Challenge yourself to make a difference.
About Teach For Australia
Our vision is of an Australia where all children, regardless of background, attain an excellent education. In Australia, children from the lowest income households are on average three years behind in school. Teach For Australia is an innovative non-profit organisation and part of a global movement dedicated to developing leadership in classrooms and communities to ensure all children achieve their potential. We work tirelessly to elevate the amazing potential of all children with the vision of what could be possible to realise an Australia that truly provides equality of opportunity for all children. Fundamental to achieving this vision is to get great leaders into classrooms as teachers, for a minimum of a two year commitment.
We recruit Australia’s future leaders and inspire, connect and empower them to a lifetime of action – activated by the classroom. As a collective force—educators, advocates, entrepreneurs, policymakers and community members—our Associates and Alumni strive for the aspirations of students and families. We are helping to tackle educational disadvantage through the two key levers that research shows impact student outcomes most: teacher quality and leadership. In nine years, we have placed over 670 Associates into more than 150 schools, ultimately helping to change the lives of over 130,000 students.
We are part of a global network with a shared vision for expanded educational opportunity. Teach For Australia is proud to be a member of the growing Teach For All global network of nearly 50 independent, locally led and funded partner organisations with a shared vision for expanded educational opportunity in their countries. Beginning with Teach For America in 1990, each organisation around the world recruits and develops diverse individuals from a range of professional backgrounds and academic disciplines to commit themselves to teaching for two years. Alumni go on to do a range of things – including continuing to teach, leading schools, innovating in the education sector and influencing policy. At the core of Teach For All’s approach is the understanding that while each network partner’s local context is unique, the similarities in the nature of the challenges facing children from place to place mean that solutions are often shareable. Teach For All’s global organisation facilitates many opportunities, both in-person and virtual, for partners to exchange ideas, learn from each other’s successes and challenges, and adapt promising innovations in their own communities. 3 | Teach For Australia Leadership Development Program
Through Teach For Australia, you’ll find that classroom leadership builds a foundation for long-term impact. The Leadership Development Program offers a combined postgraduate education and employment opportunity, allowing Associates to put their education into practice immediately. Associates teach in subject areas directly related to previous studies, regardless of if they have just graduated or are more than ten years out, and in accordance with the subject requirements of placement schools. Over two years, Associates: •
teach at a school serving a low socioeconomic community, with full salary and benefits;
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earn a Master of Teaching (Secondary)(Professional Practice) through ACU on an assisted scholarship;
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participate in targeted professional development that is tailored to experience and context; and
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receive one-on-one coaching and mentoring to accelerate personal, professional and academic growth.
Through the program, Associates develop the skills and experience to enable them to lead effectively, with the opportunity to make a tangible positive impact on students, schools and communities— every single day.
“When I first started my Science Degree, I anticipated becoming a researcher—but after gaining professional experience, I knew that something was missing. I wanted to make a tangible difference to people’s lives.” Lianna Beeching (Cohort 2016) Physics and Maths Teacher at Bayside P-12 College
The bigger the challenge, the greater the reward.
Few other careers offer the opportunity for genuine responsibility, autonomy and impact from day one. Throughout the Leadership Development Program, Associates work as a teacher with full salary and benefits, while studying towards a Master’s Degree, in a new profession and potentially in a new community. “It’s fast-paced, intense and hugely rewarding. Schools are such complex organisations to work in. You develop strong stakeholder engagement, communication, project management, data analysis, conflict management, and of course leadership skills.” (Ash Duggan, Cohort 2013)
Develop leadership skills where they’re needed most. Teach For Australia provides comprehensive support to accelerate Associates’ personal and professional development. With the help of dedicated coaches and mentors, Associates often progress into positions of leadership within schools very quickly. After two intense, challenging and rewarding years, Associates gain a set of unique and highly sought-after leadership skills. At the end of the program, Associates may take the next step in a teaching career, striving towards having even more impact on students, schools and communities, and continuing to master the art and science of being a transformational teacher.
Join a network of passionate leaders and changemakers.
Many Alumni also launch on exciting paths beyond the classroom, taking with them the invaluable skills and experience obtained throughout the program.
Associates are part of a national and global network of teachers and leaders who are passionate about achieving educational equity.
As at March 2017:
Teach For Australia Associates are people of diverse backgrounds, perspectives and experiences who have made the decision to find solutions to one of the greatest challenges facing our nation. Many Alumni remain in teaching, while others become leaders in schools or work in different capacities to develop innovative solutions to problems in education or influence education policy and government-decision making.
