My name is Nikki Schell,

When I was 5 years old, my dream was to become a teacher ...

           ...but as the years passed...

                                                     ... my dream faded. 

It wasn’t until  many years later that I began the journey to achieve my dream. 

I completed one year of study at Griffith University on the Gold Coast, and then took 6 years off to be with my growing family.   As a mother of two boys, I returned to my studies at the University of Southern Queensland in Toowoomba, whilst working part time as a swimming instructor at Darren Lange Swimming Academy.   I also took up a position at Clifford Park Special School as a teacher aide to students with severe physical and intellectual impairments. This sparked my interest in Special Education. 
I completed my Bachelor of Education with a major in Special Education.  I began teaching as a Special Education Teacher for Grade 1 students with Intellectual Impairment, at Gatton State School, where I was team teaching with one of the mainstream Year 1 teachers.    I also have experience in mainstream classrooms for various multi age grades 1 to 7, which had a high Indigenous population.   
 I moved to Weipa in January 2006 with my family and have been welcomed into the Western Cape College Community. I  completed my Masters in Special Education, majoring in Autistic Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Impairment, in December 2007.  
 I love teaching and learning and am living proof that it is not too late to fulfil your dreams.