This term we're shining a light on Mel Nantsou, an Environmental Science, Biology and Marine Science teacher. Mel co-authored NICE Science: Years 11 and 12 – Neap's science investigation, communication and ethics reference book for teachers – and also works with us to develop VCE Environmental Science and Biology Trial Exams.
We sat down with Mel to learn about how she prepares students for end-of-year exams and her tips for creating and using assessment resources in the classroom.
Can you tell us a bit about your teaching experience?
Gosh, where do I start? I’ve been in the classroom since 2004 and spent my first nine years teaching at a government school in Melbourne before heading overseas. Since then, I’ve been in and out of Australia every couple of years, teaching Environmental Science, Biology and Marine Science in schools in Uganda, South Africa, South Korea, Vanuatu and, most recently, a small international school on the southwest coast of Nicaragua. I’m currently back in Victoria working at an international school.
How do you use assessment materials in your classroom?
I think it’s really important that all students, regardless of year level, are exposed to assessment-style material throughout the year. When planning a lesson, I try to find opportunities to show students practice assessment questions that align with the content we’re learning. This might be as simple as embedding one or two multiple-choice questions into the part of the lesson where students are applying their knowledge. Other times, it might involve students working in pairs to practise and peer mark more challenging exam-style questions. This encourages students to consistently practice assessment skills, which can help them approach formal assessments tasks with less uncertainty.
What is your favourite subject to teach students and what tips do you have for teaching the topic?
I am a proper nature nerd and I love teaching Marine Science! I’ve been fortunate to teach the subject here in Australia as well as overseas. My biggest tip is to make any topic you teach as hands-on and connected to real life as possible. This takes learning beyond the classroom, whether it's exploring coral reefs or analysing real ecosystems, which can really help students connect subject theory to real life experience. In Victoria, I’m lucky enough to teach close to the Great Otway National Park. It’s home to incredible wildlife, amazing fungi species in autumn and gorgeous orchid species in spring. This natural setting has inspired my teaching and many of the exam questions that I write!
Coral reef and jungle at Bakura, Efate Island, Vanuatu — one of the destinations I had the privilege of visiting and teaching in.
What tips do you have for preparing students for end-of-year examinations?
It’s not just about content knowledge; students need to feel confident responding to command terms, managing their time and making the most out of the marks available for each question.
This is where Neap Trial Exams can be very valuable. Along with other official past papers, Neap Trial Exams can be used in revision lessons for timed practice tasks to help students refine their exam technique or to explore questions as a whole class.
What have you learned from teaching in different countries, and how has that influenced your approach in Australia?
I’ve worked in a wide range of classrooms, from well-resourced schools to those where you have to be much more creative with the tools you have. This experience has taught me to be flexible and adaptable in my teaching. The attitudes, confidence and independence of students can vary, so I’ve gained a greater understanding of how students learn and have learnt how to tailor my teaching approach to the students in front of me. I’ve also discovered that regardless of where I teach, students learn best when the content feels relevant and meaningful to their lives and the places surrounding them.
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