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65 per cent of Alumni remain in teaching, with almost half in school leadership roles.
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15 per cent of Alumni continue to work in education, in non-profit organisations, government or policy, and social enterprises.
Ash Duggan (Cohort 2013) Management Consultant at the Boston Consulting Group Ash wanted to push his boundaries and develop his professional skills somewhere outside of his comfort zone. Ash challenged himself to make a difference, moving interstate to share his skills in the school that needed him most. After completing the program, Ash moved to a remote town in the Northern Territory, taking on a Leading Teacher role. Now, Ash works as a Management Consultant driving system level change, and is an active participant of the Teach For Australia Alumni network.
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An employment-based pathway into teaching.
Earn a nationally accredited degree while fast-tracking your career. Delivered in partnership with ACU, Associates earn a Master of Teaching (Secondary)(Professional Practice). The degree is unique in Australia, closely linking theory to practice to provide powerful insights into how students learn, while preparing Associates to differentiate their teaching practice to meet individual student needs. After an intensive period of initial training and development, Associates commence employment as a teacher at a Teach For Australia partner school, with time release to complete their studies. The combined approach offers the opportunity to immediately integrate the knowledge, skills and mindsets developed through the program into the context of an actual classroom.
Australia needs excellent teachers in the classrooms in which they can have the greatest impact. Approximately 40 per cent of children from the lowest socioeconomic households do not complete Year 12. Research and feedback from schools in regional and remote communities also reveals that they have difficulty attracting and retaining high quality teaching and leadership staff. We partner exclusively with schools serving low socioeconomic communities, working in the regions and communities that need the most support. We match Associates with a teaching vacancy that exists at a partner school, meeting their profile, curriculum, subject and organisational needs. For many Associates, school placement requires relocation – to a new community, state or territory. Throughout the recruitment process, applicants have the opportunity to express a preference for where they would like to work. We encourage flexibility within at least one of our placement states or territories, to improve our ability to secure a placement and the teaching position in which candidates can have the greatest impact. Working in close collaboration with fellow Associates, teachers, school leaders and the community, we endeavour to place Associates in a cluster within the same school or schools nearby, to provide increased local support for Associates while increasing the opportunity for impact within the communities we work with.
Ying Qin (Cohort 2016) Maths and Business Management Teacher at Fairhills High School Ying worked in Finance as a Commercial Banker for five years before joining Teach For Australia. As a career-changer, Ying valued being able to work and study at the same time, and now feels like she is where she belongs—in teaching. The program’s development, coaching, support and opportunities for progression allowed her to develop as an effective teacher, and to do what she loved.
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Be supported through the journey of a lifetime.
Dedicated coaching, mentoring and community. Teach For Australia provides Associates with a comprehensive network to support their professional development and successful completion of the program, and to maintain their health and wellbeing.
Teaching and Leadership Adviser An experienced teacher who provides rigorous one-on-one coaching, regular classroom observations and pastoral care to guide Associates’ development as a teacher and leader throughout the program.
ACU Academic Mentor A university professor who supports and supervises Associates’ progress throughout their degree and guides them towards the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.
School Mentor An experienced teacher at the Associate’s placement school who provides day-to-day practical support and assists with integration into life at the school and within the local community.
Teach For Australia Community A local and national network of Associates and Alumni that enables the sharing of best practice, emotional support and collaboration. Though each member of the cohort will have different passions, interests, skillsets and strengths, Associates are united by their shared experience and commitment to tackling educational disadvantage.
ACU Student Services In addition to the unique support personnel and structures provided through Teach For Australia, Associates are able to access all student services provided by ACU, including course and assessment advice, administrative support and health and wellbeing services.
Global Network “My Teaching and Leadership Adviser would look at a lesson and choose one targeted thing for me to work on. Something really tangible you could walk away with—or, often we’d just talk about classes, self-reflecting and chatting about life. He cared about me personally.” Liam Ferris (Cohort 2014) Account Manager at Edrolo
Associates can connect with leaders around the world as part of the Teach For All network, with staff and Alumni available to discuss topics such as international education and classroom best practice, school leadership, social innovation and policy.
