English Teacher looking into making the big move

[Guest Amy Denyer]

Hi everyone

 

I am looking into making the big move to Oz. I am a secondary school English Teacher who would appreciate any advice or help in where to begin with a job search. I am about to start the visa process so understand I have a way to go but as I will be preparing for my big adventure as a recently single (nearly) 30 year old, I would greatly appreciate any support.

 

Looking forward to getting to know you all.

 

Amy

[Guest Used2BEsxGrl]

Hi Amy

 

Looking around Teachers always seem to be in demand. I have friends that are teachers and it's been the school holidays so I've been jealous of them having lots of free time! teachers.on.net might be a good place to look at and if you haven't already got a good migration service Working In may be able to talk to you about currently demand and options available.

 

I hope all works well for you - it's not always easy but it's worth the hassle

[Guest cazzie]

Hi Amy,

I am a ping pong pom - spending six months in each country. When I am in Adelaide, I have always been lucky enough to secure work at the same school but whether that continues remains to be seen. When I first moved there, as a GTP English teacher, they did not recognise the GTP qualification despite the fact that we have the very same certificate as PGCE teachers! This meant that had to study at Unisa for 4 months to gain a post grad certification of education - which I loved but cost me 10,000 dollars!! If you are PGCE trained you can walk straight into work - so hopefully, you are PGCE trained. Then, I worked for Randstad Education agency who placed me in a few schools which I enjoyed. Meanwhile, I sent my CV out to a few local schools and secured work very easily that way and now the school that I usually work at know when I am back and usually fit me in nicely, hopefully this will continue. Of course, you have to log into DECD and apply online too - there you are kept in a 'pool' of available teachers and hope they will give you a call. However, you could wait a very, very long time for a call, that's why it's better to send out your CV to local schools as they will call you directly if they have a vacancy. Take a look at the DECD website and research as much as you can, log on and get your details on there. When you get to Australia, just get your CV out to as many schools as possible. Good luck!

[Guest Amy Denyer]

Thank you so much both of you for getting back to me so quickly and giving me some great advice. Cazzie - I am PGCE trained and had heard about a GTP not being accepted which like you say is ridiculous!! How different is school life and the students compared to back here? What subject do you teach or are you primary? Also, how easy is it to rent in Adelaide? Are there many house sharing opportunities? Also, how does life compare over there to here for you?

 

Thank you both again for taking the time to contact me x

[Guest cazzie]

Hello Amy,

I am a secondary English teacher too. It IS different to the UK, in that the students where I taught in Oz are more laid back but also many of them have rotten home lives/low self-esteem issues and are from a low socio-economic area. However, up until now I would say that teaching itself is much less rigorous than the UK, ie: I have been observed just once in Australia in the past few years but equally, there has been much more freedom in what you want to teach. I really could be more creative and teach whatever I liked - I was not told to stick to a scheme of work - actually, there weren't any! This year, things started to change - the school is going through management changes and wanted lesson plans/SOWs written out and the lessons to be much more like the four part chunks of English lessons in the UK - which is no bad thing really as the students need some rigour in the lessons. It remains to be seen whether this makes a difference, after all, the Australians are way ahead of the UK on the PISA scale! I guess if you work at a private school, there would be much more rigour anyway, it just depends what type of school you go to.

As for renting, we have always found it relatively easy to secure rental - so far, but I don't know anything about house sharing unfortunately. There are house-sharing adverts in the local Adelaide Advertiser/Adelaide Now papers, so maybe look online.

Life is very different in Adelaide to the UK (Northamptonshire) but to be honest, I like having these differences to look forward to. I love the Adelaide sunshine (not the winters there, they are way too cold!), the beaches and the laid back lifestyle, but equally, I love the English countryside and being around my family when I am here (mum, 4 children and 2 grandchildren). I hated the first 9 months or so but after a couple of years, I really did begin to feel 'settled' in Adelaide and love returning there for a few months at a time. Hope this helps a bit!

Edited October 4, 2012 by cazzie
spelling!

[Guest Amy Denyer]

Hi Cazzie

 

It has been a while! Happy New Year! How are you? As everything is moving along now with visa, I am starting to do more research. I wondered if you had any electronic documents about English qualifications over in Oz. I downloaded a load of stuff earlier but unsure where to start with it all! You very kindly gave me tips on sending CVs out and a name of an agency. Do you have any other tips or advice for how things seem over there at the moment?

 

Thanks again for everything so far!! x

[Guest cazzie]

Happy New Year to you too Amy. We arrived back in Adelaide yesterday so still a bit jet-lagged but an early night tonight should see us right.

I am not quite sure what you mean about electronic documents about English qualifications over here - but that could be the jet-lag!!

As I have just arrived, I don't yet have a job but will be sending out CVs to local schools next week. Once I am back a while, I will let you know a bit more on what it appears to be like at the moment, but as it stands I have been away for 7 months.

So, please reply/PM me with exactly what you are looking for and I will hopefully have a coherent answer but for now, peruse the DECD website as much as you can - there is loads of useful information for teachers looking for jobs and the online application form which you can begin to fill in and save for later. Also, the TRB website will be very relevant to you right now.

Cheers!

[Guest Amy Denyer]

Hi Cazzie. Hope you are starting to recover from the journey now! I really do appreciate you getting in touch - particularly when you had just arrived. I owe you a drink when I get over! I just wondered whether you had any documents on exam boards used or specific texts they are expected to learn. I know there is no set curriculum but just want to get ahead of myself with reading up on texts and exam specifications. I have downloaded a few things but it is quite conflicting. Good luck with the job hunting - keep me posted. Enjoy the weather - it is freezing here; forecasted snow but for the weekend!! Very annoying! xx

[Guest cazzie]

Hi Amy,

I think it would be useful for you to look up the SACE board online on http://www.sace.edu.sa.au - it has loads of information on exams/specifications etc so that would be a good starting point. You are right, no set curriculum but they were working on it at the school I taught at last year. I could not tell you what set texts are used currently but I know they were studying 'Of Mice and Men' which you probably know very well. I would not worry too much about any of it to be honest. When I first came here, I had no idea what they were doing so was thrown into the deep end with no prep at all with Year 11. They were a terrible class at the start and I knew it would be really tough to get them on board, but I did and all but one passed their English Sace - a miracle!

Also, I chose the text myself and one of the coursework tasks was to compare a Carole Anne Duffy poem with the film 'Pleasantville' and to review the film 'Romeo and Juliet.' Remember, at the start you need to be a lesson ahead of the students but it won't be long before you start planning medium and long term plans and the English department will be there to help you too. Look up SACE - they will have list of recommended texts and it won't do you any harm to read a couple of Australian texts before you get here. Hope that's ok.