Hello, everyone. My name is Chris, and I'll be your host today. and thank you everyone for joining us today for the Looking for Change: Explore Teaching in Rural and Regional Victoria event in partnership with YouThrive Victoria as part of the Department of Education, Victoria's Teach to the Future campaign.
My name is Chris Dempsey. I'm a secondary English teacher at a government school in Melbourne. I'm also from a rural background. I grew up in Ararat and moved to Melbourne for study and this is how I became involved in YouThrive Victoria. We're a charity that support young rural Victorians to thrive.
So firstly, today I'd like to acknowledge the traditional owners and the custodians of the land and the water upon which we rely. I'm coming in from Wurundjeri country today and I know we have people from all around the State, so we repay our respects to the Elders past and present. We recognize and value the ongoing contribution of Aboriginal people and communities to Victorian life. We embrace the spirit of reconciliation and working towards equality of outcomes and an equal voice.
And before we get started, I'd like to give a quick overview of the Teach for the Future campaign. And Teach for the Future is a teacher recruitment campaign delivered by the Department of Education here in Victoria. The Victorian Government is looking for new teachers to fill the growing demand across the state and are investing in making sure that teachers have better pay, greater professional development opportunities and more diverse career opportunities than ever before.
For more info, you can visit www.vic.gov.au/teachthefuture where you find heaps of information on different pathways and opportunities. Today you're going to hear from some real teachers about their lived experiences of becoming a teacher as well as from the Department of Education.
And so, let's welcome our speakers for today. We have Tammy Waters, who's a teacher at East Gippsland specialist school. Louise Hobbs, a leading teacher at Goroke P-12 College and from the Department of Education, we have Millie Watson, Naomi Cross, Benjamin Westheimer and Cara Multari.
And before we get started with the teachers, I'd like to leave the floor to Cara and Benjamin from the Department of Education. Who are going to discuss a bit about the Targeted Financial Incentives program.
Thanks, Christopher. Hi, everyone. So today, we'll be telling you a little bit about the Targeted Financial Incentives program, commonly known as the TFI program. So, this is an exciting program that we've been offering now since 2019. The program currently provides teaching opportunities across Victoria in regional and rural schools. These positions offer generous financial incentives.
So, since the program commenced in 2019, over 600 teachers have accepted positions through the program to teach across our schools. These positions all attracted a generous incentive on top of their salary.
So, in 2024, we are offering two categories of positions. The first category offers $25,000 to teach in schools within inner regional Victoria. The second category of position is $50,000 and these are to teach in outer regional or remote Victoria.
So, the program we're currently recruiting to positions that are commencing in term two 2024, but shortly will be opening up positions commencing in the second half of 2024. And then towards the end of this year we'll be opening up positions commencing in 2025. So, there's lots of positions available now and then there'll be even more positions available later this year and next year.
All right. So, what do you need to know about the eligibility criteria for candidates? So, in addition to the incentive payment that you'll receive of up to $50,000, you can also receive up to $30,000 pre-tax in retention payments. So, this will be paid to you after milestones of two years, three years and four years, should you remain at the school long term. In addition to that, there'll also be assistance to support you with your relocation to regional or rural Victoria, and that might be anything from mileage to housing support.
One thing to know is the eligibility criteria for candidates. So that will be based on your current place of residence, and it will also be based on the school's location where you're looking to teach at. The other thing to know is that you'll need to have provisional or full teaching registration, as approved by the Victorian Institute of Teaching, otherwise known as the VIT.
And finally, you'll also need to legally accept employment and you'll need to be able to legally accept employment in Australia for a minimum duration of two years. So, if you're a citizen, permanent resident, or if you have a visa that allows you to work long term in Australia, those will all meet that criteria. For more information on the eligibility criteria, you can also refer to the program benefits course within a applicable program position online.
So how to apply? You can scan the QR code on your screens to access our website. But generally speaking, you can have a look through our recruitment online portal on the department's website. There's two ways you can find positions that are advertised through this program. The first way is by filtering through role type targeted financial incentive. And the other way is if you just type TFI directly into the search bar. Either of those ways, either of those options will get you straight into viewing the funded positions through this program.
So, as I mentioned, right now, those positions are open for term two 2024, which you can apply for right now and forthcoming there'll be positions commencing later this year and then into 2025 as well.
Thanks so much, Ben and Cara, for telling us a bit about the TFI program. We're now going to welcome our teachers, Tammy and Louise. And we have a few questions for you both to tell us a bit about your experiences becoming a teacher in a regional area.
So, we'll kind of go through the questions one by one. It might jump between the two of you and we can see some similarities and differences in the responses. So, the first question is what is the moment you decided to become a teacher? Louise, I might pass to you first.
