Reality of teaching?

[Guest NatsandSteve]

Hi,

 

I am hoping to hear from some teachers about teaching over here. I currently work full time in a role that is sort of in education but really want to get back to teaching. I have all my registration done so I am ready to go.

I taught for 4 years in the UK; the last year as a year 6 teacher, which although I loved, it was incredibly stressful and hard, not too mention the mountains of marking, planning and assessment that I am sure all you other teachers can relate to. Not sure if I want to go back to that intense workload and stress!

So my questions are...what is teaching/education really like here in Adelaide? From what I have seen (as I do actually go into schools to represent my company) it looks a lot more laid back, no marking in books, not much structure to lessons or the days learning, just lots of worksheets and no differentiation...I could go on! I only go into a certain areas within Adelaide so maybe I am seeing a bad bunch...I am aware that there are probably lots of great schools around...

So what is the reality of doing TRT work? I know I will have to do this for a while before I could even get a sniff of a contract but how have people found it in general? Do you turn up with lesson plans to follow, or do you just have to make it up yourself? Also, what's the pay like for a days work?

And for those of you who have secured contracts, how is the workload come to the UK?

Would love to hear people from who are out there doing it. As I said, I have my registration already and know how the system works.

Thanks,

Nat

[Guest cbeeb]

From what I have seen (as I do actually go into schools to represent my company) it looks a lot more laid back, no marking in books, not much structure to lessons or the days learning, just lots of worksheets and no differentiation...I could go on!

 

Ok I have taught over here and I can assure you we do differentiate, we do not just hand out worksheets and we do plan.

 

My kids go to school here and all their teachers have been dedicated, professionals, which give support when needed and extension work when needed. For the resord they both went to public primary, one in public secondary, and one now in independant middle(who will be going to public high school)

[Guest Adelaide_bound]

So my questions are...what is teaching/education really like here in Adelaide? From what I have seen (as I do actually go into schools to represent my company) it looks a lot more laid back, no marking in books, not much structure to lessons or the days learning, just lots of worksheets and no differentiation...I could go on! I only go into a certain areas within Adelaide so maybe I am seeing a bad bunch...I am aware that there are probably lots of great schools around...

So what is the reality of doing TRT work? I know I will have to do this for a while before I could even get a sniff of a contract but how have people found it in general? Do you turn up with lesson plans to follow, or do you just have to make it up yourself? Also, what's the pay like for a days work?

And for those of you who have secured contracts, how is the workload come to the UK?

Would love to hear people from who are out there doing it. As I said, I have my registration already and know how the system works.

Thanks,

Nat

 

I haven't started a full time contract role yet, as I'm having too much work/fun just doing TRT (and also just started working for the RAA as a Road Safety teacher in schools as well now), but hopefully I can give some help on what I've experienced etc.

 

With regards to TRT - its overly easy and laid back. I'm sure if you wanted to you could pretty much walk in, do very little all day, walk out no hassles at all. As my long term plan was always to get a full time perm. contract, plus just because I couldn't really stand not doing anything all day, its a little more than that, but nothing like in the UK. I've only had a couple of days without plans/worksheets/timetables etc to follow, and these have generally been drama teacher days tbh, so I've just done stuff off cuff, but not really hard to do, just have a bank of stuff up your sleeve (I probably have about a month's worth of lessons for any given subject, for all year ranges, just in case. Haven't used any of it yet, other than the drama a couple of times.) you teach what they leave, I've never had anything AT ALL that was mark heavy, and either couldn't be marked in school time, or in about 30 mins after school finishes. They usually say as well to just either do what they leave or whatever else you want instead if you want, which can be handy if something isn't working etc.

 

Pay depends on who you are working for - if its an agency, you get $200/day (carp really all things considered). To do very very easy direct for the school (go round the schools with your CV and chat them up) - exactly the same as the agency, other than the school calls you rather than the agency and you get to take home nearer to $300 a day (around $274 I think?) if its a Catholic School, if its DECD (state school) its around the same, and if its an Indy, its up to the school but it seems to be around the $300 mark as well - all give or take $20 here or there. This is before tax btw. Working directly for schools is HEAPS easier here than in the UK - in the UK when I moved across from Secondary to Primary I worked through an agency doing supply and found it was the only way to get work. Here I get the majority of work for the two schools I work directly for, one of which I know also uses my agency, but I approached them (the school) directly before my agency could send me there. That's an important point, because once you've worked for a school via your agency you aren't allowed to work for them directly for 6 months without them paying the school a fat finders fee - something to bare in mind if you want a job with them as well. So I generally use my agency for work up in the Northern Suburbs or for places that are a bit further away than I would want to work at anyway, and then that's not an issue but its increasing my circle of places I can actually work for.

 

Whilst I'm not actually in contract right now, from being in schools I would hazard a guess *generally* the work load is NOTHING like the UK - pretty much across the board marking really seems to be an optional extra for most teachers (even in the really really really good schools!), and there isn't the level of scrutiny that there is in the UK so its not as stressy in general. The staff room is always packed at lunch time and break with everyone who isn't on duty in it, and people tend to leave soon after the bell goes - sometimes I am the last, or one of the last, to leave if I've done some marking afterwards, or have heaps to clear up (love an art session lol). Please note - I'm not saying teachers here don't do a fab job or work hard *at all*, its just all a bit more laid back than the UK (A MASSIVELY brilliant thing imho, and NOT an indication that teachers don't do a great job and work really hard at all).

 

If you need any tips on TRT etc, have a look on my blog, I've done a couple of posts about it all, so might be helpful for you

 

Good luck and enjoy!

Edited February 26, 2014 by Adelaide_bound