How to become a teacher: Australian careers in teaching

Working in the primary school system, teachers are expected to teach students from kindergarten (or pre-school) to grade 6, which, depending on your state/territory, is typically children aged from 5 to 12 years old. In primary school, you will usually be responsible for one, regular classroom of the same group of children each year and teach a range of basic literacy, numeracy, social science, creative expression and comprehension skills, ensuring their foundational skills are developed and nurtured early.

To work within the secondary education sector, teachers must complete a specialisation as part of their Bachelor of Education degree, completing the requisite amount of units in their teaching field. This often means teachers chose to specialise in an area they are already interested in, ranging from science, art or physical education. It is also possible to become a teacher through postgraduate.

Working in special education means you are helping to ensure that every Australian child and adult has the same equal opportunity to learn in our education system, helping students who may have a sensory, physical, emotional or intellectual impairment. It requires a lot of patience, care and planning and involves working collaboratively with parents, carers and health professionals. Working in special education is usually a lot more involved and allows teachers to work in smaller groups or with individuals, helping students achieve learning outcomes. 

Teaching English as a Second Language requires effective communication, with an ability to easily transition and explain the differences between two separate languages. This does require patience, cultural sensitivity, a very good understanding of English and creativity in developing and adapting course materials to engage with your students and make the learning process as simple as possible. Teachers work across kindergarten to grade 12 to improve students’ proficiency in English, using a range of assessment methods and teaching techniques.

Working in either primary or secondary schools, teacher librarians ensure that appropriate resources are available to students and help them chose the right tools to assist their learning. They assist in improving student literacy, coordinate distance education programmes, familiarise students with computer technology and research methods as well as manage the library facilities.

Working in preschools and community kindergartens, early childhood teachers blend creative play and education to promote early development of key literacy, numeracy, art, music and comprehension skills. They’re responsible for nurturing a child’s social, physical and intellectual development during their early years as well as liaising on the child’s progress with parents and other teachers.

An accredited childcare worker provides a creative and supportive environment in which children can learn and play in their early development stages . To become accredited, completion of a Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care is required, allowing you to take on more senior roles in out-of-school hour care and in preschool environments.

VET lecturers work with teenagers in high school, providing them with targeted industry-based instruction so to help them enter a specific professional industry that they are interested in working in after school. Completion of a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment and relevant professional experience in your subject area will allow you to conduct classes, workshops or courses in your specialty area, usually in a TAFE setting.

Head Teachers report to the school principal and take on a senior management role overseeing the teachers in their specific department such as science or English. In addition to teaching classes, they also provide a semi-mentoring role to other teachers, providing assessment for the teachers in their subject area, offering feedback and support as required.

Principals oversee the performance and welfare of a school as a whole and the student body and often are required to report on the school’s progress to government agencies or boards to ensure funding. Working closely with the heads of department and administrative staff, they approve the educational program in line with prescribed curriculum goals, organise fundraising programs and drive the enrolment of new students into their school. They are generally very experienced teachers with a thorough understanding of the education system and relevant tertiary qualifications.