Teaching in rural and remote outback Aboriginal communities in Australia can be personally and professionally rewarding. Let us share with you some of the advantages of teaching in outback Australia.
Relationships
Leaving your home town to teach in a remote outback First Nations community is BIG!
You are leaving your friends, family, all your supports… and your comfort zone. But it’s outside our comfort zone is where we grow!
Your personal and professional network is about to explode with friends, colleagues and connections from all over the continent… and maybe even the world. New cultures, new languages, new ways of being. You will see the world through different eyes, through different stories, through different people.
First Nations colleagues, service providers, new role models and inspirations, new friends that feel like family- forged in fire, maybe even the love of your life.
Relationships are everything to succeed in remote teaching.
Adventure
Remote teaching is a huge adventure.
You have the opportunity to have a base and do day trips, weekends away and a launching pad for longer adventures in your region and beyond.
You may see things that very few non-Indigenous people ever have. You may have the opportunity to experience Indigenous culture first hand. You may walk in the footsteps that First Nations Australians have for over 60,000 years.
Career
Your career will have a huge boost working in a remote community.
Financially you could end up ahead- see our post about that here and here.
You may have career advancement opportunities such as standing in as an acting role, taking on leadership opportunities, teaching out of area in a different passion, running special programs, setting up new initiatives.
You will have new professional development opportunities, experience unique teaching opportunities and need to learn quickly about how to create engaging lessons.
Caution
Remote teaching is not for everyone- and that is okay.
For some people it will be the isolation, the lack of access to services, some enjoy a larger school, others will struggle with high needs students or trauma behaviours. You might have a young family, elderly or sick parents.
We all can play a role in promoting, supporting and being an ally for First Nations education and culture in our own contexts.
What next?
Interested in finding out more about remote teaching? Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and join our Facebook group Teachers in Remote Communities (Past, Present, Future).
#remoteteaching #teachersinremotecommunities #remoteteacher #outbackteacher #outbackteaching #bushteacher #teachinthebush #graduateteacher #preserviceteacher #Aussieteacher
