Five minutes with Lisa Green

With a career spanning nearly three decades, Radford College Maths Teacher, Ms Lisa Green, brings a wealth of experience, perspective and passion to the classroom. From her early teaching days in the United States, to her role with the ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies (BSSS) and now at Radford, her journey reflects a deep commitment to equity, education and student growth. We spoke to her about her time at the BSSS, her love of maths and why she believes Radford College is such a special place to teach.

You previously worked at the ACT BSSS office. What was your role there and how has that experience influenced your approach in the classroom?

My time as Curriculum Officer at the BSSS took me a little outside the typical ‘mathematics’ approach to senior secondary education. It gave me a broader understanding of how the Senior Secondary Policies and Procedures need to be applied across many school settings – government, Catholic and independent – and the importance of equity and equality across the senior secondary subjects. I always try to consider this when I'm planning lessons and writing assessments.

You joined Radford College in 2023 as a Maths Teacher. What drew you to the College and how has your experience been so far?

I have completely loved the past two years at Radford – they’ve been the most enjoyable of my 28-year teaching career. The students and staff are truly phenomenal. This is an exceptional place to teach.

What drew me to Radford was the opportunity to work with students from Years 7 to 12. I’ve taught in both Year 7–10 and Year 11–12 schools across the ACT, but I missed the chance to see students grow from young adolescents into young adults – something I experienced while teaching in NSW.

Have you always wanted to be a teacher?

I always wanted to teach, but I could never quite decide what subject. I’m passionate about many areas. I originally trained to be a social studies teacher during my undergraduate studies in the US and loved teaching in that area as much as I do in maths.

What inspired your love of maths?

One of the things I love about teaching maths is the ability to explain things from any starting point and getting students to experience success from anywhere on their learning journey. I love that mathematics is on a continuum of learning and it is often linked to many areas of study. With time, effort and support, every student can grow in maths. Working alongside them to achieve that growth is the best part of my day.

Do you have a favourite mathematical equation or concept?

I’m very intrigued by the concept of pi. Thousands of years ago – long before YouTube, Instagram, Netflix or even widespread access to books – people observed the natural world and identified patterns and relationships. Across different cultures, people discovered that when you divide the circumference of a circle by its diameter, the same mysterious number kept appearing. It’s amazing that such a universal truth emerged, regardless of language or units of measurement.

People would be surprised to know that ...

I was the first person in my family to finish Year 12. My parents were incredibly hardworking and left school early to help support their families financially. My father, however, was determined that my brother and I would take school seriously and pursue education as a path to a different kind of life – one beyond blue collar or manual labour. I’m forever grateful for the work ethic and values they instilled in me, which helped me earn an academic scholarship to university in the US, study overseas in Australia and eventually build a life and career here in Canberra.