Yeah. Thanks so much for having me. To me, it wasn't really one specific yes, I want to become a teacher. It was rather a culmination. I grew up in a small country school and when I was completing my year 11 and 12, I actually had to relocate to a regional centre because we didn't have the specialist teachers available to teach chemistry and VCE literature.
So, I ended up moving and I was really fortunate to have that parental support. They could support me to go and board, and this meant that I got into my first preference university at Monash and I was able to do a Bachelor of Science.
At this point, I wasn't saying that I wanted to be a teacher and if you told me I probably would have laughed. I actually wanted to enter the medical field and I did all the right subjects. I did your pharmacology, your immunology and I did a little bit of business management on the side, but through this, COVID hit, and it sent me back home onto the farm and I thought, you know, I want to get out, I want to join the workforce and I really love science and I really think it's so cool how the human body works.
And this was a bit of a moment for me thinking, well, what can I do next? And at about the same time, my sister was home doing her schooling online and I end up helping her with a lot of her science work. And I thought, I'm not too bad at this. And I saw the Teach for Australia program, which was advertised, which is where you do a Master of Education over two years.
You're specifically placed in a regional or remote school or a school with a low socio-economic status. You're placed where you're needed. And I thought that to me that would be a really fantastic program to apply for because I would get the opportunity to maybe help students who were like myself, who had a real keen interest in science or specialty subjects but they had to relocate because I was acutely aware that many students aren’t afforded that opportunity to relocate. So, for myself, it just seemed like this really logical way to go back, give back to my local community and it all just went from there.
Yeah, nice. I think it's helpful for people to hear that it's not always the most linear process. It's not like, you know, everyone's thinking of this goal right from the beginning and there's so many different ways to get there. So, thanks for sharing. Tammy. What about you? And was the moment that you decided to become a teacher?
There were definitely was one moment. And it's funny, Louise, we have a very similar beginning. I actually did do a Bachelor of Health Science to start with as well, and I worked in the operating theatres as a registered nurse for about 17 years actually. And then I started teaching undergraduate nurses and I absolutely loved that.
My son’s now 20, but when he was six, I went in as a parent helper and it's just like a light bulb went off. And I said, this is my calling, this is what I need to do. So, I also just like you, I went and did a grad dip as well from there, and that's 14 years ago now, and I haven't looked back since.
Right. So, another, yeah, another roundabout way of getting there. And it just shows you that so many different opportunities in getting into teaching. Our next pathway I guess I think you've touched on this a little bit already, but maybe you could elaborate a bit more on what was that pathway once you had decided you wanted to do teaching? What was the pathway to becoming a teacher in the school? Louise?
Yeah, so like I said, I completed a Bachelor of Science at Monash and it was in my final year
that I became aware of that master's program. So, the Teach for Australia program, I had to apply with them and after several application rounds, I said, yeah, we'd love you to be part of the program. And they accepted me as part of the cohort 2021.
So, I was enrolled in a Master of Education through Australian Catholic University. It's a 7 to 12 specific degree and I specialised in science and then also business commerce, because whilst I did, I really brought undergrad in my breadth or elective subjects. I also did a bit of business.
So that was really cool that I also got to bring that through with my Masters and that Masters works that I worked four days in person and one day a week I was online studying and completing assessments and those assessments were really relevant to what I was actually doing. So you're doing things like making lesson plans or creating assessment tasks, and those were actually my master's based assessment tasks alongside a big impact project.
So that spanned over two years, and I found the support through that program was really good for me because it meant that I had a mentor assigned to me through, ACU as well, who partnered with that program. And they were there when I had questions and other things like that.
How about you, Tammy? What was your process like?
So basically, when I decided that I definitely wanted to get into teaching, it was about and this is a bit ancient, it's, you know, 14 years ago now, well, 15 I had to apply to a uni. And as a mature age student, you know, it's not based on obviously you've got to show academic, you know, transcripts and things like that, but it's a more of an application of choosing the right candidates.
Yeah. So, I applied and I got in and my course being a graduate diploma was very condensed. I mean, if you can imagine trying to put four years’ worth of, you know, information into one or two, it's very specific. But I absolutely loved it. I actually loved the course.
And, you know, I think what our backgrounds do shape us in some way as teachers, what we impart to students. So, whatever that pathway is and whatever, you know, experiences that we've had, you know, I think is definitely a tool, you know, and not that you'd need that, but it certainly is, you know, something we bring along to the classroom.
Yeah, I think that's a really good point that we all each bring something with us as teachers and is there's many different ways of kind of getting there. And what was it that helped you to decide to work in a regional school and realizing that was the right decision for you, Louise?
