Karen Ford

Education Consultant, Curriculum Specialist

Karen Ford (B.Ed, MA) is a senior English teacher with 26 years’ experience. She holds a Masters in Cinema from LaTrobe University and has lectured at LaTrobe University and the Victorian College of the Arts. Karen is a Clinical Specialist with the Melbourne Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne.

Karen has been an English/GAT assessor with the VCAA for 18 years and is a regular contributor to The Age, VCE Express Text Talk and the Ask the Expert series. Karen was the founding editor of *Teaching English, a website for Australian English teachers and is a marker for AIM/NAPLAN national testing program. She has been a contributing writer for English textbooks and study guides. Karen can lecture on many films, texts, and contexts from the VCE English Curriculum, as well as on various topics to support students studies as a whole.

What have been the highlights of your career?

Meeting and making contact with students and teachers. Having them approach me after lectures with questions or viewpoints is confirmation that I have got them thinking!

What other jobs have you had?

Red Rooster during university. I have the valuable skill of being able to cut a chicken into eight equal sized portions! Following Uni I taught at Bacchus Marsh, Ivanhoe Girls Grammar School, St.Philip’s College Alice Springs, Melbourne High and Xavier College. Then I moved into tertiary and worked at LaTrobe University and Victorian College of the Arts. I’ve been at University of Melbourne for four years. Now I’m ‘teaching the teachers!’

What are you passionate about?

I have a lifelong passion for the Arts and Education. I’m driven by helping others realise their passions in life and ‘why’ is my favourite word.

Haven’t I seen you before?

Twice I’ve been mistaken for Shirley MacLaine. It got me into a groovy bar in New York…mind you she’s way older than me so I don’t know if I should be offended!