We're thrilled to kick off this month's teacher profiles, and I can't wait to introduce you to our featured educator.

Meet Louise, a former student I had the pleasure of tutoring during her primary school days. Now, witnessing her thrive as a teacher is incredibly rewarding. Louise embodies the essence of making teaching look natural, yet her dedication and hard work behind the scenes are a testimony to her passion for her students.

Louise, a beginning teacher from Sydney, is only in her second year of teaching, though you wouldn’t know it. Currently teaching a Year Two class at a Catholic school, she is dedicated, innovative and makes learning fun.

Why did you become a teacher?

I chose to become a primary school teacher because I believe in the profound impact education has on shaping young minds and futures. The formative years of a child's education are critical, and I am passionate about fostering a nurturing and inspiring environment where children can discover, learn, and flourish. By becoming a primary school teacher, I am able to not only impart knowledge, but also instil in my students a love for learning, resilience, and the skills they need to navigate the world with confidence and curiosity. 

Tell us your favourite - year to teach, subject to teach and platform for resources

My favourite year to teach is Year 5. In my short career I have worked most of my time on this grade and I have LOVED it. While Year 5 has its challenges, it is also a year where the students build more confidence to step out of their comfort zone, while learning new things about themselves. However, Year 5 is also a year where many students lose motivation towards their learning, so being able to create a classroom environment where they continue to love learning was extremely rewarding. 

My favourite subject to teach would have to be Literacy. Within the school day, the Literacy blocks hold so many opportunities for students to explore new concepts and challenge their thinking. I love being able to expose my students to new ideas that they are able to transfer into other key learning areas. Within the Literacy block, I love witnessing the 'aha' moments when students grasp complex concepts, while also developing and gaining confidence in their learning abilities.

My favourite platforms for teaching resources would have to be Teachers Pay Teachers and TikTok. These platforms have so many practical and beneficial resources to help bring the learning to life within the classroom. Something I love about both platforms is that the resources being displayed have been created/used by classroom teachers!! 

What is one of your favourite teaching memories?

This is a tricky question, I have had so many times where my job has brought me so much joy. However, one memory that tops the list is taking my first ever class to the Great Aussie Bush Camp for three days. This adventure is a huge step for students in school, for some, it is their first time being away from home. I found within this environment so many of my students shined in different ways that I had observed within the classroom. By being within a more relaxed environment, it also unlocked a new level of excitement and teamwork amongst the students and myself. 

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

Know your students! Sharing a bond with your students opens so many opportunities for greater success in the classroom. Taking the time to invest in your students, learning the little things (for example their favourite sport, favourite colour etc) means so much to them and also shows that you don’t just turn up to teach, but really do care about them. Knowing your students also offers opportunities to create personalised learning experiences that offer greater engagement and increased enthusiasm towards their learning. A strong relationship with each of my students is something I cherish each and every day.

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

During fruit break each day, many of my students beg me to read one of Matt Cosgroves books, with one of their favourites being ‘Macca the Backpacker’. Considering this, I would love to have Matt Cosgrove as a guest speaker in my classroom. I believe the students would absolutely love to hear how he creates such an engaging storyline that captures the reader from the beginning of the book, right until the end. Following his visit, I would create a lesson where my students can take on Matt’s tips and give it a go at creating their very own creativity text. 

What is your best teaching tip for beginning teachers?

You are new to the career, you are still learning and it is okay to make mistakes! I am very passionate about my job, and often want to be a perfectionist, however I quickly learnt this isn’t possible. One of the most important things I have learnt is that your colleagues are around to support you, ask plenty of questions and observe other teachers' teaching strategies/styles! I have learnt so many great teaching strategies and skills from working alongside my amazing grade partners and members of the leadership team. 

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

Something I learnt very early on in my career is that a burnt out teacher is not a good teacher. While it can be challenging to create a work/life balance, it is essential to ensure you create a life away from work filled with things you enjoy doing. Something I have started doing which helps me in creating this balance is categorising my to-do list. Let’s be real, the list is never going to be empty, but it also doesn’t need to be all completed in one day. By prioritising the tasks on my list, I have been able to continue to feel organised and prepared for each school day, yet I have allowed time to myself to do the things that I love. 

What is one thing you like to do daily with your students?

Daily Check In’s!! This is such an important part of our day and is evident how much the students enjoy this. During admin each morning, my students always have an opportunity to share what they got up to in the previous afternoon, an exciting event they have coming up, or weekend plans. I find something that is so simple and easy, means so much to the students. This activity also allows me to get to know my students on a more personal level and what they enjoy the most outside of the classroom. 

How do you minimize your environmental footprint in the classroom?

Our school community works very hard to teach students from a young age how they can minimise their environmental footprint. Within the playground and classroom, we have colour-coordinated bins, one for general waste and one for recycling. We also explicitly teach students how to use the two bins appropriately.

As a teaching team, we work hard to minimise the amount of printing that takes place, ensuring that paper isn’t being wasted or printed for unpurposeful reasons. Within the classroom, we also use an app called ‘explain everything’ on our iPads. This app allows us to draw/write/explain different activities through airplay on the TV, rather than printing endless amounts of anchor charts. Having it displayed on the TV also allows all students to have a clear view of the learning taking place. 

Imagine you have a free day to plan and teach what you would like; what would you do?

Oh this would be a fun filled day, that’s for sure!! 

If I had a free day in the classroom I would begin the day with a variety of hands-on science experiences, allowing the students to explore scientific concepts through experiments such as making slime and creating volcanoes. After recess, I would have different art stations set up, offering a variety of different experiences for the students to emerge themselves in. To finish off the best day in the school calendar, I would run a coding club in the afternoon. My students LOVE when we use technology and thoroughly enjoy coding activities. 

Thank you so much Louise, for sharing your inspiring stories and tips. How fortunate your students are to have you. We can't wait to see the amazing things your future holds. Wishing you all the best in your teaching career!

To read past teacher profiles; click here.

If you are a teacher and are interested in being featured in the blog, we would love to hear from you. Flick me an email at laurathexplaura@gmail.com or comment below.