So, I was placed at Garoke, which is where I am still today. I got the opportunity to say the area that I wanted to work in, and that area was the Wimmera, because that's where my family had a farm. And whilst, you know, when I was 18, 19, I was so keen to get into the city to live in Melbourne, I found that I was really missing a sense of community, even though I had all my different friends and networks for Uni and through work. It just wasn't the same that I'd grown up in.
And when I got placed in my school, my partner relocated with me and he's a city boy and he always just says that, you know, he loves that we have moved and decided to build and make the Wimmera our home because it is such a fantastic community. At our school we run so many different community events. You're not just going to work at a school, you're going to be part of a community, and that community almost becomes a little bit like your extended family.
My school is so small we only have 80 of us, prep to 12 students and that means that you see those students progress right the way through from primary school into secondary and finishing. And, you know, a lot of bigger schools. You know, you get them in year seven and then, okay, see you later. And you're not necessarily saying them that next year. But for me, the students that I've taught in year seven and eight for science and they've now got to that year 11 and 12, and they're saying, Yes, Miss Hobbs, I want to do VCE Bio I'm doing VCE Chem I'm doing VCE Ag and I'm just going, Amazing. That's so good.
And it's really that sense of being able to follow your students, having such a strong community. When we throw community events, the whole community comes, they all get involved. It is honestly so rewarding to see the community and also your students just develop such a passion and a love for the subject that you are so passionate about.
And I just think the country is a fantastic place to live. I am so passionate about living in remote Victoria and yeah, it's great and it's also really affordable. You know, I built a house with my partner. We're only 25 and you're able to do that because we're living in the country. Cost of living is relatively low. I know there's a huge cost of living crisis at the moment, and we're so lucky that we've been able to do that. And it's through different things. Most of the country schools, they've got teacher housing, the rent on it is relatively cheap. It's really affordable. And it means that you can actually, you know, make and have a really nice life. And hey, who doesn't like to have a couple of pet sheep in the backyard as well?
Amazing. Tammy?
Yeah. So what so how did it happen? There was an opportunity to do regional so I was working as a CRT actually for, for a little while I was doing a bit of school shopping. So back in metro Melbourne we'd moved to the southeast and I wasn't sure where I wanted to work, and I just sort of had no idea about what schools were like and I didn't want to be stuck with a bad one.
That's I'll be really honest. So I did a bit of CRT work so I could sort of see, you know what the what the vibe was and the morale and what how the school was and the company that I was working with actually had an opportunity to do some regional work. And my kids at this stage, flown the nest. And I thought, what an adventure.
So, I decided I would, yeah, put myself down for some regional and there was, you know, opportunities for accommodation and I would just, you know, go back home. And that opportunity was in Bairnsdale, and I'd never been to Bairnsdale before. It's, it's only three and a half hours from where I used to be in, in Berwick and, and so off I went and I discovered the amazing, you know, it's major regional.
So unlike Garoke it's, you know, it's still pretty big. You know, our schools can have over a thousand, you know in the, the high schools alone. But anyway, I turned up to these I guess placement if you like, and it was, you know a month or two they weren't quite sure.
And I just fell in love with it. It was just a completely different vibe. The staff, it was very, very community. Everyone helped everybody. It was just a different feeling there. The kids were just gorgeous. Leadership was so supportive. And I'm not saying that, you know, Melbourne schools don't have supportive leadership, but it was just a more relaxed, supportive environment.
And as we know with teaching, it can be really hard core and you do a lot of you really need that, you know, a good family behind you. So, I just loved it. And when the opportunity came for a TFI
position actually, if I would stay on, it was a no brainer except that I did have a husband that I had, you know, you know, he'd have to obviously, you know, move with me.
And yeah, I think from his weekends we sort of took it in turns he would come up, I would go back. He loved it as well. We just surrounded by lakes, you know, beautiful walking paths. I'm 4 minutes away from the school. You know, it's just beautiful, absolutely stunning. And it's it changes your whole perspective on life. You just sort of stop and relax. You're not stuck in traffic and everything's only a few minutes away and everything else is online. So, yeah, I just yeah, I loved it. So, it was absolutely yes. And, you know, we decided to move down, to move across, and then, we say down but it's actually really across and yeah, I've loved every day since.
Great. I feel like both of you have really captured some of the real benefits of living in a regional community. And I think those of only those of us who maybe have lived in those before can really understand what it's like to be part of the community. And I think it's a great thing you mentioned Tammy about having that opportunity to go and see what it's like and finding out that it actually is really, really something that worked really well for you.
