r/AskAustralianTeachers

Hi everyone,

I’m currently considering a career change into primary teaching and would really appreciate hearing from people who entered the profession later in life, especially male primary teachers, teachers from culturally diverse backgrounds, or anyone who studied a Master of Teaching in Sydney.

I’m 38, based in Sydney, and currently work in administration/member support and student services. I also have a BA in History and Politics/International Relations plus First Class Honours in Politics. Over the last couple of years I’ve found myself increasingly drawn towards teaching because I want work that feels more meaningful, community-oriented and people-focused long term.

At the moment I’m mainly looking at the Master of Teaching (Primary) programs at UNSW and USYD, though I’m also open to hearing thoughts about Macquarie or CSU. I’d most likely continue living in inner Sydney (probably Glebe) while studying.

A few things about me that shape the decision:

• I’m a gay male person of colour with an accent despite living in Australia for 18 years
• I don’t drive and rely heavily on walking/public transport
• Routine and community are very important to me
• I’m very involved in group fitness and gym culture outside work, and maintaining balance matters a lot to me

I’d especially love to hear from:

• people who entered teaching in their late 30s or later
• male primary teachers
• teachers who don’t drive
• anyone who studied MTeach Primary at UNSW, USYD, Macquarie or CSU
• teachers who can honestly speak about workload, prac placements (since I do not drive) and lifestyle balance during the degree

I think my biggest question is:
Does primary teaching sound like a good long-term fit for someone like me?

Thank you so much in advance — I’d genuinely appreciate any perspectives or advice.

I’m a Victorian 4th year secondary Education student, and in my last few placements, I’ve slowly come to realize this profession is not for me.

I’ve got a casual job working at the Uni, but I feel a bit lost now that I’m not set on teaching.

I was wondering if there were other professions that use an Education degree.

I’ve heard about curriculum designer but J don’t know much about it.

I know some people might say that I’m having a sook or whatever, but I genuinely feel like this career choice would just eat away at me, ( I do care about helping and teaching others)

Could someone educate me on what options are available?

Cheers!

Hi guys. So I study at Curtin University and am doing my Masters in Teaching (Secondary). One of my assignments requires me to interview a high school teacher for it so I was hoping to see whether anyone here would be willing to or if not where you think would be the best place to approach it since this assignment is 50% of my grade. I’m not Domestic and I studied law and business before this so I don’t have the necessary connections within the education department yet. Any sort of advice is more than appreciated.

Sometimes I want to ask things but worry I’ll sound clueless. I know we’re there to learn, but I still feel awkward asking basic stuff. How do supervising teachers usually see it?

I work in a science field and am considering studying to become a secondary teacher. I need to change, would like to do something a bit more practical than sitting at a desk writing reports, and enjoy science but not necessarily regulation which is where my career has led me.
My sister is a HOD in another state and I know has a lot of stress around managing staff and marking/assessment requirement.
Is teaching as toxic as you hear? You hear of so many who leave the profession within a couple of years.

The mum of my kid’s classroom teacher died. What do we get the teacher as a class? Flowers? Card? Do you put cash in the card (we do this overseas but not sure if it’s the norm here in Australia)?

My eldest child has started school this year so we are new to the school system. We are in a private faith based school in our local community which so far has been wonderful. This week our child broke one of the rules and took herself off to the school tuckshop (very innocent just wanted to buy an icy pole with her 50c). This was directly against the teachers instructions, students in their first year at school are not allowed to walk down to tuckshop, they have their orders brought to the class room. Whilst she broke the rules (knowingly) and we are supportive of educating her that this was not the right thing to do. What it has highlighted to us as parents is an issue of school supervision/ security. How did a 5 yo child go unnoticed into an area of the school where they are not supposed to be (which is mere meters from the main road). We raised this as a broader issue with the school with respect to concern that there was not adequate supervisions or controls in place (there is limited fencing so the school grounds are open essentially for the children to leave or for others to enter the grounds). We were met with the response that staff have told children where they are allowed and where they are not and essentially they just need to follow the rules. But our concern is whether or not it is reasonable to expect that a 5yo or any age child would be safe enough in this context. Are other schools fenced? Would your 5yo be able to leave the school grounds without being noticed. I’m not really sure how to handle this. When raising our concerns about lacking controls/ supervision we have essentially been ignored. How would you handle this situation?

Hi everyone, I’m not a teacher, but I’m interested in education and trying to understand what teaching in Australian schools is actually like day to day.

From the outside, people often talk about lesson planning, marking, behaviour management and reporting, but I get the sense there’s a lot of invisible work that non-teachers don’t really see.

For current teachers, what parts of the job feel harder or more time-consuming than people usually realise?

I’m curious about things like admin, meetings, school systems, parent communication, behaviour follow-up, documentation, planning, marking, or anything else that tends to eat into your time.

Are there parts of the job where you often think, “surely this could be done better,” or is most of the workload just an unavoidable part of teaching?

Hi all, apologies if this is a frequent question but I’m unable to find direct answers and am stressing out a little.

I have a bachelors and a masters in architecture but am wanting to pivot into secondary teaching asap. Ideally I wanted a 1.5 year accelerated mid-year course but there are none available (and those advertised I’ve found are typically misleading).
Could anyone help me weigh up the pros and cons of a 2 year masters degree vs a 1 year graduate diploma?
Is the diploma only recognised in WA? (I’m based in SA but willing to move)
Is there a chance that the diploma doesn’t get recognised at all in future, forcing me into further study anyway?
How likely would I be able to find work with the diploma?
Would it be an unreasonable idea to do the Grad Diploma and then work in a school while studying the rest of the Masters part-time?

