In this edition of 'Meet the Teacher' we speak with Mr. Riccardo Iuele, a member of our Secondary Leadership Team.
Name: Riccardo Iuele – Head of Religious Education (Secondary) & Secondary School Teacher – riccardo.iuele@marymede.vic.edu.au
What is your role at the College?
In addition to my role of Head of Religious Education (Secondary) as a member of the Secondary Leadership Team, I also teach VCE (Years 11 & 12) Italian, Year 11 Texts & Traditions, Year 12 Religion & Society and Years 8 & 10 Italian.
Tell us about an interesting project or topic that you are currently running with one of your classes?
As part of their Texts and Traditions studies, our Year 11 students are currently working on their action research projects exploring the issue of Ecology from both the Catholic and Jewish perspectives. I am very passionate about this issue particularly because it is an issue that concerns all human beings.
Students have been working in groups for the past few weeks studying the issue locally. A particular focus is the manner in which the College utilises key resources of energy (electricity consumption), tree planting (air pollution and air quality), water (recycled water that is harvested) and waste management (recycling). This action research project is our direct response to Pope Francis’ encyclical ‘Laudato Si’ and his call to action for all humanity to care for our common home. The question at the heart of this action research project for our students is at the heart of Laudato Si – ‘What kind of world do we want to leave to those who come after us, to children who are now growing up?’ This inquiry project is also a direct response to our College theme this year “Let us love not only in words and speech, but in truth and action” (John 3:18).
I am really looking forward to seeing students present their findings and key insights as well as their action plans with clearly defined and achievable targets for the College in 2016 and beyond for how we manage our use of natural resources.
What is the most rewarding aspect of being a Teacher?
The most rewarding aspect of being a teacher is working with adolescents at the various stages of their development and providing them with meaningful opportunities to grow spiritually, academically, emotionally, and socially.
It is very rewarding to see young men and women achieve strong academic outcomes particularly when they might have doubted their potential and never thought themselves capable of being successful in their studies. It is very gratifying to see past Year 12 students go on to achieve and realise their ambitions and aspirations and then return to the College from time to time to have a “caffe” with me and share their successes and life experiences.
I feel very blessed to be able to work with adolescents at Marymede Catholic College because here, education is informed by a particular understanding of the world and a particular understanding of what it means to be human.
Fast Five:
Favourite Food: Pasta – definitely!
Favourite Movie/TV Show: La Vita e` Bella
Hidden Talent or Something We May Not Know About You: I love to make homemade wine.
Favourite Sporting Team/Athlete: Collingwood Football Club – because my Son idolises Collingwood, knows the name of every player, has all their footy cards and loves the footy!
If You Could Pick Any 3 People as Dinner Guests, Who Would They Be and Why?:
My Wife – she is my best friend, my soulmate and I love spending quality time together with her. She is a truly amazing woman!
Sophia Loren – she has been my screen idol from a young age and because I got to meet her earlier this year when she visited Melbourne.
Pope Francis – he is a most humble and intriguing man doing great things for our Church today.
Mr Iuele with former Australian Cricketer Rick McCosker and Senior Secondary students at the 2015 'Catholic Man's Breakfast'