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On average, nearly 50% of Associates are eligible to teach Science, Technology, Engineering or Maths. (2018)
Ammar Aldaoud (Cohort 2014) Learning Specialist at Maths Pathway and PhD Candidate at the University of Melbourne “Teaching young people to code is an emerging priority. I’m interested in combining my Electrical Engineering experience with my teaching experience to create a tool to teach students to code.” With a Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical and Computer Systems), Ammar taught Information Technology, Mathematics, Physics and Technology Studies as an Associate with Teach For Australia. Since completing the program, Ammar is pursuing a PhD at the University of Melbourne, looking at techniques to wirelessly power biomedical implants. He is also working for Maths Pathway, an education technology initiative founded by two Teach For Australia Alumni. Their innovative software customises Maths learning, providing individualised content and assessments to students at their point of need.
Program Structure
The Initial Intensive
Teaching and leadership development
The first component of the Leadership Development Program is the Initial Intensive, which commences in the November before Associates’ first year of teaching. The thirteen-week Initial Intensive is designed to prepare Associates for entry into the classroom, during which approximately 25 per cent of the Master’s Degree is achieved.
Associates continue to develop their teaching and leadership skills throughout the program, as part of the Teach For Australia community.
The Initial Intensive has four components:
Throughout the school year, Associates benefit from professional development sessions which contribute to assessment requirements, while further developing context around the needs of students, schools and communities, as well as the broader issues that affect educational equity in Australia.
Online Preparation From September, Associates are able to access a series of online learning modules to prepare them for the Initial Intensive, which are expected to be completed prior to their arrival at the National Initial Intensive.
National Initial Intensive From mid-November to December, Associates complete a residential program in Melbourne with the entirety of the incoming cohort. Associates complete 10 to 12 hours of face-to-face and self-directed learning per day, five days per week, to develop in accordance with the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.
Regional Initial Intensive In January, Associates join their regional cohort in a residential orientation program in the capital city of their placement state or territory. In the final week of the Initial Intensive, new Associates are introduced to the previous cohort of Associates and Alumni in their placement state or territory, further developing their regional contextualisation through connection with the broader network of support in their region.
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Regional professional development
Intensive programs Over the two years, Associates undertake three additional intensive programs during the summer and winter school holidays as part of the Master’s Degree. These allow Associates to reconnect with their cohort and the broader Teach For Australia community, reflect on personal and collective growth to date, and complete additional mandatory face-to-face learning and professional development.
Coaching and mentoring Throughout the program, Associates participate in self-reflection and development conversations with their Teaching and Leadership Adviser and School Mentor. Teaching and Leadership Advisers and School Mentors also conduct classroom observations to review Associates’ teaching practice. Following each observation, Associates will debrief with the observer to discuss their progress, achievements and challenges, developing targeted strategies to continuously improve their practice.
“This role was very challenging, but also really rewarding. You can see the tangible impact that you have as a school leader every day with your staff and students. There is no way that I would have been able to take on a Leading Teacher role after two years in the classroom if it wasn’t for the support and development Teach For Australia provided.” Ash Duggan (Cohort 2013) Management Consultant at the Boston Consulting Group
Master of Teaching (Secondary)(Professional Practice)
Delivered in partnership with ACU and embedded within the program, Teach For Australia Associates complete a nationally accredited and internationally recognised Master of Teaching (Secondary)(Professional Practice).
Learning modules Learning modules are delivered in a variety of methods, including workshops, tutorials, and lectures primarily delivered face-to-face during intensive programs and via online learning platforms during teaching periods. Associates complete 18 core learning modules over two years in:
Professional experience and milestones
School practicum During the Initial Intensive, Associates complete a ten-day school practicum over four weeks at a Teach For Australia partner school. During this time, they observe teaching while immersing themselves into a school environment, working directly with students and completing at least five teaching experiences.
School placement From Term 1, Associates commence teaching at a placement school in approved learning areas, with 20 per cent time release to study towards the completion of their Master’s Degree. We enadeavour to place Associates in clusters within the same school or schools nearby one another to increase the opportunity for impact within the community, as well as offering a network of support in the form of a regional cohort.
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Engaging Professionally
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Implementing Effectively
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Learning and Development
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Literacy and Numeracy
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Personal Leadership
To successfully complete the program, Associates are required to achieve the following professional milestones:
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Preparing Purposefully
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Promoting Wellbeing
demonstration of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers at Graduate Standard in the first year and Proficient Standard in the second year;
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pass the Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education (LANTITE), which assesses literacy and numeracy skills;
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pass the Graduate Teacher Performance Assessment (GTPA), which assesses Associates’ ability to apply teaching practices that positively impact student learning; and
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deliver a Classroom Impact Initiative to raise the academic achievement of students.
