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The teacher's handbook: A guide to teaching career options

The teacher's handbook: A guide to teaching career options
The teacher's handbook: A guide to teaching career options

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If you have been considering enrolling yourself in a Masters Of Education course and are wondering if teachers are in high demand in Australia, the answer is a resounding yes!

Extensive studies have shown that in spite of a growing rate of teachers, Australia is still struggling to cope with the exponential rise of students that we are experiencing.

A teaching career could see you working at schools, colleges, universities and a wide array of other institutes all over the country and world.

Today, we look at the various teaching career options that are in demand today, so read on to find out more!

Classroom teaching careers

It comes as no surprise that one of the most obvious career options for teachers is within the classroom, whether that be in a preschool, primary school, high school or university.

Here is some deeper insight into the various classroom teaching careers that you can pursue:

Early childhood teacher

If you love working with small children, a career in early childhood learning may be an ideal option. As an early childhood teacher, you will be helping to foster and guide small children in their early formative years.

You will also help them develop cognitive skills, confidence, literacy and numeracy skills which can be one of the most rewarding aspects of the job.

To qualify for this position, you can either complete a 4-year degree in early childhood education. If you already have a degree in an alternative field, you can simply enrol in a 2-year Master of Teaching in this field.

Primary school teacher

Primary school teachers teach children aged between 5 - 12. Your role as a primary school teacher is to help children develop the intellectual and social skills they need to be ideal members of society.

Generally, you will be in charge of instructing a wide variety of different subjects in the curriculum on top of administrative duties such as creating curriculum resources and classroom materials.

High school teacher

If you think you're brave enough to handle a classroom full of teenagers, a position as a high school teacher can be one that is incredibly rewarding.

As a high school teacher, you will teach students ranging from Year 7-Year 12 and you will be required to specialise in one of the following subjects: science, English and literature, mathematics, the arts, technology and enterprise, humanities and social sciences, physical education, or languages.

On top of this, you will also need to choose a second learning area. One of the perks of being a high school teacher is that it offers a higher salary than you would receive as a primary school teacher, which may be the ideal trade-off for dealing with teens on a daily basis!

Teacher's aide

A teacher's aide is a qualified professional who assists classroom teachers with non-teaching duties such as preparing teaching materials and resources, assisting kids with special needs, tutoring, enforcing classroom rules and performing general admin tasks.

The teacher's aide field is actually one of the most promising in our education sector and is predicted to experience extensive growth in the next few years. The average salary for a teacher's aide ranges from anywhere between $50,000 to $70,000 per annum, depending on your state and whether you are employed by a public or private school.

University lecturer

If you are aiming to become a university lecturer, you will be required to complete your master's or, more commonly, a doctoral degree in your specialised subject/field.

Although many university positions are full time, there is no shortage of part time, temporary and sessional work for those who would rather dip their toes in the water at the beginning.

Previous teaching and industry experience may be a requirement depending on your field and you can rest assured that you will be able to secure a very competitive median salary.

For example, a University of Melbourne Lecturer earns approximately $108,463, which equates to that of the national average. As a lecturer, you may also be able to find overseas opportunities thus allowing you to further expand your knowledge and skill set.

Private tutor

Last but not least, if a structured 9-5 isn't your cup of tea, you're in luck because private tutors are always in high demand.

As a private academic tutor, you have a variety of options to choose from - from owning your own tutoring business to working from a tutoring company or even operating as a sole trader.

Teaching qualifications and an extensive background in your specialty subject will certainly give you an advantage in this field, and one-on-one sessions with students enable students to learn at their own pace and without the distractions of a classroom.

Final thoughts

And there you have it - six of the most popular career options for teachers in Australia.

The list of teaching career options is vast. Most importantly, as a teacher, you will be able to make a direct impact on the leaders of tomorrow, and we can't think of anything more rewarding than that.