Staff Profile: Heidi Scriven

Our second staff profile features Mrs Heidi Scriven from our Morphett Vale Campus. Heidi is the Secondary Science Coordinator and Teacher.

Tell us how you chose to become a teacher.   

I've always enjoyed making a positive difference in the lives around me and helping others. I have had the privilege of guiding people in many different areas from a young age, including Sunday school, youth groups, girl guides, beach missions, welding and more. There is something special about walking alongside others and seeing them light up when they have discovered something new about the world and their renewed role in it. I see myself as a lifelong learner, and discovering new things inspires me to share and participate in growing these new ideas. 

When did you start at SVCC, and tell us a favourite moment of your time here? 

I started at SVCC in 2010, teaching agriculture to Foundations - Year 2 and Conservation and Land Management to Year 9 - 10. From 2011 onwards, I taught the sciences, including senior Biology and Psychology plus Mathematics, Christian studies, and Community Studies. It is hard to pinpoint a single favourite moment. Still, a highlight of working at Southern Vales is being alongside other Christian people with an authentic relationship with God who genuinely and actively care and pray for one another. 

What do you specialise in at SVCC? 

I am curious about learning and enjoy co-designing evidence-based solutions and sparking ideas to improve future outcomes. God directed a vision board in 2016, sharing His plan for me to "Be a part of a new world in education", and I realised this was unfolding recently. As a Science Coordinator and secondary teacher of Science, Biology and Psychology, I have constructed Understanding by Design (UbD) units. These highlight student reflection on progress through the lens of the community and experts. I greatly appreciate life experiences, which have significantly contributed to my approach to life-long learning.  

If you could have dinner with someone famous over the past 1000 years, who would it be and what is one question you would ask? 

I would love to spend time with JRR Tolkien as I have fond memories of connecting with the characters on personal journeys. These journeys are all for a deeper cause and have many challenges and moments of celebration. Tolkien’s stories, alongside "Pilgrims Progress", "Hind's feet on high places", and "The Singer Trilogy", have had a considerable impact on my journey and seeing learning as an infinite game. I believe each person’s story is powerful and in these books each character focuses on deeper questions: ones rooted in the past, engaged with the present and future possibilities in mind. 

I would ask JRR Tolkien, "What defining moments enabled your journey as a person and deep thinker?