Beaconsfield Primary teacher finalist in 2018 NRL Teacher of Year award

WHEN Awatea Dansey arrived at Beaconsfield Primary School, he was told it was not a sporty school.

But after implementing his NRL program, he has proved that otherwise.

Mr Dansey has been named a finalist for the 2018 NRL Community Awards Teacher of the Year award.

The sports teacher said one of the main motivations of implementing the program was integrating different students and encouraging them to play together.

“Beaconsfield Primary has an Intensive English Centre (IEC) in addition to mainstream; on my first lunch duty I noticed that the mainstream and IEC students were not playing with each other,” he said.

“Originally some students were tentative to try their hand however week after week the numbers have grown.”

During lunch time Mr Dansey will host clinics and coaching sessions, but said the program had also helped in the classroom.

“On the pitch I have been able to build a team culture that emphasises resilience, mateship and having a go,” he said.

“Implementing NRL in the classroom has (also involved) linking it with my literacy curriculum.

“This year my Year 4/5 class have researched and written a persuasive text in an effort to encourage the NRL to admit the West Coast Pirates into the National competition.”

Mr Dansey said he had noticed improvement in integrating school values on the pitch and in the classroom.

“I want to continue develop the relationship between Beacy and the NRL so we can offer a range of sporting and development opportunities for all students at our school,” he said.

“If you asked the students in the school rugby league team, their goal most certainly would be to win the upcoming state final.”