather than lord it over them.  This value should be the foundation for each of the different styles of leadership required.”
 
A large amount of Greg’s responsibilities at the College lay in the area of Red Cross Cadets.   Red Cross Cadets is a Youth Development program that encourages community responsibility and service.  The Cornerstone branch is the only one that operates within a school curriculum framework and brings many benefits to the College.    Greg’s students can experience hiking and orienteering, highrope work or complete their Senior First Aid Certificate.  They are able to earn their Marine Skippers Ticket, participate in canoeing adventures, perfect mountain bike riding and compete in adventure races.  The College is immensely proud of having this remarkable program as part of its secondary education and Greg’s contribution to this is enormous.
 
Greg is a popular teacher and colleague, who is fun-loving and personable.  He is indeed a great asset to Cornerstone.