Look, I feel like we've kind of covered the next question about how you both decided so we might go to the following question. That was how do you decide where to go? I think that kind of answered that one. And have you had to overcome many obstacles in your career? And if so, do you have any advice on how you handle these challenges? Louise
So, as much as I love teaching at my really tiny school, when I first arrived, I really was thrown into the deep end. I was the whole science department, and I didn't have a lab tech and that was really challenging, being not even a fully qualified teacher because I was still studying and still learning on the job, and I was really thrown in.
But the program that I was in had mentorship, and the biggest thing that you can do going to a country school is actually developing a network with other teachers, especially if you are planning on going quite remote because when you have that network, it means that you can pick the best things, and though I was the whole science department and I really was learning on my feet, it actually gave me the freedom to design our curriculum and make it in a way that I wanted it to be done, which is meant that our students all have a really good understanding of the science curriculum, and I really know what they're doing and that that's really helped actually shift a lot of attitudes towards science in our school and have more students choosing science as a year 11 and 12 and then saying, Hey, a career in science is also for me as well.
So, my big advice would be is that it can or I suppose the biggest issue that you can face is, I think not necessarily having other people not knowing how to get started, but there are so many fantastic networking opportunities.
Even if you are in a small school, you have networks. There'll be three or four other small schools around you. Work in with them to even deliver content remotely or look at how can we cross mark? So, I'm not fully learning on the job and everyone, because it is, you know, is such a tight-knit community, is always so happy to help and more than happy to lend a hand.
And actually, making and fostering those networks with some neighbouring schools has meant that my students at Garoke have had the opportunity to take part in some really cool opportunities. They went to Melbourne and competed in the state finals of a 3D printing competition, and they actually won and that was because we developed that network and that partnership with one of the neighbouring schools.
And actually, just a couple of days ago we even got to go to a science and engineering challenge because we had that partnership that we could pull on and we were able to pool like transport, decrease costs and all of those sorts of things as well.
There's also a heap of Facebook pages. If you are teaching a specialist year 11 and 12 subject and a heap of associations of teachers that are just really passionate about their subjects and you can get involved with those and they give you so many great ideas. And I always find that everybody in those groups are always so happy to help.
So even though it can be a bit like, my goodness, I'm taking all of the science from year 7 to 12,
you know, you've got those networks, and you just have to ask and everyone is more than happy to give you a hand.
Yeah, I think some great examples there of how that you've really turned those challenges into successes. It's amazing that you've got all those students excited about science. We know that can be such a challenge. Really cool.
Tammy? How about you? What are some obstacles perhaps that you found? They weren't too many because I was part of the TFI program. The department actually organized my moving, so I sent in a really awesome company that helped pack up our things and deliver it. There was even an opportunity for somebody to help find a place. Until we had sold and rebought. So, there weren’t a lot of challenges. Was pretty smooth sailing, to be honest.
Probably with the kids it does mean that I'm now three and a half hours away. So, a simple weekend catch up is, you know, it's more planned. But having said that, we're now the holiday house. So, we've got we have these you know amazing and of course, out in the country you have these huge blocks. So, we have a big house. There's three guest bedrooms and I've got a constant array of family that come in and book in a room. And because they all want to come and holiday in this beautiful part of Victoria. So, you know there is there is that.
You know there are some conferences that for PD that I do go down to Melbourne but again as regional teachers we're supported. We even get time off to they book accommodation for us so we do not have to go up and back in the same day. Train travels really cheap. It's like $9 to go to Melbourne. So that's that certainly wasn't an obstacle. So, there's not too many, to be honest.
It was pretty, just like Louise said, you know, I am in a small school, I'm actually teaching in a specialist school, so I'm primary trained. And so, I went and I've got the seniors, so the graduating students, so our school, it's a special school, but it's more with intellectual disability.
And, you know, I'm sort of like an island. I'm really teaching kids that no other teacher. So, there's a whole lot of teacher trust. But in saying that, just like Louise said, there's a huge network. And I wouldn't say everyone knows everyone, but everyone knows something, and they can help you and they can certainly find contacts or, or I know a person or you could do this, so you just put the word out and everybody comes in and gives you some helpful suggestions.
But I do love that the teacher trust that they just they kind of trust me to do what I know is best. And whatever I ask for, they're right there and super, super supportive. They don't ask too much of me. They're very respectful. It's just like I said, it is a different way of working over here and I absolutely love it. So not too many obstacles.
I think that positive note actually leads us nicely into our next question, which is what do you both find most rewarding about being a teacher, Louise?
