[A blue screen appears with text that reads ‘Subject Matters: A guide to teaching in Victoria. Vodcast hosted by Gorgi Coghlan’.]
Gorgi Coghlan, Host: Hello and welcome back to series two of Subject Matters, the vodcast that aims to share all you need to know about teaching in Victoria. My name is Gorgi Coghlan. I'm thrilled to be hosting again. I'm a former secondary school teacher with a passion for science and storytelling. And throughout this series, I'll be joined by some incredible inspiring guests who are at the frontline of the education profession. We chat about all things teaching, including the benefits of teaching in Victoria. The various routes into the profession, and how you yourself can make your mark as a teacher.
Gorgi: Welcome to episode eight. Today, we're tackling the question, how does teaching allow you to make your mark? We'll be chatting to Jennifer Thompson and Keisha De Zylva to discuss what makes teaching so unique, and how young professionals can help make their mark on future generations.
So welcome Jennifer and Keisha. Great to have you here. Maybe you start by telling us a little bit about yourselves and what's led you to where you are at the moment.
Jennifer: Yeah, so my name is Jennifer Thompson, and I'm a primary school teacher at Broadmedows Valley Primary School, and I currently teach grade three’s and four’s.
Keisha: And my name is Keisha De Zylva. And I teach at Blackburn English Language School. It's a specialist school, which teaches English in an intensive way to refugees, migrants and international students.
Gorgi: Jennifer, did you always know that you wanted to be a teacher? Or is it something that you discovered along the way?
Jennifer: When I was a student myself, I'd always looked up to my teachers. I've always been like, oh, I really love to do something like that. I wanted to have the same impact that my teachers had on me. At the end of year 12 I knew that I wanted to go into teaching went straight into uni, did the four years and the rest is history really, and now I’m in the classroom teaching.
Gorgi: What about you, Keisha?
Keisha: I did not know what I wanted to do. I finished year 12 got into an arts commerce degree because everyone says just pick something broad and I did an internship for one of the big four banks and quickly realised the corporate world was not for me. In that time, I actually worked for some NGOs and I did some volunteering at migrant and refugee outreach programs. And then I knew it was for me, I wanted to work in community development. So once I started teaching, I actually, it sounds silly, but I remember my first few days and actually said to myself, this is my job I get to do this.
Gorgi: How would you describe your school? What best describes what sort of words best describe the value system and how the kids interact?
Jennifer: I would say we're a very close knit community. That's my colleagues and all its students alike. We are a pretty small school with about 200 kids and it's just a really like a positive atmosphere.
Gorgi: Keisha, how would you describe your school?
Keisha: When we get CRTs coming in, they can't believe what a great environment it is. The teaching staff are just so supportive of each other. And the students are wonderful.
Gorgi: In terms of making your mark, did the pandemic in a way help you realise that teaching is so much more than the curriculum?
Jennifer: I think it definitely did. You know, it's not about just teaching the students like, you know, reading, writing, math and everything like that. I think it's also about giving these kids experiences. For example, excursions. camps, those sorts of things as well, that some of them, at my school particularly, they might not get the opportunity to do as readily as other people. So it's really nice to be able to know that we're giving these them these really memorable experiences and memories to keep it like a really long time.
Gorgi: There are some days when you walk into the classroom as a teacher, you've got all of these intentions about what you want to get through that day and this is what I wanted, and either one or two or even with quite a few of them, they're just either emotional or they're dealing with something at home and suddenly you realise, oh, I can't just plough through this material. I've got to stop and adjust and pivot here. What does that tell you about making your mark as a teacher and your role as not just an educator in their life? What have you learn from that?
Keisha: At our school especially we are their first introduction into an Australian school setting. So we're not just an intensive language school, we teach them about life in Australia, culture, and Australian norms as well.
Gorgi: Our 11 year old daughter the other day, she’s in grade six and she was talking about a particular teacher, and I said, what do you think of her? And she goes, oh mum she’s just so great. And I said, why is she great? She said, do you know what mum, she listens. She really listens to me. And I feel like when I talk to her, she's not listening to anybody else. And she’s just listening to me, it really hit me as a parent, that impact that you guys have on them just as human beings, the values that you're constantly exercising in front of them. What do you both hope that you implement in your students?
