Frequently Asked Questions

If you have a question that is not answered below, please submit it via email to info@teachforaustralia.org

Recruitment and Selection
Training and Leadership
Placement and Schools
Beyond the Program

RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION

What happens after I apply?

All applications are personally assessed by a member of the Teach For Australia staff. If you are successful at the application stage, you will be invited to participate in a 20-minute telephone interview. The final stage of the selection process is to attend our Selection Day where you will complete two interviews, a group activity, a sample teaching lesson, and a problem solving test. Successful candidates from the Selection Day are extended an offer to join our Associate Program.

I have a Diploma of Education. Am I eligible to apply?

You are not eligible to apply for this program if you hold a degree or diploma in education or are currently enrolled in such a program, as you already meet the requirements for entry into the teaching profession. Teach For Australia is a pathway for graduates who do not meet the standard entry requirements for teaching in schools.

I graduated from my undergraduate degree a few years ago. Can I still apply to Teach For Australia?

Yes. We welcome applications from candidates no matter when they obtained their undergraduate degree.

If I'm not accepted into Teach For Australia in this round, am I able to apply again later?

Candidates may only apply to Teach For Australia once during a calendar year, but are welcome to reapply in subsequent years. Candidates who applied during 2010 may reapply from February 2011.

If I'm accepted into the program, am I able to defer my place?

Teach For Australia generally does not offer deferrals. However, under exceptional circumstances, deferrals of one year may be granted on a case-by-case basis. To request a deferral, applicants should apply for the program in their final year of study and send a detailed email to apply@teachforaustralia.org.au explaining the reason for the deferral request.

If you are made an offer from another employer in addition to Teach For Australia, we are able to assist you in applying for a 2-year deferral from that organisation.

If I'm not accepted into Teach For Australia this round, am I able to reapply?

Candidates may only apply to Teach For Australia once during a calendar year, but are welcome to reapply in subsequent years. Candidates who applied during 2010 may reapply from February 2011.

My degree was awarded from a university overseas, am I able to apply?

If you have a minimum of a Bachelors degree awarded from a recognised international tertiary institution you are eligible to apply for the Teach For Australia program provided you meet our applicant prerequisites.

I am in the process of obtaining my PR, am I able to apply?

Teach For Australia can only accept applications from candidates who are Australian citizens or who hold Australian permanent residency at the time of applying. Unfortunately there can be no exceptions to this. Please refer to our applicant prerequisites for further information.

My academic grades are not very strong, should I apply?

Teach For Australia seeks outstanding well rounded people with a will to succeed and a desire to make a difference. We assess candidates across a number of different competencies required to succeed as a Teach For Australia Associate, including academic achievement. We look for graduates with a high credit average or above.

Is there an age limit?

No, there is no age limit. The Teach For Australia program is not just for those completing their courses this year or recent graduates. We welcome applications from all degree graduates regardless of your graduation date. Schools and students will greatly value the skills and experiences that you can bring from your time in the workplace.

I will be travelling overseas this year and may not be able to attend a Selection Day, should I apply?

If you will be graduating this year or have graduated and are planning to travel overseas or go on exchange this year, we recommend you contact us via apply@teachforaustralia.org before applying.

I graduate in the middle of 2012, should I apply this year?

You must have successfully completed a bachelor's degree (in any subject area other than education) by November 2011 to be eligible to apply for the program during 2011. If you will be graduating mid-2012 we recommend you apply for the program in early 2012.

Is there any cost to participate in the program?

No, there are no costs to Associates. Associates receive a salary and benefits package that is comparable to other new educators in the state or the school in which they are placed.

How many Associates have been through the Teach For Australia program?

We currently have 85 people across two cohorts teaching in schools as part of the Teach For Australia program. Our first cohort who commenced the program in 2009 will complete the program at the end of 2011.

TRAINING AND LEADERSHIP

TEACHER EDUCATION

What qualifications will I receive through the program?

At the conclusion of the full two years' of study at Melbourne Graduate School of Education and teaching your own classes, you will graduate with a Post Graduate Diploma of Teaching [TFA].

What is the teacher education like?

The teacher education is conducted by Melbourne Graduate School of Education and Teach For Australia in Parkville, Melbourne. The delivery mode consists of lectures, workshops and tutorials conducted during the day and early evening. There is also a significant online engagement with both Melbourne Graduate School of Education and Teach For Australia over the two years.

