Secondary School,
Queensland
Meet Matthew, a secondary school teacher from Queensland. Learn about what inspired Matthew 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?
During my schooling experience, I had 2 teachers that inspired me to push myself and achieve highly in school. One of these teachers was in primary school. He always had the time of day for all students which is a trait that I have tried to adopt into my teaching career. The other teacher was my Year 11 and 12 biology teacher. He broke down the learning and incorporated all students in the learning experiences. I have adopted this style of teaching by incorporating checking for understanding into my classes. These teachers made the learning experience personal but always gave their all to every single student in the class. All these traits have been important pillars as to why I got into teaching.
Why do you teach?
Seeing students have that ‘lightbulb’ moment. There is no greater feeling than seeing a student fully understand concepts in your lessons. The feeling when all your hard work that you have put into your lessons comes together and students achieve what you were hoping for them to achieve never gets old.
The constant challenge, day in and day out, in this career ensures that you can never be comfortable. You must adapt to different situations. Every class that sits in front of you will always be different and will ensure that every day is different. I never have a day when I feel like I did the same thing as the previous one.
What’s your stand out/most memorable teaching moment?
Coming into my first year of teaching, I was told that I was taking over a class that had gone through 5 teachers in 4 months. They had no consistency, they didn’t trust teachers. I remember my first few lessons with them were the hardest I have gone through. I remember hearing comments such as “you will just leave us anyway”. Instead of giving up and walking away from them, I broke through the barriers and showed them that I was a person that they could trust. We got to the end of the year with lots of highs and lows, and I was asked what classes I wanted to teach the next year. My first choice was that same class. The highlight was seeing the faces of those same students when they received their timetable saying my name.
What is your advice for new teachers or people considering a career in teaching?
It is essential to love your subject and have a genuine desire to help others learn. Your enthusiasm can inspire your students to engage more deeply with the learning material. Education is an evolving field. Never get comfortable, because how one student learns, will never be the same for the next student. Stay updated with the latest teaching methodologies and research in education. You are never alone in this career. Collaboration and sharing resources and ideas is key in this career.
