General News
3 August, 2022
Passion for education connects teachers
TWO of Terang’s newest teachers may come from opposite sides of the globe to each other, but each shares the same desire to support students and help achieve educational equity in Australia.
TWO of Terang’s newest teachers may come from opposite sides of the globe to each other, but each shares the same desire to support students and help achieve educational equity in Australia.
Aoife Jones and Hannah Duffus started teaching at Terang College this year as part of the 2022 intake of Teach For Australia’s (TFA) Leadership Development Program – which recently opened its third and final round of applications for next year’s intake.
Through the two-year program, participants complete their Master’s degree and receive coaching and mentoring to accelerate their professional development while teaching in the classroom.
The program is the country’s leading employment-study pathway into teaching and aims to break the cycle of educational inequity in Australia.
With a Bachelor of Law and Minor in English Literature, Ms Jones was previously a legal professional but “felt drawn to Teach For Australia’s mission to fight educational inequity”.
Originally from Fermanagh in Northern Ireland, she is now teaching Years 7/8-10 English and Humanities at Terang College.
Ms Jones said the most rewarding aspect of teaching was building connections withher students.
“The small wins with students are indescribable. I never thought a student playing a practical joke on me would be considered a breakthrough moment, but it was an olive branch of trust and acceptance,” she said.
While Ms Jones hails from across the globe, Terang College is a little closer to home for Hannah Duffus, who is a former Terang College dux.
After gaining a Diploma of Languages and Bachelor of Arts from Monash University and a Provost’s Scholarship at Worcester College, University of Oxford, Ms Duffus now teaches Years 7-10 English at her former school.
“I chose to pursue a career in teaching because I wanted to use the skills and knowledge I have acquired since leaving Terang College to promote equity in my home community,” she said.
“The best thing about teaching is watching my students learn and grow after two years of stagnation during the COVID-19 lockdowns."
“They are excited about the gains they are making and are expressing more hope about the future.”
TFA Victorian state manager Philippa Williams said TFA rigorously recruited high-achieving graduates and career changers like Ms Duffus and Ms Jones each year to teach subject areas directly related to their previous studies, in communities where workforce needs are greatest.
With persistent shortages for STEM teachers, almost 50 per cent of the past two years’ cohorts of TFA teachers are qualified to teach STEM subjects.
English, humanities and languages teachers are also in demand.
“Great teachers change lives, and the Leadership Development Program offers an opportunity for career changers and graduates to study while making a positive impact for Victorian students from day one,” Ms Williams said.
While their home towns could not be much further apart, Ms Duffus and Ms Jones both feel the same way about teaching in Terang.
“After years spent living in large cities, country life is a joy,” Ms Duffus said.
“I love my early morning ocean swims in Warrnambool, and running around the lakein Terang."
“A quieter life has given me the space to get back into my hobbies, and to recuperate from the stresses of work as a new teacher.”
Ms Jones said Terang was an “even more close-knit community” than she expected.
“It is hard not to feel a sense of belonging when a handful of students are excitedly saying hello to you on your grocery run,”she said.
The third and final round of applications for the 2023 intake of the Leadership Development Program are now open until August 14.
“If you’re ready to make a real impact and create lasting change by helping to break the cycle of educational inequity, we’d love to hear from you,” Ms Williams said.
To find out more visit teachforaustralia.org.