The recent flood in the Fitzroy Valley in the Kimberley in WA- and indeed across the top end- have highlighted the need for remote teacher awareness of some of the natural disasters you may face. Not to induce fear- but to help you prepare so you feel confident and prepared.
Remote outback schools are small. The pool of staff willing to move to the outback is smaller than competitive inner city schools. So sometimes you are recruited and may need to teach out of your trained subject areas. It can be confronting, challenging and seem like a lot of work.
Relationships are key to your success as a remote outback teacher. Relationships will help with attendance, behaviour, engagement, retention of learning as well as your personal enjoyment. In remote outback communities the work you do in the first week, and then ongoing (with transient students and fluctuating attendance) is very
Many remote teacher contracts come with free or subsidised housing- depending on level of remoteness, system (DET, Catholic, Independent) and availability. The size, condition and what comes included (such as white goods and other furniture) varies a lot from one community, one state/territory and system. This checklist might assist you
Adjusting to life in a remote outback community can be a challenging but also a rewarding experience for new teachers. Remote outback teachers may experience homesickness, culture shock, isolation, loneliness and other challenges settling into their new home and role. Here are a few tips for making the transition easier:
Moving out of your parent’s house or town and adjusting to living on your own in a remote outback community is exciting but also challenging. Most young people’s first time living out of the family home… is in the same suburb! I (Hakea) had been living out of home throughout
I have been in your shoes. In a new outback remote community, geographically isolated, eager to connect with other remote teachers to find out what they are doing that works… and eager to make new friends. When I went remote though- there wasn’t a Facebook group, blog or podcast. Connecting
While local First Nations teachers is the remote outback education ideal, the reality is that the vast majority of remote teachers are of a different background and culture than their First Nations students. Our cultural background can be a huge strength, can bring challenges but always needs us to reflect
To some, outback teachers are perceived as ‘lazy’, or ‘hiding out’ in the outback away from criticism of their teaching, or that they could not get a job in the towns or cities. This is a misconception we are aiming to dispel. We know that experienced remote outback teachers are
Culture shock is a common experience for people who are living or traveling in a new cultural environment. Even though you may be working in Australia- some teachers liken their first time teaching remote to times they have been to a different country- being surrounded by new cultures, languages, tastes,
We help new remote teachers feel confident and successful so that they can live the life of adventure.
Learn more about us and how we can help you here.
We acknowledge the traditional custodians of Australia and pay respect to their Elders past, present and future.