Secondary School,
New South Wales
Meet Erica, a secondary school teacher from NSW with 24 years of teaching experience. Learn about what inspired Erica 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?
After completing an Arts Degree at ANU, I had a job that required me to visit schools and educate students about special global projects. I soon realised that I really liked spending time helping students grow as learners but more importantly to grow as people. My sister-in-law was already a teacher I admired. I had been exposed to some wonderful teachers and it just seemed to be a career that suited my personality and my skills.
Why do you teach?
I teach because it’s not just a career but a calling, a vocation. I teach because it’s what I am good at and what I enjoy and because I can help my students. When a classroom is humming along, students are engaged and learning and gaining in confidence, there is not much better. It can be incredibly satisfying and rewarding to teach.
What’s your stand out/most memorable teaching moment?
There have been many memorable moments as a teacher but one that comes to mind is when a young, energetic colleague convinced all the staff to be part of a flash-mob dance for the students at a whole school celebration. ALL the staff got up and danced for the students. The wonderful part for me was not the teachers dancing, but seeing the faces of the students as they took great delight in watching teachers they never expected to dance, up on stage giving it their all. It was a memorable moment seeing the students’ reaction to their teachers being people who they could relate to, laugh with and respect. Teaching is all about building relationships. This was a perfect example of a time when we all saw each other a little differently and for the better.
What is your advice for new teachers or people considering a career in teaching?
In my first year of teaching, I had a wonderful mentor. She was a gifted, experienced teacher who taught me more than all my uni lecturers combined. She taught me to take the complexities of students’ lives into consideration when I was trying to teach them. She taught me the difference between constructive and unconstructive classroom noise and to not be afraid to admit I didn’t have all the answers, just to name a few of her lessons. My advice would be, find a great mentor. Listen to them. Watch them teach. Have them watch you teach. Discuss what worked and what didn’t. We never stop learning so enjoy the wisdom of those who have been teaching for a while. Teaching is a privilege – go for it! Good luck.
