As early as Year 10, Steph Porrino knew she wanted to be a teacher. “I was sure I wanted to teach Design Technology in particular,” says Steph, Head of Design Technology in the Senior School. “The teachers I had were so inspiring to me. I saw what they were doing and thought: ‘I want to do that.’”
Students finding new opportunities
Now teaching students across Years 8 to 12, Steph says she enjoys seeing students discover a new area where they can excel. “For some students, the workshop is the place where they thrive,” she says. “Like me, they like working with their hands and here they can learn to design and create an object that’s truly impressive. This gives them a career path they might not have previously considered.”
“I get so much enjoyment out of seeing how each student tackles a design challenge,” Steph adds. “I always make my own demo or mock-up when I create a new project for students, but it means a lot to me to see how different one student’s solution will be from mine and each another’s.”
Connecting the workshop to the boarding house
Having worked in boarding houses while teaching overseas, taking on a role as a boarding tutor at Melbourne Grammar School alongside her teaching role was a natural fit, and Steph is finding ways to introduce more boarding students to design technology.
“I’ve started running weekend workshops for boarders who want to improve their skills, and we’ve also set up a 3D printer in the boarding house for students to try out,” she explains.
“With my Year 10 Tutor Group, we’re planning to make a coffee table for our House room,” she says. “I’ve also worked with boarding students to create a world map, laser cut from cork, which lives in the boarding house. The boarders are using it to pin up a picture of themselves and show which part of the world they’re from.
“It’s been wonderful getting to know the students in a different way than I would as a classroom teacher. The boarding community is like a big extended family.”
A great place to work
Alongside her teaching and boarding tutor roles, Steph is also involved in basketball and volleyball coaching, and offers Design Technology workshops which are available to all Senior School students. “Every Friday lunchtime, I make sure I’m in the workshop so students can come in and work on their own projects under my guidance, even if they are not formally studying Design Technology at the time,” she says. “I live and breathe teaching, so I want to take on every opportunity I can.”
“What I love most about Melbourne Grammar is how interested the students are in learning,” Steph adds. “We have a culture here that allows us to get the best out of everyone. Of course, the facilities we have here are also amazing. We get to use industrial-grade equipment, so if a student comes in with a really grand idea, we can probably make it happen. But it’s the sense of community that’s really special.”
About Steph Porrino
Steph Porrino holds a Bachelor of Technology Education from Griffith University. She has worked in government and independent schools in Australia and overseas since 2008 and came to Melbourne Grammar in 2018. She was appointed Head of Design Technology in 2023.
About Design Technology
Design Technology applies design thinking to address problems and transform ideas into solutions, often using “resistant materials” such as timber, metal, and plastic.
At Grimwade House, students learn the foundations of the design process design brief: research > design > test > produce > review, which might involve using cardboard to create prototypes, or using coding to design a digital solution to a problem.
At Wadhurst, students learn how to navigate a workshop, including core safety principles, and move towards their own product design projects. At the Senior School, students have the opportunity to refine their skills and take on large-scale projects with a greater level of independence.
