This week, the Queensland Department of Education talk about teaching in state sector in Queensland. There are a number of opportunities discussed and many benefits or working with DET outlined.
I would like you to consider your own situation and your thoughts about where it is you would like to start teaching and what enablers and barriers exist for you in terms of the rural, regional and remote employment opportunities discussed in this session.
I am hoping to gain employment at my closest High School which I completed my first professional experience and also my service learning hours. If this is not possible I would prefer to stay within the State system rather than going to a private or religious school. Moving is not really an option for me as I have two young kids, own my own home, and all my personal supports live nearby. I would also prefer the school to be within half an hour of my home so as I am still able to get my kids to after-school activities.
For me I am aiming to get a position at either of the two closets high schools for me, one is a Catholic High School, the other is a State School. I have done placements at both and enjoyed each one. Both completely different from one another but I see both providing me with valuable experiences. In saying that, I am lucky to have quite a few opportunities to apply for other schools in Townsville and as much as I would like to work close to home (within 15mins) as I have two younglings that I need to ensure have after school care, for my first couple of years until I gain more experience and confidence I will be happy to work at any other school which may be further out from home. My aim is to teach in Townsville for about 2 years and then move remotely (preferably to the Cape), this will provide me with time learn the education system further and set my family and myself up in preparation for a move North.
One thing a few teacher friends and family have said to me is to not be afraid to take on the ‘hard’ schools in terms of demographics and socio-economic status, as it can be the best experience I can hope for. This is something I don’t want to shy away from so I can learn how to work with diverse students and families, I really want to ensure I am set up for any situation with teaching and this will help me get to where I want to go. 🙂
Fantastic to hear about all the opportunities available to us. I really liked the idea of working out our ‘non-negotiables’, I think this is something important to keep in mind.