I would say, just seeing students grow, find their passion and actually really extend themselves academically. It's amazing to see students go from that, I can't do this. You know, it's so unattainable to actually doing it and doing it really well and finding and believing in themselves.
I think the best way to explain this was back when I was in my second year, I had my first year 12 group who were doing AG and one of my students was adamant right from the start, from year 11. No, I'm not sitting exams. They actually didn't even want to finish year 11 and 12.
And I said, no, no, come on. Like it's going to be great, we’ll do it and after months of just nudging them along and nudging my whole class along and going, let's do a small exam question. We'll keep going, we’ll keep going. And we got to the end of the year. And I said, I'm actually going to sit exams and let's do this. And I thought, awesome, it's great.
Exam time comes round. We get to the exam day and teachers get the exams 30 minutes after it starts. And I read it and I just my heart sank. I went, my gosh, that's it was so hard. I actually cried. I was going, my goodness.
And when I went and picked my students up from the exam, they all walked out of their heads, held high and said, Ms. Hobbs, guess what? I answered every single question. It was hard, but I did it. I did the whole exam.
And having students go from I'm not even going to finish year 12 or I'm there's no way I'm sitting exams to, doing the exams, walking out of there with a head held high and one of them actually got on the VCE honour roll that year.
So, me I just went, that was just such a fantastic moment to know I'd actually done my job as a teacher. I'd got them to the finish line and now their students are actually pursuing careers in agriculture. So, I just thought that was so rewarding to actually see students grow. And you wouldn't get that same opportunity that you get in a city school, in the country school. And I'm still in contact with those students today. So, you know, I just think it's. It’s so rewarding to find students, find that passion and actually really push and really extend themselves and then achieve success.
Yeah. What, what a lovely story. And it's really nice to see all the reactions popping up on the screen, the love hearts and the clapping. So, lots of lovely reactions in the audience. Tammy, how about you?
Yes, definitely. Look, as a teacher, the most rewarding is seeing, you know, students develop. So, this is the first year I'm leading the VPC. So, we're giving an opportunity for our students. So, it's the first time ever. So, we haven't done VCAL in the past, but VCAL is now VPC.
So, they're able to, you know what I want to say compete but it's not really compete but the opportunity just like the mainstream counterparts to achieve that year 12 certificate I'm in a classroom with nine students. I have two ESOs that are just amazing that support them and it just means that we create projects and support them to, you know, achieve, you know, and to get the certificate, you know, with so much more focus, seeing them develop and seeing the pride they have as well in I did this and at graduation and I can see the emotion on and Louise and that's what it's like.
I remember last year graduation putting on their screens and I was so business like as we were getting it all because they wrote their own, you know, graduation speeches and did a slide of them throughout the years. And, and I was all good And then, and then the night came and I kind of wasn't prepared for it. But yeah, the tears just had a rolling down my eyes. I just you know how proud you are that they did it.
Yeah. And it is it is, it is a calling. It's a passion. Definitely. And being like Louise said, we have a school of 90. We know all of the students and you really I often say to them, you know, you're like my school kids, like you school mum, I'm there for you. I'll protect you or support you. We'll get there. We create an environment of safety and of respect and of learning.
And it is that really is a but, you know, outside of that, the relaxed lifestyle and you sort of get your life back. I have no traffic you know I get to enjoy life outside of teaching a little bit too, the fresh air, the sunshine, there’s no smog all of those things that sometimes you've really got to do you know, for yourself. If anything, I really wish I did it earlier and I wish I brought the kids with me, but I just didn't know of the benefits and how wonderful living out of the burbs really is.
So, it must be so rewarding, I think, to see some of those that progress and growth that you're talking about. And nice to hear about some of the non-work-related, rewarding aspects of rural teaching as well. It's great. And I think that leads nicely to our next question. What is the thing that you both enjoy most about living rural? Louise
Ah! I feel like I've touched on before, like in a rural, like I'm quite remote, but you do have that strong sense of community. You get to know everybody within your town. You know, you can get involved in sporting clubs, your local country show. It's actually a great one, but an awesome community event gets everyone together.
But you actually just have a real sense of belonging and a real sense of purpose. And I know it's a little bit of, you know, fill your cup and I it's also a beautiful place. Like where else could I drive 30 minutes and be in the Grampians and do a nice hike on the weekend?
And you know, it's also fantastic that you've got all these different AG based programs as well. I also teach AG so might be a little bit biased there, but I really love getting involved in that and having my students, you know, really engage in those AG programs as well. Like, you know, you've got sheep at school, how cool is that? So, I just think, yeah, the country is a really great place to live. People are friendly. You've this sense of community. It's a really a welcoming place and I found it really great,
Yeah. Louise? Sorry, Tammy?
