Secondary School,
New South Wales
Meet Justin, a secondary school teacher from NSW. Learn about what inspired Justin to get into teaching, his stand out teaching moment and advice he gives to anyone considering a career in teaching.
What inspired you to get into teaching?
I was fortunate enough to have a music teacher in high school who was relentless in supporting my growth and self-development. At a time where I was most confused and had no self-confidence, she encouraged me to invest my time in music. From guitar lessons, to helping me start a band and giving us extensive opportunities to perform in a range of contexts, these were pivotal moments in creating a version of myself that felt like I could take on the world. My music teacher changed the trajectory of my life through genuine care and investment. She taught me the value of the ‘ripple effects’ of your actions, how as a teacher she knew that all the work she put into her students would pay dividends in the lives of all the people who interacted with her students as they chartered through life. It sounded like the most beautiful job and purposeful life that I wanted to live. Every day that I teach now, I strive to embody what she did for me, to each student I interact with.
Why do you teach?
My life purpose is to “help people believe that they are the main character of their own story”, to not only help them develop a sense of purpose but to enable them to value their own voice and the impact of their actions. I believe that teaching is more than just a job, it is also an opportunity which enables me to fulfil my life purpose everyday through the lessons I can instil into students as their mentor. I have a mantra of “never have a bad day”, because how could we, when we genuinely have the opportunity to change the world through the “ripple effects” of providing young people a positive environment and experience to becoming the best versions of themselves.
What’s your stand out/most memorable teaching moment?
In March 2023, I started a school-based student focused podcast which aimed to capture the stories, experiences and perspectives of the students in our college. The podcast is my most standout, memorable teaching moment because it creates these moments for me each day I get to record an episode. Going back to my life purpose, this platform has enabled me to make students feel like they are the main characters of their own story. They get to be the celebrity guest, there is an episode dedicated to their lives, their personality, their experiences. Being able to see their faces freely expressing who they are and hearing the confidence in their voice is the best part of my day.
What is your advice for new teachers or people considering a career in teaching?
Teaching is not just a job, it's an opportunity and responsibility to positively impact the world by enabling the next generations of young people to be genuinely good people who aspire to be more than what they were yesterday. Don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise or undermine the value of the work you will get to do as a teacher. The realities of teaching can be hard, but I can assure you that no other experience could replicate the moment where you recognise that the students in front of you have achieved something, have developed a sense of confidence or found a way to grow into a better person because of your investment in them. It’s the greatest feeling in the world that makes everything you do worth it.
