Pre-Service Teachers Supports – Teach Rural

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I had put my name forth for this placement to just broaden my experience and see what it’s like to teach in a different environment. However, once I came on the placement, I realised that there’s a lot more to rural Australia than what you think. What I found was that there was a strong community and in staff meetings my voice was heard and I was able to contribute. That made me feel really valued.

I got a lot more hands-on experience than I have previously experienced when doing placements in Melbourne. It helped me to grow outside of my little bubble of what I’m used to at home in Melbourne. And this really showed me, you know, different views on education, how the kids perceive education, but also the impact of a community because the communities out here are so much stronger than anywhere else. ‘cause we were able to stay down. We were able to really explore Inverloch and the surrounding suburbs of the Bass coast. It’s just surrounded by nature trails, beautiful national reserves and parks so you can go and visit and really be amongst the greenery. So we got accommodation organised and paid for by the department. And then we also were given a daily allowance as well, and that would help to offset travel costs of petrol, living expenses like buying your food. But it also gave us a bit of a wiggle room as well to on the weekends, be able to stay on location and yeah, really make some more connections with the community, make some friends with other pre-service teachers that were also down on placement. After my placement, I really have heavily considered moving out to regional Victoria and taking a job out here. I think it’d be great for my, not only my teaching practise, but also the lifestyle

From a school’s perspective. People have been here for a long time or they know each other really well, so we get excited by fresh faces. The kids get excited.

There’s some amazing job opportunities in rural Victoria. There’s a need for teachers in rural Victoria and I think that during your pre-service, it gives you an opportunity to explore parts of the state that maybe you hadn’t considered.

There’s more opportunities in the country, more opportunities to do a variety of roles because you are asked to be a little bit more versatile. You’re not sort of siloed into, into one little role.

You do have a bit more free reign out in regional Victoria because your classroom sizes are normally a little bit smaller, your schools are a little bit smaller. It gives you that flexibility to really put your own spin on it, which sometimes as a pre-service teacher, you don’t get,

I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I think that people should just take the jump and give it a go.

Updated 26 March 2025

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Pre-Service Teachers Supports – Teach Rural

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