Yeah, very similar. Again, our community is our community. You know, when I was in Berwick, there's lots and lots of schools and communities is a little bit different, you know, where we sort of had clear boundaries and, and all of the community supports all of the schools and there's not that many of them, you know, as there are in the suburbs.
So we really get to know our community and you pick up the phone and you can ask anybody, you know, you know, look, could we do this? And it's yes, absolutely will support you. It's just a different a different way of working, I guess. So, yeah. I really I do really enjoy that part of, you know, working rural as well.
Yeah. Yeah. I think those the rural community feeling is as you said, it is different and it does it is provide that additional support, that network. If you guys were going through this process again of becoming teachers in rural Victoria, is that anything that you would have done differently? Louise?
Not really for myself. You know, I came straight from Uni and I basically became a teacher as soon as you can become a teacher through that Masters and I was actually really happy the way that I entered and did that Bachelor of Science. I felt like I needed time to, to mature.
I needed time to work out what I was going to do. So, for me, I felt that that career path was the right one to take. And I'm really happy that I ended up making that leap and that I did pursue that. And then I didn't go down the whole post-grad medicine route. I think this was this is where I'm meant to be.
Yeah, absolutely. Tammy,
What was the question?
I just if there would have been anything you done differently, I mean, you talked a little bit about wanting to have gone earlier.
Yeah. Do it earlier. Look, I suppose to that, you know, every piece that, you know, our life experiences make us who we are. And I learned some great things with some, you know, you know, you know, great teachers and great models and different schools that I've worked in over the years. But yes, probably I just didn't know I you sort of get, you know, in this tunnel vision of this is you work in your area, and you try and but yeah I guess I'd never I've never been a I've always been in the suburbs a city girl too, to be quite honest. There's really nothing I miss.
You know, to be fair, I'm not really someone who parties, you know, on, on weekends, at night clubs. But there's plenty of, you know, entertaining things that go on in town, that's for sure. There's plenty there's lots of lots of entertainment, don't get me wrong.
Yeah, probably that. I didn't realize just how life could be so different and so rewarding and lovely. So, I would definitely know what I know now. I would have done it a little bit earlier. I just went to, I’m doing the Teaching and Excellence program at the moment, and we have a regional centre that's about 6 minutes’ drive, no parking problems, and it's a brand new, you know, so you've really supported with PD and like I said, the Academy's 6 minutes away.
So yeah, there's really everything I need and so much support, so much growth. And, and I think too, you've got to acknowledge that you can have different opportunities, you know, higher opportunities for, you know, to becoming leading teachers or learning specialists, you know, within rural schools at an earlier stage.
So, I’m fortunate that every two years I still get paid a bonus to stay where I am. So, I guess in essence, I'm getting paid as a leading as a learning specialist at the moment without actually having to. But so, it's a wonderful opportunity. The TFI is amazing. And yes, I probably the only thing I'd change is I would have applied a little bit early and brought my children too. So, a really wholesome, wonderful environment and three and a half hours is nothing to go back to town.
Yeah, I think that's a good point about it's very sometimes it's just the thing if you don't know about it, it's you don't know. And it just reminded me that in even within teaching programs, there are opportunities during your university study to take up different sorts of placements. And so that could be a great opportunity for people to perhaps try out something. I know I have a few friends who did rural placements many of them are now still five or six years later working in rural communities. So, it's sort of testament to what you were saying there.
Our next question is like looking at the idea that no two days is the same. So teaching is always changing. What does a day in the life of a teacher look like for you on a regular basis? Louise?
Yes. So, the reason that I love working in a P-12 is actually because every day is so different and in a small school you have to be really flexible. You know, we didn't have someone to fill an English position this year, and I put up my hand and said, Yep, I'll give it a go.
So, my classes range from year 11 and 12 biology and business to AG to English. You know, I think yesterday we were out training our sheep and haltering them as part of a sheep showing competition and pilot program. And today we were completing practice exam tasks.
So, there's so much breadth, there's so much variety, which is really great. You never doing the same thing. There’re so many opportunities for excursions. I love organizing excursions. I think they're a great way to learn. We were out at the Science and Engineering Challenge just earlier this week and I just think it's great how there's so many different opportunities and it's really pick and choose which one you want to do.
And as Tammy said before, in terms of leadership opportunities, a small school does allow you to enter leadership earlier. If I was in a bigger school, I probably wouldn't have had that same sort of opportunity. But, you know, I expressed to my principal that, you know, part of my course was also about leading learning.
