Im thinking of having a career change once we get to Australia and am interested in Primary school teaching.
I have a degree in Travel and Tourism and I know you can do post grad courses here with funding (PGCE). Just wondered if there was anything similar in Australia? We will be moving to somewhere around the Brisbane area.
I have just finished my teaching Masters Degree over here in Oz (YEAHY!!!! finished last week!!!). You need to have your first degree assessed by the relevant authorities over here first. They will tell you whether you need to do a 1 year diploma (or higher qualification of some sort) or whether you need other subjects as well. I chose my particular degree because it was all done by distance education. It was an 18 month course. I had to do 2 blocks of teaching practice - one of 4 weeks and one of 5 weeks. The rest I did completely from home - I was sent the relevant reading material and we had the use of an online forum to talk to other students. There were people on the course who had to do additional subjects though because their first degrees were not quite suitable.
You have to fund the study yourself. If you are on a temp visa I would say it would be outrageously expensive because you would be classed as an International Student. On a PR Visa you pay the local fees upfront but with no sort of discount, and you cannot defer payment.
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Originally Posted by Daphne
Hi
I have just finished my teaching Masters Degree over here in Oz (YEAHY!!!! finished last week!!!). You need to have your first degree assessed by the relevant authorities over here first. They will tell you whether you need to do a 1 year diploma (or higher qualification of some sort) or whether you need other subjects as well. I chose my particular degree because it was all done by distance education. It was an 18 month course. I had to do 2 blocks of teaching practice - one of 4 weeks and one of 5 weeks. The rest I did completely from home - I was sent the relevant reading material and we had the use of an online forum to talk to other students. There were people on the course who had to do additional subjects though because their first degrees were not quite suitable.
You have to fund the study yourself. If you are on a temp visa I would say it would be outrageously expensive because you would be classed as an International Student. On a PR Visa you pay the local fees upfront but with no sort of discount, and you cannot defer payment.
Hope that helps
Daphne
Daphne:
At the risk of seeming impolite, can we ask how much you spent to become qualified? I'm on a budget! (The name of the Distance Learning body?)
My foundation is Education although have been involved for many years in Real Estate & Retail, but am considering viable options, maybe returning to my roots, although perhaps more as Support, Life Skills or Elementary, rather than classroom teacher - have you noticed if there is any form of need in these areas, or courses for these types of roles?
We are aiming for Tass or S. Victoria - perhaps others have knowledge, experience they could offer? Also do you know if you then have to hold a license to teach/coach/support, & I suspect you'd need character checks?
Distance learning will really suit me as I have 3 small children and am planning to stay at home with them for a few years. So engaging my brain at the same time would be good.
Can you advise who you studied with? I will have PR visa so hopefully have to pay the cheaper fee - can I ask how much it was?
Are you intending to teach? If so secondary or primary? I dont think I could handle teenagers.
__________________
Andrew Smith
Cert IV Workplace Assessor & Trainer, B. Bus., Cert. TEFLA, Grad. Dip. Ed. & Training, M. Ed. & "Aussie Specialist" http://www.aiec.biz
My course was the Master of Teaching (Primary) through Charles Sturt Uni. Although the Uni is based in NSW, we had students living as far away as Singapore and Thailand on the course!!!
I think the cost was around $400 per subject - but you should be able to find that somewhere on the Charles Sturt Website - and there were 12 subjects. It's a Commonwealth Supported Place so it's cheaper than some other courses.
As to licences etc - I can only tell you what you need in NSW. To teach in the private sector you do not even need a teaching qualification so that's easy! In the Catholic system, if you are looking for a full time job you need to have done a religion course through a Catholic Uni I think as one of your study areas. For the public sector (as in normal schools), you need to have an interview with the Department of Education and Training and then you are issued with a teacher number. You are then free to apply for jobs etc.
Hope that helps - please feel free to ask questions and I will help if I can.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Daphne
Hi
My course was the Master of Teaching (Primary) through Charles Sturt Uni. Although the Uni is based in NSW, we had students living as far away as Singapore and Thailand on the course!!!
I think the cost was around $400 per subject - but you should be able to find that somewhere on the Charles Sturt Website - and there were 12 subjects. It's a Commonwealth Supported Place so it's cheaper than some other courses.
As to licenses etc - I can only tell you what you need in NSW. To teach in the private sector you do not even need a teaching qualification so that's easy! In the Catholic system, if you are looking for a full time job you need to have done a religion course through a Catholic Uni I think as one of your study areas. For the public sector (as in normal schools), you need to have an interview with the Department of Education and Training and then you are issued with a teacher number. You are then free to apply for jobs etc.
