Making maths adds up to fun

Two decades after joining Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School in Dardanup, Joanne Leach has been named as one of eight West Australian finalists for a national teaching award.

Mrs Leach is one of 60 finalists in the Australian Scholarships Group national excellence in teaching awards and has a passion for mathematics that she tries to instil in students.

"I have a real passion for maths and spend a lot of time liaising with Bunbury Catholic College on maths," she said.

"It is a subject a lot of kids fear and I try to get them to a point where they don't think that any more.

"I look at my teaching and say 'would I be bored if I was there?' and if I say yes, I don't do it."

Mrs Leach has typically taught the school's Year 7 students but now teaches Year 6s, who are the most senior students after the Year 7 transition to high school.

She also paid credit to the school's other teachers, believing the hardest work in preparing students had been done in junior primary.

"I was really glad just to be nominated for the award, I would have been happy with only that," she said.

"I do this job because I genuinely love it and any external recognition is very flattering."