So actually, leading educational change. And I also did those business subjects and she said, yep, we'll put you forward for to do a couple of extra courses and whatnot. And this meant that I actually got a leading teacher position just two years into my employment, which is really great and there's so many opportunities to be in leadership because those roles have to get filled. And if you put your hand up, even if you don't necessarily get the job, you're still getting experience in terms of getting the interview for it, which you wouldn't necessarily even be getting in that bigger school.
So, in part of my job, you know, I'm looking at organizing class covers, creating timetables, you know, that so much experience in itself. And, you know, we're doing being on leadership. I'm driving literacy, curriculum change alongside our literacy leader. And that's not necessarily something I would have had the opportunity to do so early in my career in a bigger school. But, you know, I'm also I organising our VAS and organizing that plan and all of these other things.
And that's just an extra thing that I can put on my resume that, you know, when, you know, I love to Garoke, I love my tiny school, but you know, when I do say, right, it's time for me to take the next step and go to another small school or somewhere else in regional Victoria, I have all this experience.
I can say, Yeah, I've taught humanities, I've taught science, I've taught year 11 and 12, ag business and bio. And at a bigger school you're not necessarily getting that breadth of opportunity that you get teaching in a small country school, which I think is great.
Yeah, I think that's a great point. That ability to diversify your skills and be able to try all sorts of different things, you don't really get that same opportunity in big city schools. You kind of get put in your box. I think it's a great benefit to highlight. Tammy, how about you? What is a day in the life of Tammy look like?
Well, our kids all get delivered to school, so they're on busses, so there’s a few parents to drop them off. But generally, they all come in busses because some of them are coming from an hour away on a on a bus. So, we make sure there's, you know, the availability for all of them to get there.
So pretty much at 9:00 now, my kids, there are a bunch of the teenagers, right? But they're beautiful. They really are. But they're still teenagers. Yeah. They come and say, good morning. We have some happy music playing in the morning just to sort of set the scene. There's a visual timetable up. They can see whether we're doing work related skills or personal development skills, literacy, numeracy, all of the things that we do, we could be off doing scalability.
We've got partnerships with Gippsland Tech that supply, you know, big noodle drivers for STEM. We've got 3D printing machines, we've got VR kits that so we can go to them and use those. They come to us a lot of really expensive equipment just available for us to our regional kids don't miss out on some really quality keeping up with technologies and things like that.
We've got partnerships with the LLEN which is like a hub of learning. They teach our kids work related, getting ready, you know, skills take them out for lunch visits to TAFE if we've got our own busses. So, it really changes. It really can be anything but and we really do have the power and the opportunity to try new things.
It's not a you will do. There's no micromanaging, there’s high expectations, just like any school. And we strive for the best and lots of professional development around, you know, best practice and inquiry models.
But yeah, essentially, It's a really fun day today. I was at a conference, but I've set up a huge Harmony Day extravaganza that they would have had a ball and I missed out on. So, lots of different, you know, activities. Look, we've even had, you know, days where we've set the whole corridor up as a Halloween, you know, like maze that they've gone through. So, you know, it's really fun.
I love, I love my job, but all the normal things to the camps that we organize excursions and like I say, community comes in and is there for pretty much anything that relates to what our learning intentions are.
Yeah, amazing, some incredible opportunities for your students. That's so cool. We're about to wrap up the conversation, but I just wanted to give you both the opportunity. If there was anything that you wanted to add or anything final that you wanted to say. Louise?
Yeah, I suppose just as a closing statement teaching isn't an easy career path, but it is one where you get the privilege to help the next generation and instil a passion in their lives for their future and make a real change.
And being in a country school, that change is even more important because some students, their parents haven't finished high school, their parents haven't gone to uni. When you're teaching them at that year 11 and 12 and getting them to go off to university or get into whatever career path they want to go to, you're providing that support and helping them achieve whatever it is they're passionate for and actually achieve their potential.
Yeah, well said. Tammy? What was your final thoughts?
Yeah, hear, hear Louise I second that but also to teachers, to find the right fit school for you. You know as much as we I think we'd like to think that we're you know one state or even one country. Let's go as far as that that we all do it the same. They don't. They really don't.
So, finding the right fit school to you that suits your beliefs, your philosophy and your drive, your passions, that's really important. So don't get that tunnel vision. Take a chance. Take a risk. You will not regret it.
So definitely, if you want to come and give rural a go, you know, you know, you look, you might look back, you might be missing some of the Melbourne parties, but it really is a wonderful lifestyle with wonderful people that become your family. Like really, really quickly. Yeah, everyone helps each other and it's just a really enjoyable, joyful community spirit. So definitely find the right fit school and give it a go.
