Over the last term break economics teacher Craig Moore travelled to Sydney to take part in the Reserve Bank of Australia Teacher Immersion Event. This professional development event took place in the Social Sciences Building at the University of Sydney and was attended by approximately 150 teachers from all over Australia and Singapore. The teachers received presentations from Assistant Governor Sarah Hunter, Dept of Treasury Deputy Secretary Damien White and a number of RBA Communications and Education team members. The content included an update on the state of the Australian economy, managing the dual mandate of full employment and price stability and the strategy behind the current monetary policy setting. Additionally, the group gained insight into the process of setting the Federal Budget and the current stance of fiscal and monetary policy.
The final presentation was given by the RBA Governor herself, Michelle Bullock. In a room full of high school economics teachers, the arrival of Michelle Bullock was a bit like a rock star taking centre stage. Ms Bullock is a no-nonsense communicator. She looks and sounds very much like the country girl that she once was, but her knowledge of the domestic economy and the geo-political forces impacting on it are second to none.
More than anything Ms Bullock stressed the need for a diverse cohort of students to be studying economics and to be active participants in the economics discourse in Australia. Our students at St Albans should take heart that they are exactly the sort of students that the RBA wishes to see studying economics to a senior level and potentially going on for further study. The RBA wishes them every success. The Teacher Immersion Event was a great opportunity to extend the network of economics teachers and gain an insight into the challenges and successes of other schools.
Mr Craig Moore – Junior Sub School Leader | Economics