Hope that helps - please feel free to ask questions and I will help if I can.
Daphne
Many Thanks Daphne, et al:
I'm sure really helpful to all of us considering going back to school! Ideally I'd hope for something P/T, perhaps I'd be able to find something in the private sector, maybe a support/assisting role - but I'll definitely check out the courses in a hope something catches my imagination!
Actually, out of interest, what hours do Aussie schools traditionally keep? Are there differences between times of year or rural & city schools, & elementary & senior???
Good Luck Everyone, and many thanks -
Cheers,
Herbie
(A Bear in a horticultural mood, for it's time to tend the herbery, feed the plants & pull some weeds; the sun is out now between heavy showers!)
X:)
Hi all this topic interests me because i am in the process of converting my existing qualifications to a degree so that i can enroll in the 1 yr teaching diploma conversion. This is offered at lots of different uni's all over the country both face to face and as online units. I had planned on moving from WA to Queensland but have very recently read several reports on the over supply of teachers around Gold Coast / Brisbane area. Especially primary. That is because it is such a great place to live and the state attracts teachers it seems. Bugger !!!
The rest of the states (Wa especially) are desperate for teachers so there is work begging. Apparently in Queensland the government was offereing $50,000 to any teacher wanting to retrain/career change as there is such a surplus there !!
Crazy when there is such a shortage all over the rest of aus.
I too have heard that Charles Stuart uni offers a really good course with great support so i will be looking at that one for enrolment and i am 5000km away in WA.
School hours vary from school to school and town to town but only by about 10 to 30 mins. On average start times can vary from 8.20 to 8.50am and finish times 2.30 to 3.30 for primarys and 4.30 for high schools. My son is in year 12 and does not finish til 4.40 but then has every wednesdays off, so only go 4 days a week. Individual principals and school communities can dictate what hours they operate so long as they fit in certin compulsory government curriculum subjects and their alloted hours.
Hope this ramble is of some help
cheers Debbie
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Originally Posted by debsclan
Hi all this topic interests me because i am in the process of converting my existing qualifications to a degree so that i can enroll in the 1 yr teaching diploma conversion. This is offered at lots of different uni's all over the country both face to face and as online units. I had planned on moving from WA to Queensland but have very recently read several reports on the over supply of teachers around Gold Coast / Brisbane area. Especially primary. That is because it is such a great place to live and the state attracts teachers it seems. Bugger !!!
The rest of the states (Wa especially) are desperate for teachers so there is work begging. Apparently in Queensland the government was offereing $50,000 to any teacher wanting to retrain/career change as there is such a surplus there !!
Crazy when there is such a shortage all over the rest of aus.
I too have heard that Charles Stuart uni offers a really good course with great support so i will be looking at that one for enrolment and i am 5000km away in WA.
School hours vary from school to school and town to town but only by about 10 to 30 mins. On average start times can vary from 8.20 to 8.50am and finish times 2.30 to 3.30 for primarys and 4.30 for high schools. My son is in year 12 and does not finish til 4.40 but then has every wednesdays off, so only go 4 days a week. Individual principals and school communities can dictate what hours they operate so long as they fit in certin compulsory government curriculum subjects and their alloted hours.
Hope this ramble is of some help
cheers Debbie
Thanks Debbie:
Really useful, thanks very much. Thinking of Tassie, you haven't heard of any skills/teaching shortages there? And what kind of income might one expect to achieve, say for very basic, or even teaching assistant to more skilled - maybe maths teacher (not my forte, unfortunately!)??
Thank you kindly,
Herbster X
PS So what do the kids do on a Wednesday, or more to the point, how do working parents manage with children on a 4-day week - do they need child minders for those days? Back in my school days I did 1/2 day Wed AND Sat!!
Hi ya the pay rates vary between states but assistant get lower obviously. permanents get between 20 to 35 hr various levels and casual gets heaps more but no pay during holiday times. I dont know anything at all about Tassie - never been there and too bloody cold ALL YEAR!!! If your going there you may as well save some money and stay in UK !! Sorry but it is not the sunny Aussie lifestyle you would be expecting down there even if it is beautiful country side.
The kids that have wednesdays off school are yr 11 & 12 (so 16 & 17) bit old for any form of babysitting i do think!!! Some of them do work place experience or study or sleep all day !!!
cheers Deb
Re-Training Costs & Options
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