Yeah, I think that's a beautiful positive note to kind of conclude our conversation on. I just really want to thank you both Louise and Tammy for sharing your insights today. I think it's been so invaluable to hear about both of your experiences and really to hear the passion that you have for teaching and for your students and the ways that you have improved education in regional Victoria. And I think, yeah, thank you so much for both sharing that with us today.
Pleasure. Thank you for having us.
Thank you.
You're welcome. Before we begin our Q&A session, we’ll welcome back Ben, Cara, Millie, and Naomi from the Department of Education. And we've got a few questions that had been shared some before today, some from today to ask. So, we'll go through a few of those questions. Now, if you've got any additional questions, pop them in the Q&A and we'll see whether we can get to them. If we don't get them today, we'll do our best to follow them up after the session.
So, our first question, This one's for Ben and Cara. Can you be can you still be considered for TFI incentive if you are already living in regional Victoria?
Thanks, Christopher. Absolutely you can. So, for example, if you live in inner regional Victoria, I'm you may very still may very well still be eligible for TFI positions in outer regional or remote Victoria. So those are the positions that offer incentives of $50,000 pretax. So yes, so not all the positions unfortunately, but yes, if you are in inner regional Victoria, you're likely eligible for the positions in outer regional Victoria.
Yeah. And what are the requirements to teach in regional Victoria? and where can people apply? I'm sorry, when can people apply for teaching jobs if they're graduating at the end of 2024?
So, the requirements for a TFI position are a valid VIT registration. So, you would have to be provisionally or fully registered with the Victorian Institute of Teaching. And it also depends on the other meeting, the other requirements of the eligibility within the TFI job posting in terms of when someone can apply, keep an eye on recruitment online. So, recruitment portal for more vacancies being posted later in the year for the 2025 school year.
Thanks, Cara. Are there any incentives for graduate teachers to teach in government schools?
Yes. So, the department offers a graduate teacher recruitment initiative, and we have up to 800
financial incentives of $5,650 to eligible graduate teachers to commence in graduate teaching positions in the 2023-2024 financial year. So, each financial incentive is paid to the eligible graduate after they commence in their roles at the school to be eligible for the graduate teacher
recruitment initiative, candidates must have graduated, in the last four years have their provisional VIT registration, not be currently employed at the time of the advertised vacancy and commit to one years of employment. If you're successful to a part time position or negotiated your hours, the incentive payment is paid on a pro-rata basis.
All right. Thanks, Millie. Are graduate positions in government schools, fixed term, or ongoing?
Thank you. I Have some exciting news. So, all graduate teacher positions are ongoing in Victorian government schools. Ongoing employment gives you a job opportunity without a specified time limit. So, this means that you can start your career in teaching in a secure and permanent role, providing you with job stability and financial security. If in the future you do decide to change schools within the Victorian Government, your years of service and leave are carried over with you.
Thanks, Naomi. What are the rural or remote areas in Victoria? According to the Department, and will the incentives be provided if teaching in a rural area closer to home without relocating?
Thanks, Chris. That's a great question. I've popped a link in the chat in the Q&A section and that outlines the ABS, the Australian Bureau of Statistics map that we use from a department perspective to determine whether an area is based in inner regional or outer regional Victoria. So that's where you can view what we use.
In terms of the eligibility There's about five different types of eligibility criteria that an applicant needs to meet, and I guess generally you would need to live at least an hour or more away from the school. But there isn't a requirement to relocate if an applicant prefers to commute.
Thanks, Cara. And we've just got one more question, and then we'll follow up any additional questions in our post event email. So, the last question is when do 2025 positions for term one begins to be advertised?
Typically, around it varies from school to school, but typically positions between term one 2025 will typically be advertised from term three. So usually July, August, September, even October. Yeah.
Yeah. Thanks, Ben.
No problem.
Thank you to all of the questions that you've shared and thank you to our department representatives for answering them for us. Any questions that we didn't get around to today? We will answer in our post-event email, which will also have more information on the Teach for the Future campaign.
I really want to thank Milly, Naomi, Cara and Benjamin for joining us from the Department of Education today to share their expertise about the programs and incentives that are available.
And of course, a very huge thank you to Tammy and Louise for their time today. And really giving a such an amazing insight, sharing their experiences with us. I think that's been invaluable.
If you have any questions following today's session, please feel free to email events@think-hq.com.au and they'll forward them to the department.
On behalf of YouThrive Victoria I really want to thank you all for considering a teaching career in rural Victoria and for joining us today. As you've heard from our speakers, it can be an incredibly rewarding and exciting career and we wish you all the best with your teaching journey.
Thank you all for joining. Have a lovely evening and goodbye.
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