Meet the Locals – Kate Legge

Our top little town is full of interesting people from varied backgrounds. Each edition, we’ll be chatting to different members of the community to get their story and share it with you so you get to “Meet the Locals”.

 This edition, we met with Kate Legge, Acting Principal at Tieri State School…

Kate, what brought you to Tieri?

I came across from Capella in January to take on the role of Acting Principal at Tieri State School (TSS). I’ve been Head of Department/Curriculum at Capella State School for five years and I thought it was time for a leadership change. I love a good challenge and TSS is a beautiful school – it felt like a natural progression. Tieri SS is about half the size of Capella SS, so it’s been great being able to get to know all the kids and the families. I’d like to extend my thanks to them all – everyone has been really welcoming, it‘s been an amazing and positive transition.

Where were you living before?

I’ve lived in a lot of different places. I grew up in Clermont and went to school there before going to boarding school in Yeppoon.

From there, I went to the University of Canberra (called Canberra College of Advanced Education back then), where I studied a Bachelor of Science in Cultural Heritage Management. It was fascinating! Afterwards, I worked at the Australian Heritage Commission for a number of years – they look after important artefacts for Australia so I got to see some pretty incredible things.

In 1997, my husband at the time got a project overseas and I went with him to the South Pacific with two young children. We spent three years in Niue and then six years in Samoa.

We came back to Australia around 2006 and settled in Maleny in the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast. Our three children went to school and graduated in the area.

In 2014, I moved to Bribie Island and frequently travelled back and forth to Clermont to visit my family. It was during this time that I reconnected with an old flame, Philip and we’ve been together since. In 2018, I moved to Capella to be with Philip and be closer to my family, and that’s when I began teaching at Capella State School.

How did you first get into teaching?

It was when I was in Niue. The Principal of the local high school heard that I had a Bachelor of Science and asked if I’d be interested in teaching the students!

By the time we moved across to Samoa, I’d already started doing my Diploma in Teaching. It was so valuable to be able to teach whilst learning at the same time. It was in Samoa that I taught primary school children and discovered that’s where my passion lies.

Can you recall your first day as a teacher?

Absolutely! It was a class of 40-plus 13- to 15-year-old Islanders. It was incredibly hot and we were all crammed into this tiny room. The kids loved having someone there to participate in their education. I remember the school had a ‘whole school’ clean up system each day which is very unlike our schools here, but otherwise, from an educational perspective and standard, it was similar to Australia.

 What does it take to be a great teacher?

Patience, understanding and acceptance. How to teach comes with training but you need a strong foundation to build on.

You have no idea what a child’s home life or back story is. Did they get a good sleep? Did they get breakfast? It’s so important to get to know the child, including the family. If you don’t have a good relationship with them all, it limits your understanding of the child’s needs and how you can be most effective as a great teacher.

Over the years, teaching has moved from blackboards to whiteboards to iPads, but at the end of the day, the children all still want the same thing: care and respect. So I always ask myself “what positive impact can I have on this child for the limited time that I have with them?”.

 Do you remember the best teacher you ever had? What did you learn from them?

Miss Hall, my Year 5 teacher back in Clermont. She was firm but fair, kind and was very inclusive – everyone was on an equal playing field. She showed everyone a lot of love and support and had a passion for teaching that showed through every single day.

These are all characteristics that I try to embody in my role as a teacher.

What would people be surprised to learn about being a teacher?

Teachers work long hours. Yes, we get long holidays, but they are less of a ‘break’ and more of a reset for the new learning that we’ll be doing the following term, and a lot of planning. I think during Covid, people started to realise just how much effort goes on behind the scenes of the classroom. It’s hard, but enjoyable and rewarding work.

If you weren’t a teacher, what would you be doing?

I’d own a garden shop because I love gardening and plants. I’m also constantly looking at creative ways to recycle or upcycle things, so I’d probably sell some crafty and quirky items on the side. The other thing I love doing is fishing but I highly doubt I could earn a living from it!

As I tell the kids, anything is possible, you just have to keep trying!

Resilience is often something schools (and parents) aim to teach children…what’s your take on resilience?

As you get older, you have more bumps in life and it’s how you approach these bumps that makes the difference. We can’t control everything that happens to us, but our brains are owned by us so we can control our decisions and our actions. We try to teach children to adopt a growth mindset to help encourage them to understand that life is an ongoing journey and that it’s going to be full of ups and downs. Making mistakes helps us grow emotionally and we need to surround ourselves with love and support and to keep learning along the way.

What’s been your biggest accomplishment so far?

My three beautiful children – I’m very proud of who they have each become and what they’re doing with their lives.

 How do you describe yourself?

Friendly, approachable and determined.

How would your family and friends describe you?

As someone with two degrees, but no common sense! I don’t agree of course but they always tell me that – it must be my big ideas!

How do you spend your spare time…and with whom?

Enjoying some quiet time with my family and friends, my partner and my dog, Scrunchie, who is 13.5 years old now!

5 things you can’t live without?

1. My garden – I love open space
2. My diary – the traditional pen and paper variety!
3. Rainwater – I love drinking it
4. A glass of crisp, dry white wine
5. A good book – audio, hard copy, or digital.

 What’s a little-known fact about you?

I once jumped out of a plane at 15,000ft in a tandem skydive – I kept my eyes open the entire time!

Dead or alive, who would be your ideal BBQ guests?

Some of my friends and family – some alive, some passed away. It would be a great catch up!

 If you could have anyone else’s job in Tieri, whose would it be and why?

A gardener, but I love my own job, so why would I want anyone else’s?!