Your training will begin with the in-residence six week Initial Intensive held in Melbourne. The Initial Intensive will enable you to be effective in the classroom from Day 1 and to lay solid foundations for you to become an excellent teacher, leader and to achieve accreditation. During this Initial Intensive, you will learn about key pedagogical ideas as well as having the chance to apply your knowledge and practice your developing skills.

Subjects taught by experienced and expert lecturers include:

Language and Teaching
Discipline Specific Pedagogy
Social and Professional Contexts
Individualising Learning and Teaching
Leadership

It is an intense experience and you can expect to be challenged over this time. It's also fun as you get to know your fellow Associates and explore your ambitions. Over the course of your two years in the program, you will receive ongoing training and support from Teach For Australia in partnership with the Melbourne Graduate School of Education. You will continue to build on your pedagogical knowledge of the disciplines you are teaching, develop a professional practice portfolio and advance your leadership skills.

Your teaching load is reduced to 80 per cent of a full-time load to allow you time for your studies and development.

Academic assessments are spread throughout the two-year program.

Your Training and Leadership Advisor will visit you to continue your training and development, meeting with you at least once per month in your school. A Clinical Specialist from Melbourne Graduate School of Education will visit you regularly in your classrooms and provide guidance on your teaching practice and classroom management. You are also assigned an In-school Mentor who will mentor you over the two-year placement.

You will attend professional learning sessions in your placement groups as well as additional intensive training sessions as a full cohort mid-way through the year and at the end of the year.

These Mid-Year and End of Year Intensives are held during school holidays and are no more than one week in duration.

THE INITIAL INTENSIVE

What is the Initial Intensive like?

The Initial Intensive training runs for six weeks at the very start of the program. It comprises of lectures, practical workshops, group and individual assessments, social and team-building activities. For more information visit the Associate Experience Page.

When is the Initial Intensive held?

The Initial Intensive is scheduled to start in late November 2011 to mid-January 2012 with a break for Christmas and the New Year.

Where is the Initial Intensive held?

The Initial Intensive is held at the University of Melbourne in Parkville, Melbourne.

Is it compulsory for me to attend the Initial Intensive?

To ensure our Associates are adequately prepared for the classroom, attendance at the Initial Intensive is mandatory.

Do I need to live in residence during the Initial Intensive?

Yes, it is compulsory for Associates to live in residence including those who are based in Melbourne.

Am I paid during the Initial Intensive?

You are paid a living allowance during the Initial Intensive. All your meals and living expenses are also covered.

What is the training like?

Our teacher training is conducted in partnership with the The University of Melbourne's Graduate School of Education. Upon the successful completion of the Teach For Australia program you will be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching from the Melbourne Graduate School of Education.

Your training will begin with the six week Initial Intensive held in Melbourne. The Initial Intensive is designed to enable you to be effective in the classroom from Day 1 and to lay solid foundations for you to become an excellent teacher and achieve accreditation. During this time you will learn about key pedagogical ideas as well as having the chance to apply your knowledge and practice your developing skills.

Subjects taught by experienced and expert lecturers include:

Language and Teaching
Discipline Specific Pedagogy
Social and Professional Contexts
Individualising Learning and Teaching.

It is an intense experience and you can expect to be challenged over this time. It's also a lot of fun as you get to know your fellow Associates and explore your ambitions. Over the course of your two years on the program, you will receive ongoing training and support from Teach For Australia in partnership with the Melbourne Graduate School of Education. You will continue to build on your pedagogical knowledge of the disciplines you are teaching, develop a professional practice portfolio and advance your leadership skills.

Your teaching load is reduced to 80 per cent of a full-time load in order to allow you time for your studies and development.

Academic assessments are spread throughout the two-year program.

Your Training and Leadership Advisor will visit you to continue your training and development, meeting with you at least once per fortnight. You will attend sessions in your placement groups as well as additional intensive training sessions as a full cohort mid-way through the year and at the end of the year. These Mid-Year and End of Year Intensives are held during school holidays and are less than one week in duration. You are also assigned an In-school Mentor who will mentor you over the two-year placement.

THE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

How is the Leadership Development Program structured?

1. A powerful foundation: Leadership in the Classroom
Training, mentorship and extensive practice ensure that our Associates master the foundations of leadership- engaging with vision, planning purposefully, shaping culture, and driving performance to truly transform the educational trajectories of their students.