Jennifer: I would like to think that I'm a good listener or that I’m kind, those sorts of things. You know, I think I teach, I know I'm going back to that, but I like to teach my kids to be really kind. And I want to like have created an environment as a teacher where the students do feel safe and you know, can open up and tell me about their interests and things like that.
Keisha: I think they would also say that I'm a good listener, and I am very understanding. I have had students come to me and talk about problems that they have in their personal life. So I also do hope that they would say that I do challenge them because I want them to grow. I want them to succeed. So maybe I’m kind, but a little bit firm as well.
Gorgi: I like that. Have you had a moment where you've been able to witness the magic of how you've made your mark. Have you got any stories you could share with people watching and listening that indicate, wow, I did get a real connection with that kid?
Jennifer: Such a typical thing, but it's those little moments where they do understand that thing I just explained or taught them. And now they understand it because of what I've done. Like sometimes I have those, like those moments, or it's like, oh, I actually like I'm doing that right.
Gorgi: Keisha you've been teaching for about 11 years. Have you had the opportunity to have an ex student to come to see you or you've seen them in their life and tell us what happened? And how did that make you feel as a teacher, yes, but more as a human being of like, I affected that person's life?
Keisha: Yeah well, I have been lucky enough to bump into a few students. The first time I bumped into a student was when I ordered new curtains and the man at the door he had a mask on at the time, so it was hard to tell. I looked at him, he looked at me. He pulled down his mask and he smiled and he called me Miss. And yeah, it just made me so happy because this boy had come to Australia with no education. He was a teenager. It's very hard to start in education at that age too. And the fact that he has a job, he's contributing to his family, and society, it just made me feel so happy that yeah, that's a success story.
Gorgi: Oh, punch the air as you were walking out with those curtains. So what are you most excited about your teaching careers and moving forward? Have you thought about future goals and how you can make your mark in teaching and changes people's lives ahead of where you are now?
Keisha: I would like to maybe do something where I'm mentoring other teachers, teaching them how to do certain things, maybe even moving into the wellbeing space.
Jennifer: Building my knowledge and my capacity to be the best teacher that I can be. Maybe down the track leadership. I haven't really thought that far ahead.
Gorgi: That's great to talk about this because I do think there is a misconception that you get in the classroom you stay in the classroom forever, maybe one day you’ll fill in as an assistant principal. Oh, you’ve landed into leadership and that's so outdated.
Keisha: Yeah definitely. I mean, as teachers, we promote lifelong learning. So professional development is always there. You're always encouraged to do it.
Gorgi: People in careers, corporate careers doing what they're doing at the moment. What would you say to them if they're thinking about doing teaching?
Keisha: If you're bored in your job, and you want variety, well, there’s no two days that are the same. You might be teaching similar content, but students at responses vary so much, and you're constantly thinking of new ways to engage students and challenge them. If you're passionate about something, I'm sure you can turn that into teaching a subject.
Jennifer: So one last piece of advice to someone who's probably finished, got their job, going to start maybe next year, any tips that would have helped you if you can think back on your younger self that was walking into the door for the first time?
Keisha: Like other teachers are just so supportive and always willing to help you so lean on them, and they will help.
Jennifer: Like you're saying, my colleagues and teachers are just so so helpful, and they want the best from you.
Gorgi: Well, Jennifer and Keisha, thank you so much for joining us and sharing your wonderful stories. All I can say is you've got the luckiest students to have you both as passionate teachers who know that you're giving your heart and soul to these wonderful, wonderful careers. So thanks for joining us, and I'm sure you've inspired a whole new generation of teachers out there.
Jennifer: Yeah, thanks so much for having us.
Gorgi: Well, that brings us to the end of today's episode. Thanks for watching Subject Matters. And for more information about teaching in Victoria, and why it might be the right career for you, visit vic.gov.au/teachthefuture. I'll see you next time.
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