Associates also complete 10 learning modules in the two learning areas that they are eligible to teach.
Milestones
Assessments Assessments are based on smaller learning increments and teaching practice in the classroom. This enables Associates to manage the demanding requirements of the program and progressively build a portfolio of evidence that successfully demonstrates the learning outcomes of each module.
Program Map Current as at March 2018. Year one
The Initial Intensive September – October
November – December
January
Term 1
Term 2
Winter holidays
Term 3
Term 4
Teaching and leadership development Online learning modules
National Initial Intensive
Regional Initial Intensive
Regional professional development Coaching and mentoring Coaching Regional MidYear Intensive
Master of Teaching learning modules Personal Leadership 1
Personal Leadership 2
Personal Leadership 3
Preparing Purposefully 1
Preparing Purposefully 2
Preparing Purposefully 3
Implementing Effectively 1
Implementing Effectively 2
Promoting Wellbeing 3
Promoting Wellbeing 1
Promoting Wellbeing 2
Literacy and Numeracy 2
Literacy and Numeracy 1
Learning Area 2A
Learning Area 3A
Learning and Development
Learning Area 2B
Learning Area 3B
Learning Area 1A Learning Area 1B
Professional experience and milestones School Practicum
School placement LANTITE Graduate Standards
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Year two Summer holidays
Term 1
Term 2
Regional Intercohort Week
Regional professional development
Winter holidays
Term 3
Term 4
Coaching and mentoring Regional Mid-Year Intensive
Personal Leadership 4
Personal Leadership 5
Implementing Eectively 3
Engaging Professionally
Learning Area 4A
Learning Area 5A
Learning Area 4B
Learning Area 5B
School placement Classroom Impact Initiative GTPA Proficient Standards
74% of Alumni say they would not be in the position they are now if it were not for Teach For Australia. (2017)
Amy Haywood (Cohort 2013) Education Policy Analyst, Deloitte Access Economics “Being an Associate taught me to look at the big picture, to use initiative, to take risks and not just to notice problems, but to aim to help solve them. All of these skills are useful in any workplace.” At university, Amy knew that she wanted to inspire real change—although admits that she’d never considered herself as a potential teacher. It was Teach For Australia’s mission that resonated with her. After five years teaching English, Amy now has her sights set on influencing education policy. As an analyst at Deloitte Access Economics, Amy will utilise her knowledge and experience as a teacher to help influence change and positively impact learning in classrooms across Australia. 17 | Teach For Australia Leadership Development Program
Application Information
Eligibility
Selection Criteria
To be eligible, candidates:
Throughout the selection process, candidates are rigorously assessed against eight competencies that are continuously refined based on experience and evidence of effectiveness in the classroom.
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must be a Citizen or Permanent Resident of Australia.
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must have completed (or be in the final stage of completing) at least a Bachelor’s Degree in any discipline by the end of the year the program commences.
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must not already have a degree in Education.
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must have already completed (or be on track to successfully complete) a major study in at least one of the eligible learning areas based on degree specialisations, accessible at teachforaustralia.org/learning-areas
Salary and Assisted Scholarship
We recognise that these competencies can be developed through a range of experiences and all applications are looked at holistically. We harness different perspectives, experiences and talents in order to continually learn and best serve culturally diverse school communities. We are committed to ensuring that all applicants are treated fairly and with respect, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, age, ethnicity, religion or ability. We are happy to discuss reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process to accommodate your particular circumstances.
During the program, Associates are employed and paid by the relevant Government Department of Education or school. Salaries and other employment conditions will vary depending on the state or territory.
The vast majority of program costs are covered by Teach For Australia, in partnership with the Australian Government, on an assisted scholarship. Associates are required to contribute $6,500 towards the Master’s Degree, with access to FEE-HELP for these payments (eligibility requirements apply).
Skills
Associates’ salaries are comparable to other graduate teachers, ranging from $53,000 – $58,000, and will increase as commensurate with experience and progression.
Communication & Influencing Ability
Leadership & Achievement
Organisational & Planning Ability
Proglem Solving
Mindsets
Learning & Self-Evaluation
Commitment To Mission
Resilience
Humility, Respect & Empathy
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Don’t let the opportunity of a lifetime pass you by.
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