Ron Barton

Educator/Teacher, Parent, Writer/Editor

At school I was disengaged, disinterested and distracted. There was never any doubt that I had talent, every report card I ever had said I could do anything if I just pulled up my socks and knuckled down a little. As such, when I said I wanted to be a teacher my year coordinator told me it would never happen because (up to that point) the only reason my name was known at school was because I was trouble. It took me a long time to break the bad habits I developed as a student and I still have to work on a few things. This rocky beginning has informed the way I teach. I now actively seek interesting and engaging methods of content delivery and assessment to ensure that the students I work with don't fall into the same traps I did. Beyond that, I'm encouraging other staff to move their classrooms into the 21st Century so they can better accommodate the modern learner. Outside of school I'm a father first and foremost. I'm also a published poet with 3 collections released by Ginninderra Press.

Giving opportunities to others - The world would be a better place if we lifted others rather than trying to just raise our own profile.

The stories we tell, and the way we phrase them, have the potential to limit or enhance the opportunities of ourselves and those around us.

Narratives, Poetry, Teaching

I have coordinated TEDx Youth events at a public high school (and probably made a few mistakes along the way throughout that process). I've learned a lot from being an audience member at TEDxPerth and through my experiences as a speaker at TEDxMandurah.