This month, I would like to introduce you to this months ‘feature teacher’, Tegan.

Hi there! My name is Tegan and at my school, the students call the teachers by their first name. I’m currently in my third year of full-time teaching and I work at a small semi-rural school in Melbourne’s northern suburbs. I’m currently teaching a beautiful bunch of Prep/Year 1 students. You can follow my teaching journey on Instagram @miss.tlc_

1. Why did you become a teacher?

I’ve always been really good with kids and kids have always been drawn to me, I think because of my kind and enthusiastic nature. I thought about pursuing teaching when I was in high school but ended up deciding to go for a sports science degree that could still provide opportunities for teaching later on. During my undergraduate degree, I completed a unit where we had to plan and deliver a sports day for a number of special education schools and it was that day that I knew teaching was for me. Being able to educate, inspire and connect with children is so rewarding.

2. Tell us your favourite; year to teach, subject to teach and platform for resources

My favourite year would have to be Foundation (Prep) as you can make the learning SO much fun and so engaging. It does take a lot of preparation but it’s so worth it. My favourite subject would be inquiry because it can be integrated into other learning areas so easily and I find that I always learn things too no matter what the topic is.

 3. What is one of your favourite teaching memories?

One of my favourite teaching memories would have to be the camp I was asked to go on with the older grades. It was an adventure camp and you bet I joined in on every activity there was! It was so much fun and it was so nice to spend time with the kids away from school and get to know their strengths and weaknesses as well as my own.

4. What is the most important thing you have learnt while teaching?

The most important thing I’ve learnt is to reflect upon my teaching so that I am constantly working to improve my practice. I learnt that it’s ok if a lesson doesn’t go to plan because it happens to the best of us. The most important thing is that you learn from it and use that experience to help you grow and become better.

5. If you could invite one guest speaker into the classroom who would it be?

Probably Kid President from YouTube. He is so funny, confident and inspirational and I think the kids could definitely learn a thing or two from him.

6. What is your best teaching tip for beginning teachers?

Ask for help! If you’re unsure of something, if you don’t think you can complete something by a set date or you are just struggling with the workload, ask your colleagues for help. Most teachers are more than happy to help if you ask and it will most definitely save you a breakdown or two.

7. Teaching can be very demanding. How do you achieve a work/life balance?

This is something I’m still working on. I can be on my phone scrolling through Instagram and I’ll still be thinking of work because I’ll have seen a cool idea or lesson that I then want to try out myself. I’m getting better at it and I think the key is to ensure that you have set hours after school or on weekends that you check your emails, make resources, plan lessons etc so that your ‘you’ time isn’t taken over by work. Exercising is one thing I try to do for me that makes me feel good and keeps my mind off work. 

8. What is one thing you like to do every day with your students?

We do a goodbye routine at the end of each day. Students line up with their bags and on the door frame are four symbols each representing a way of saying goodbye to me; high-five, hug, pinky hug and fist bump. Each child selects one of the options to do with me on their way out each day. I LOVE it! Some teachers do it in the morning but I find it works best in the afternoon so that you are ending the day on a positive note, which is really important, especially for those students who might have had a bad day or who have been in trouble.

9. How do you minimise your environmental footprint in the classroom?

This is something I could definitely get better at but I’ve definitely been reducing the amount of laminating I’ve been doing and we reuse as much paper as possible. We have a tub of scrap paper in the class which students can use during free time or for drawing a picture etc.

10. Plan a perfect teaching day for us

A perfect teaching day would include; all of my kids being at school, students being engaged and curious in their learning, good weather so that we could do some outdoor learning, full of laughter, and most importantly, those ‘ah ha’ moments from my students when they understand a concept.

Love this Tegan! Thanks for contributing to our ‘feature teacher’ profiles. I love the idea of your afternoon routine and connecting with your students before they go home. Such a positive way to end the day!

To read our past ‘feature teacher’ profiles; click here.

If you are a teacher and are interested in featuring next month, we would love to hear from you. Send an email to laurathexplaura@gmail.com