Vanessa Teaching 1985.

About the Author

Vanessa Johnson completed her teacher training in 1980 at Nepean College of Advanced Education, now the University of Western Sydney.  A semester was studied at Goulburn CAE in 1977. In 1990 she completed a Graduate Diploma in Educational Studies - Reading Education at the University of Technology Kuring-gai.  During her long teaching career she also undertook many training courses such as ‘Count Me In Too’, ‘ESL in the Mainstream’, courses for Gifted and Talented children as well as presenting courses such as the integration policy of disabled children. Vanessa has taught every grade from Kindergarten to Year 6, worked part-time as a Teacher Librarian for a year and part-time ESL teacher for two years.  She has taught swimming and other specialist roles and is still working as a casual teacher today.

Outside of school, Vanessa has enjoyed classes including Art, Folk Art, Touch Typing and Real Estate as well as participation in sports like snow-skiing, cycling and netball.  She has also had numerous short jobs outside of teaching such as a bookkeeper and kitchen designer.

Resigning at the end of 2002 gave Vanessa the opportunity to spend time writing books that she saw were greatly needed, books that were not available to new teachers who lacked the experience and understanding of their roles in a primary school. 

The first book written was the Practical Guide for Casual Teachers in NSW Primary Schools. Vanessa sought the opinion of new teachers, student teachers, a principal, assistant teacher and other experienced teachers to add to and change the information accordingly. With contacts in both Queensland and Victoria, experienced teachers were employed to edit the original book written for NSW primary teachers, to apply to the Queensland and Victorian situations. These books have been recommended to students in universities by five different lecturers (that she is aware of), who can see the benefits of a practical guide for new casual relief  teachers.