workforce
campusreview.com.au
Head of the class
D
Award-winning teacher’s
equation for success.
Kevin Larkin interviewed by Loren Smith
24
r Kevin Larkin can no longer
claim to be an ordinary teacher.
The senior lecturer (mathematics
education) at Griffith University has just
scooped the title of 2018 Australian
University Teacher of the Year.
As one of the 13 winners at the
Australian Awards for University Teaching,
bestowed at the recent annual Universities
Australia higher education conference,
he was both “surprised” and “humbled”
by the honour. “I just do my job,” he said.
After 37 years in the school and university
classroom, however, Larkin thinks his
experience counts for something, as does
his zest for teaching.
“The word ‘passion’ is used too often
inauthentically, but ... when I’m working
with people and I’m helping them to learn,
I get a real buzz out of it,” he said.
This was patent when we asked him
whether, if he could re-choose the
profession, he would do so. He immediately
replied: “Oh, definitely.”
But he was realistic about its challenges:
“It’s a tiring profession ... If you’re going