The Legal Studies Association provides assistance to its Members to support them in their teaching and learning of Legal Studies. Membership gives you many benefits. Our highly acclaimed professional development opportunities are only available to Members. These events are designed by experienced teachers, to meet the needs of teachers and their students, and provide a mix of pedagogy and practical advice, aligned closely to the syllabus. These events also provide invaluable networking opportunities and the LSA Committee are always on-hand to provide additional information and support.
In addition, you will have access to our journal Legal Briefs, which contains a wealth of resources, ranging from articles on teaching strategies to resources ready to use in your classroom. Our Exam Committee meticulously prepares Trial HSC and Preliminary Examinations every year, which are free to our Members and can be used as is or adapted for your students. You will also have access to the Members Resources section of this website, which contains videos, teaching resources and articles. These resources are all designed to save you time and support you and your students.
Let’s meet new LSA Member and Committee Member – Wendy Campbell
Where do you work? Have you always been a teacher? What led you to teaching?
I work at Wenona School. I have been a teacher for nearly two years, after completing my Masters of Teaching online through the University of New England in 2018. Teaching is my second career. After leaving school I completed a combined degree in Commerce and Law at the Australian National University and was subsequently admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of NSW.
My first career was in corporate taxation at a global accounting firm. I enjoyed working in the corporate environment and learnt invaluable skills which I draw on as an educator. After having my third child we relocated to Shanghai, China as a family through my husband’s work. I had a career break and over those four years immersed myself in Chinese culture through learning Mandarin and travelling extensively. We also threw a fourth child in the mix! Appreciation of the valuable contribution teachers were making in the lives of my children fuelled the seeds for my career change. I yearned for a career that was defined by making a difference, rather than through billable hours. It was upon repatriation of our family to Sydney that I decided to become a teacher.
You recently joined the LSA. What were your reasons for getting involved? What did you know about the LSA before you got involved?
My reasons for joining the LSA were multifaceted. I had become aware of the LSA during my prac placements and was heavily reliant on Legal Briefs to assist me in developing ideas for my lessons early on. I could see the amazing work the LSA was doing in supporting new teachers and felt I would like to give back. From a personal perspective, I was also keen to develop a wider network within the Legal Studies teaching profession. As I completed my Masters online, I did not have any university contacts to share teaching ideas and resources with. Professional relationships developed on my prac placements made me aware of the opportunities that collegiality and knowledge sharing presented. Developing these networks within the LSA has been essential not just for pedagogical improvements to my practice, but also being able to share experiences and support each other during the challenging times. Especially this year!
How did you find out about getting involved in the Committee? Did someone suggest it or was it an event or article that inspired you?
Largely I was inspired to join the LSA Committee through my experience at the LSA events such as the Info Nights and the annual Conference. I was impressed with the calibre of the Committee Members as well as the external speakers. Furthermore, I could see the passion the LSA Committee Members had for supporting teachers of Legal Studies and I wanted to be a part of that.
Since joining the Committee, what have you found out? What has been interesting? Has it helped your teaching practice in any way?
The first thing I noticed was how hard all the Committee Members work! I have been particularly impressed with the collegiality of the Members and the effectiveness of the group. We all have our strengths and Sophie Mynott, our President, is wonderful at ensuring we can work in roles we feel comfortable with and that maximise our existing capabilities. We all have our students to think of so it is important that our roles on the LSA Committee are effective, but also realistic in terms of time commitment. Personally, being on the Committee has helped me develop my professional networks, increased exposure to new teaching practices, assisted me with developing assessment tasks, and expanded my resource bank!
Thank you for sharing your story Wendy. We love having you on the Committee!
Join the LSA here