Primary School,
Australian Capital Territory
Meet Lauren, a primary school teacher from ACT. Learn about what inspired Lauren to get into teaching, her stand out teaching moment and advice she gives to anyone considering a career in teaching.
What inspired you to get into teaching?
I have always loved working with children. Watching them grow, seeing them thrive and assisting them in a journey to progress. As a teenager I coached sports and hosted birthday parties for children, so teaching became the natural progression for me. As I have continued my teaching journey, it has become increasingly obvious just how much I enjoy playing such a key role in the lives of the students I encounter. Each day as I step inside my classroom, my day is filled with laughs, smiles and joy. There are obviously days where I am challenged but I would not change that for the world.
Why do you teach?
I teach to empower students. Empower them to find their voice, their strengths and their overall greatness. There is nothing more rewarding than watching a student gain confidence and excel in something to make themselves proud.
I do it for the lightbulb moments. I do it for the joy. Even on the hardest days, I know that I was able to make someone in that room feel valued, feel proud and feel like they are capable of more than they believe.
Giving students the ability to have a safe place, even when everything else seems tricky, is a gift they will forever be grateful for. As important as it is to teach and provide an education, I always come back to the saying ‘people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel’.
What’s your stand out/most memorable teaching moment?
I was teaching a 3/4 composite class when I encountered a student who had the most gentle nature and beautiful sense of humour, but she found school a challenging place to be. After a difficult start to her education with many teacher changes in her early years, this student craved stability, consistency and someone who believed in her and saw her potential.
When she entered my classroom in Year 3, she was shy, and found many components of the school day difficult. That year, she found her voice, her confidence and shared that she now aspired to be a teacher when she grew up.
I was lucky enough to teach her again the year after in Year 4, where I watched her continue to shine, develop and flourish.
What is your advice for new teachers or people considering a career in teaching?
It’s not easy, in fact it takes a lot of dedication and hard work, but my goodness, it is worth every minute of time you put in. When you become that piece of sunshine in a student’s day, there is no better feeling. When you show them that they matter, you yourself, will realise how much you matter to them.
It might sound cliché, but you are genuinely about to change lives.
The hardest relationships or challenges in your classroom will most likely bring the most rewarding feeling if you’re willing to persevere.
Don’t forget to take a step back to smile with the students in your classroom. At the end of the day, that’s what they will remember.
