Congrats to Cath Whiddon (Peninsula Bridge Club), Stuart Packington (Randwick Bridge Club), Sandra Mulcahy (Toowong Bridge Club), and Trish Thatcher (Port Stephens Bridge Club) for achieving their Accreditation status as teachers. A ceremony at the Summer Nationals In Canberra in January this year, was held for them. Pics are below.

A number of other teachers have accrued almost enough points to be accredited. Keep sending in your student feedback forms, and let us know of any good ideas you're putting into practice in the teaching area, and you will gain points. Send your info to Alana Mowbray (alanamowb@hotmail.com.

Being accredited means that both you, and your club, are acknowledged as following best practice in teaching. Also it recognises that you've been successful in creating more ABF members.       

Cath became involved with the Education Programme at Peninsula Bridge Club when she moved back to Sydney a few years ago.  PBC now has a comprehensive education program, including Teams of 3 events, Pro-Am tournaments, a mentor service etc. The education team is a collection of teachers, directors and experienced players who follow a uniform system as supervisors and an approved syllabus as teachers.

Cath has recently accepted to be the bridge education representative for NSW along with the Metropolitan representative for all bridge clubs in Sydney. On top of these responsibilities, Cath works as a bridge teacher and director on a couple of cruises each year. Cath and I organised the first ever ABF Continuing Professional Development Day for teachers in September 2014. Working with Cath has always been a treat! 

Stuart played bridge at University in England but then played only sporadically. A move to Australia in the mid-90s saw him take it up again and upon his retirement in 2005 he became interested in directing and teaching bridge. He is based at Randwick Bridge Club in East Sydney. 
Stuart also has taught bridge on cruise ships.
 

Sandra learnt bridge in the mid '90s but didn't play for 13 years, until her retirement in 2009. In 2011 she became the ABF’s National Marketing Officer. Sandra has a strong commitment to best practice in all administrative endeavours and has been teaching bridge in recent years at the Beenleigh-Logan Bridge Club and more recently at the Toowong Bridge Club.
Sandra is impressed with the ABF’s methodology and materials for teaching.

Trish and her husbane learned bridge, then played in congresses, purchased lots of bridge books and tried to learn ‘everything’.
In 2008 they joined the Port Stephens Bridge Club and Trish was asked if she would teach beginner classes. She makes her lessons ‘fun’, and emphasises the importance of the partnership.
In 2012 she joined a colleague running bridge on a cruise ship.
The ABF Teacher Accreditation Program, to Trish, is an opportunity to improve her teaching and to gain official recognition. She has enjoyed both the program, and the people she has met along the way. She feels that the ideas on modern bidding, and the recommended topics for intermediate lessons are exactly what she's been looking for to incorporate into her lessons.

54th GOLD COAST CONGRESS

Please join Therese Tully, Joan Butts, other teachers and a panel of experts for drinks, canapés, and an informal get-together specially for teachers at Air on Broadbeach (building with yellow stripe – end of mall – opposite the Surf Club) 159 Old Burleigh Road

on Monday February 23rd,  after bridge, at approx 5.00 pm. On arrival at Air on Broadbeach, use the intercom to buzz 3204 followed by the key symbol

RSVP joan@joanbuttsbridge.com by Feb 18th