Dr. Olivia Liang
Principal
Dr. Olivia Liang, the Principal of Top Scope College, has conducted research into the relationship between students’ motivation and academic performance. Her aim is to provide professional help to students to develop a positive attitude towards study and effective study skills to succeed in Accelerated Learning, Scholarship and Selective Examinations, and ATAR.
Mr. Mark Bennett
VCE Mathematics
I have been a teacher of VCE Mathematics for fifteen years. With a postgraduate degree in Mathematics, I worked for over two decades in the IT industry, developing and managing actuarial and financial software products in both the public and private sectors. I decided to pursue my passion for Mathematics and subsequently joined the teaching profession. I have taught all levels of VCE Mathematics in many educational institutions and was the coordinator of VCE Further Mathematics at a leading independent school. As a teacher, I am committed to improving the numeracy and reasoning skills of all students and to assist each individual achieve their full potential. At Top Scope College, I am fortunate to share my passion for Mathematics with dedicated students as they shape and expand their academic pathways.
Miss. Eve Barclay
General Manager of Box Hill Branch
Eve graduated from Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar School in 2012. Despite studying science and maths in VCE, she decided to make a switch to languages in university, studying Chinese at The University of Melbourne before going on to do her master’s in Chinese to English translation at Xiamen University in China. She is passionate about languages and learning, and enjoys sharing that passion with everyone she meets! Eve is part of the team managing the office at our Box Hill campus. She also has experience teaching EAL students in casual and professional settings, as well as some experience teaching Chinese and maths.
Mrs. Elizabeth Fensham
Teacher of VCE English
Mrs. Elizabeth Fensham is an award winning writer for children and young adults.
She has had ten novels published. Her first novel, Helicopter Man, won the Children’s Book Council 2006 Book of the Year for Younger Readers. Her young adult novel, The Invisible Hero, won 2012 Book of the Year, Speech Pathology Awards; it was short-listed for the 2013 REAL (children’s choice) awards and for the Children’s Peace Literature Award (Australian Psychologists for Peace); it was also included in the IBBY project – Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities.
Other novels include Miss McAllister’s Ghost (a CBCA Notable Book) and Goodbye Jamie Boyd (both for older readers) as well as Matty Forever, Bill Rules, Matty and Bill for Keeps, My Dog Doesn’t Like Me, My Dog Gets a Job and My Dog is a Winner (the latter for younger readers). Three of these other novels have been shortlisted for awards and two have been adapted as plays.
Aside from running workshops for children at schools up and down the east coast of Australia, rural Victoria and NSW and as far as Norfolk Island, Elizabeth has been a guest presenter at the Melbourne Writers Festival and at various Youth Literature festivals in Queensland. She has also presented to adults and children in Ghana, West Africa, and in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Mrs. Atrida muslija
Teacher of English
I have been professionally teaching English to students for almost ten years. I have a postgraduate English degree and am currently pursuing advanced studies at Swinburne University. My main goal is to create a safe, supportive environment that encourages student growth and development. At Top Scope, I deliver dynamic and stimulating education that ignites a passion for learning and nurtures critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
Ms. Irene Anania
Teacher of Science
Academic Qualifications –Master of Education, Bachelor of Science
In my over 35 years of teaching a variety of subjects, what still draws me to the profession is the relationships I have forged with young people. Whether teaching Biology, Science, Maths or English the elements that underpin successful, quality teaching and learning are the relationships of trust and nurture between teacher and student. Trust, that the teacher is an expert in their field and nurture, in that the wellbeing and happiness of students is the bedrock of academic success. These principles are what my Master’s thesis is based on and also led to my work of designing Values Education curricula for Pacific Island nations. It was quickly acknowledged by the government bodies, that with those principles of trust and nurture in place, students were far more inclined to give their whole hearts to their work and attain the highest levels of learning and achievement, not only academically but also in life.
My roles have also included Year Level Coordinator, Science Coordinator, Welfare Officer, and Camp Coordinator, Peer Mentor and curriculum design and implementation. My strengths lie in Biological Sciences, student motivation, critical thinking and independent learning.