Any help and additional information would be greatly appreciated,
Thanks!

Hey everyone, so I a 31M haven't worked for two years due to mental health reasons. I am now nearly at the stage of getting back into the workforce but won't be able to go back into my original field of work which was a plumber.

Just wondering if it's worth becoming a teacher?

I have always had a interest in the teaching world.

I'm in the eastern suburbs of Victoria if that helps.

Appreciate all your advice in advance!

Hey,

I’m currently 8 weeks in to my Masters of Teaching (Secondary, Psychology, Jr Science, Jr Digital technologies). I completed my undergrads 7 years ago now and I can’t remember hardly anything from them. Is that a concern?

I keep worrying that when it comes to actually teaching the unit plans I’m writing for assignments I’m going to get stuck. Half of the stuff I’m planning to teach I don’t actually know about. For example, the last time I had anything to do with Biology was 15 years ago when I was in year 8, now I have to teach it…

I’m hoping I’m not the only one like this, so I’m just wondering - how does it work? Do you just learn it all as you’re planning the unit for the first time? Rehearsals of lessons at home the night before you’re teaching it? How??

Any answers would be fantastic! TIA!

I teach undergrads in communications/media, and I’m trying to understand a pattern I’m seeing among first-year students with basic writing skills.

An unusually high number of students (I’d estimate around 70% of the ~80 students I have this semester) don’t seem confident with very basic writing conventions (using full stops, capitalising the start of sentences, and capitalising proper nouns (including the name of the suburb or city they’re from)).

I want to understand the bigger picture so I can deal with it, but I’m finding that challenging.

Is what I’m describing ringing a bell with anyone? Do you have any insight into what's happening?

I’m hesitant to attribute this solely to social media or technology, as people typically know how to switch from informal to conventional writing when needed, and when I raise it with current students, they genuinely seem overwhelmed by what we're expecting of them (an ability to at least write a basic sentence).

Hi all, for a while now I’ve been trying to find a new career I can work towards that I feel I would genuinely enjoy. Something that makes a difference in someone’s life.

I believe primary teaching would be ideal for this (at least to what I feel is making a difference)

Can I please hear some feedback as to whether or not you would advise such a move?

For context I am 25 years old, from Vic. I left school in year 9 to pursue my career as an electrician, so I would have to complete an under-graduate before I begin part time online study, as I have a single income and a mortgage.

TIA

Hi everyone,

When I was in year 8, I got sick - which lead me not being able to attend normal school.

In 2017(?), I was put into TAFE NSW to do “Introduction to year 10 studies” program which I was under the belief it was a year 10 equivalent course. This course isn’t offered anymore and has been replaced by a certificate 2 I believe.

From what I remember, I passed the course but I really cannot remember much from this time period.

I am now wanting to join the army and they need proof of my year 10 studies. I’ve tried to contact tafe, they keep on saying someone from the teaching department is going to call me back to post my transcript and confirm whether it’s equivalent of a year 10 certificate - they never call me back.

I’ve tried checking my USI, it’s not there. I tried to call NESA and they said it’s tafes responsibility.

Is there anywhere can I just see if I got my year 10 certificate?

I am a Year 10 student currently in High School. I am thinking of becoming a teacher once I finish school. I'm currently struck between which level I choose. On one hand I want to be a High School teacher but on the other hand, I want to return to my Primary School to be a teacher. Which one is overall the best?

Hi, I am currently studying psychology honours and have come to the realisation that I don’t want to be a psychologist. I like the theory and science more than actually “doing therapy”

I have been thinking about doing a grad dip/master of teaching once im done. From my own research online i think i could teach ATAR psychology and year 7-10 general science (i completed 2 human biology units as electives)

So i’m just wondering is there any demand for psychology and/or general science high school teachers in WA?

Thanks.

I have prepared a bit for lantite
I am not too concerned about numuracy as I am Very confident with mathematics
Literacy is my first one and the One I am worried about, but as an ex atar Student with a mid to high mark in my class in Highschool I do believe that I have some grounds for confidence..

I am just a Little Bit worried as for I need to pass this due to it being the last window before im supposed to go on my first practical Assessment
Does anyone have some advice before I go in?

Hi everyone,

I am currently a year 12 student in Victoria trying to hone in on some of my interests ahead of university applications later this year.

Teaching is one of the fields that I am really considering. I have always loved education, and I would be open to teaching at either the primary or secondary level. Ideally, though, I would love to teach VCE English Language, another humanities subject, or possibly one of the languages that I currently am studying. English language/linguistics has been a long-standing passion of mine.

I have a few main questions for those in the field:

• How do you see teaching evolving over the next 10 years?
• What do career prospects look like, particularly at the secondary/VCE level?
• What's the best pathway to becoming a VCE teacher, especially for a subject such as English language?
• Is it better to do a Bachelor of Education, or a separate degree followed by a Master of teaching?
• What made you love, stay in, or leave teaching?
• What are the biggest challenges new teachers face?
• Do you think demand for teachers (especially in humanities/English/languages) will be increase?
• What does a typical day or week actually look like as a secondary teacher

Thank you in advance for your insights!

So first off, I want to drop out of my Masters of Teaching. Not because of the students but because I'm genuinely bad at essays and research (failed 2 units and failing another soon). That is 100% a me problem

The thing is, I applied for a scholarship, one that pays me for the degree and guarantees work for 2 years. But now I want to drop out, how do I handle this, with regards to my scholarship?

Eg speech, occupational, psychology in both mainstream and specialist schools (early childhood, primary, secondary)