Bunbury teacher recognised with top award for changing way students think about maths

A Bunbury teacher dedicating her career to changing the way maths is discussed and taught in schools has been recognised for her achievements with a major award win. Amanda Draper was the recipient of the teaching excellence award at the 2024 7NEWS WA Community Achievement Awards on Friday night, which she shared with Waroona’s St Joseph’s Primary School. Dr Draper is head of mathematics at Georgiana Molloy Anglican School in Busselton and has been teaching there for the past six years. As well as teaching, Dr Draper mentors other education staff on how to better their skills at developing a passion for mathematics across the South West. Dr Draper said her mission was to rid the negative stigma behind maths from West Australian schools. “It’s about changing the language of maths,” she said. “It’s still socially acceptable for people like politicians, professionals, doctors to turn to our young people and say ‘oh I wasn’t good at maths’ or ‘I don’t like maths’. “If you were to say that about English, people would turn around and gasp and say ‘we can’t say that about English’. “We need to teach our young people that maths is important and we all need to do it.” Dr Draper is no strangers to awards, having won the West Australian Volunteer of the Year Award last year for her time with the South West Mathematics Association, St John Ambulance, and Bunbury soccer and basketball clubs as well as her work as a foster carer. Despite previous success, she said she was very surprised by the win at Friday’s awards. “I didn’t think I’d be winning at all so I had to quickly come up with a speech in the last 10 steps before getting up on stage, which isn’t really hard for me — I am passionate about speaking on learning,” Dr Draper said. “It’s really humbling. I work with a lot of great schools and teachers, and I couldn’t implement anything if those teachers weren’t open and ready for change. “It’s all about being proactive and wanting a better outcome for our kids. Teaching is not an island.” Winners each received a prize package including membership to The Career College and a trophy.