2. Find your own way: Leadership Coaching
Twelve monthly sessions with a senior leader from the sector of their choice support our Associates to reflect on their experience, deepen their self-mastery, and forge career plans beyond the two-year placement.

3. From classroom to boardroom: Leading Organisations
An academic Leadership subject and an Action-Learning Project run in the final semester of the program enables our Associates to take accelerated leadership paths in any organisation.

PLACEMENT AND SCHOOLS

Where will I be placed?

Teach For Australia places Associates in schools in areas of educational disadvantage according to criteria including socio-economic profile and test results. Placements are currently in schools across Victoria and the ACT, with nationwide expansion planned in the near future.

How are schools chosen?

Please see Schools and placement for further information

Can I choose my placement school?

In your application, you will be asked to submit your preferred placement locations. Although we will consider your individual circumstances and attempt to match your preferences, we cannot guarantee that a suitable vacancy will be available where you'd like to be placed.

We therefore encourage you to be flexible with your placement preferences as this will give you the biggest chance of being selected and placed, and ensure the greatest opportunity for impact.

Do Associates teach full-time?

Teach For Australia Associates work as full-time educators in their schools, with equivalent responsibilities to any beginning teacher. Associates will teach 80% of a standard teacher's timetable, to allow for university coursework, additional development and mentoring time spent with your Educational Advisor or in-school mentor, or observing other teachers.

What year levels will I teach?

All Associates are placed in secondary schools, teaching a range of classes from years 7 to 12.

What subjects will I teach?

Associates teach subjects that are relevant to their tertiary qualification. This may vary according to the jurisdiction of the placement, however Associates are never asked to teach subjects for which they do not feel comfortable in teaching.

Can I teach for only one year?

No. Teach For Australia Associates make a two-year commitment to Teach For Australia, as well as to their students, communities, and schools. Completing the two-year program is required to become a Teach For Australia alumnus and to obtain full qualification as a teacher.

What are Teach For Australia Associates paid?

Teach For Australia Associates receive a salary and benefits package that is comparable to other new educators in the school in which they are placed.

BEYOND THE PROGRAM

How does the Alumni program work?

Over the two-year program our Associates discover where they want to make a difference; continuing in teaching, becoming a school leader, working in policy, academia, business or social entrepreneurship. Associates join these Career Paths to support them in transitioning into and accelerating from new roles in their chosen sector. Alumni continue these networks, collaborating to share learning and inspiration and to deepen their impact. Between organisations, sectors, and even countries program initiatives support Alumni to network, learn and catalyse the systemic change needed to truly transform the landscape of education.

How can Teach For Australia develop my career?

The Associate Experience provides a rare platform to help you find out what your career calling is, develop clear plans and networks for your chosen path, build truly exceptional leadership skills to enable your journey, and achieve demonstrable results to highlight you as credible, accomplished and socially-conscious new leader.

Does the program really help children in disadvantaged areas to succeed?

Many studies have been carried out into the impact of similar programs in the UK and the USA. The most rigorous studies carried out in the US found that Teach For America Corps Members impact on student achievement exceeds that of other teachers in their schools, even veteran teachers. You can find the full study at:
http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/411642_Teach_America.pdf

The New York Times published an editorial on the study which you can find here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/16/opinion/16fri4.html

For more information on the full range of studies completed on Teach For America, visit:
http://www.teachforamerica.org/mission/our_impact/our_impact.htm

In the UK, a year-long inspection by Ofsted: Her Majesty's Inspectorate for Education and Child Services, led to inspectors judging Teach First teachers to be 'amongst the most exceptional trainees produced by any teacher training route.'
The second part of the program's impact actually occurs after the two-year commitment. Program alumni from the US and the UK have gone on to have real impact on the issue of educational disadvantage from fields as diverse as policy, social enterprise, law and consulting, as well as by staying in education as teachers or school leaders. We fully expect the same to be true in Australia.

While we hope and expect that some of our Associates will stay in the classroom beyond their two-year commitment, we also believe that the issue of educational disadvantage is so complex that it requires cross-sector involvement and that is where our alumni program will also have impact.
By giving exceptional graduates the opportunity to make a difference in disadvantaged schools, and then supporting alumni beyond the two years, we aim to equip tomorrow's leaders in all fields to affect educational equity.