Types of teacher

There are more than 1500 schools in Victoria, offering different types of teaching jobs.

Before you start studying to become a teacher, you'll need to decide what type of teacher you want to be.

Early childhood

• You will likely work in long day care, kindergartens, playgroups, parent education or specialist children’s programs.
• You work with children in individual or group programs that are developed to inspire, motivate and stimulate skill development and learning.

Primary

• You have responsibility for a group of children, with most of the day spent with the one class.
• There are opportunities for creativity in the classroom, devising programs that are exciting and challenging for students.
• You are generally expected to teach in seven key learning areas: English, mathematics, science, technology, health and physical education, the arts, and studies of society and environment.
• Some also qualify and work as specialists in art, music, languages other than English or physical education.
• Most are also qualified to teach in the general classroom and may combine teaching a particular class with taking specialist classes.

Secondary

• You usually teach 2 or more subjects to a range of classes through to VCE level.
• Some school time is allocated each week out of the classroom to plan and prepare lessons.
• Secondary teachers have many opportunities for creativity, devising learning programs in their area of expertise that are exciting and challenging for their students. Many teachers get involved in extra-curricular activities - coaching a sporting team, helping with drama productions and participating in school camps.

Special education

• You work with primary or secondary students with learning difficulties or who have a disability or impairment.
• You may also teach students with exceptional intellectual gifts or those with specific problems with language
• You have usually finished extra study to get qualifications in a particular special education field.
• You may work in a specialist setting or mainstream school, in a regular classroom, with groups of students or on an individual basis
• In mainstream schools, special education teachers are involved with the planning and implementation of inclusive programs to enable students with difficulties to function successfully in the regular classroom.
• You work closely with mainstream staff helping with curriculum, assessment and reporting and often direct teaching, tutorial assistance and pastoral care.

What makes a good teacher?

Teachers need strong verbal, literacy and cognitive abilities to do their job well. Research indicates that good teachers also demonstrate these attributes:

• Motivation to teach.
• Interpersonal and communication skills.
• Willingness to learn.
• Resilience.
• Self-efficacy.
• Conscientiousness.
• Organisational and planning skills.

Universities and training providers consider academic and personal attributes when they select people for initial teacher education courses. This is a requirement of the Victorian framework for selection into initial teacher education.