1 April 2017
Meet Will
"I want Testing Teachers to incite hope, optimism and show that change is possible."
“There is never a morning where I don’t want to go to work. I always feel that there is a purpose to what I am doing.”
Name: Will
Age: 26
Born: Ulverstone, Tasmania
Studied: Bachelor of Arts with First Class Honours
University: The Australian National University
School: Tennant Creek High School, Northern Territory
Like many teachers, Will has been passionate about education for a long time.
While a student at Ulverstone High School and Don College in Tasmania, he started to become passionate about issues of social justice and equality and later took a gap year to pursue this passion.
He spent eight months as a teacher’s assistant at his old high school and three months in Senegal, West Africa, working for a facility that assisted street kids and their wellbeing.
“These experiences formed the foundation of my passion for seeking outcomes through education.” He went on to complete a Bachelor of Arts (Development Studies) with First Class Honours at the Australian National University.
During university, Will interned for the then Minister for Education, Peter Garrett, where he researched education pathways for students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. At this time, he wanted to work in education policy, but soon realised that classroom experience was essential to understanding the wider policy landscape.
This is when he decided to join Teach For Australia.
Will knew he wanted to make a difference at a grass-roots level in education and Teach For Australia’s program enabled this vision.
To those who are considering a career in teaching, Will offers helpful insight into the amazing, challenging life of a teacher:
“Teaching isn’t simple or straightforward. This will probably be one of the toughest challenges you will ever undertake. You will be amazed, shocked, heartbroken, frustrated and hopeful all at the same time on a regular basis.”
Will puts his own success down to his inspiring Year 11 geography teacher, Craig White.
“He believed in me not only as a student but also as a person. His passion for teaching and learning was infectious and made you want to achieve beyond your own expectations.”
Will is thankful for the opportunity to be featured in Testing Teachers and hopes that the documentary will put a face to educational disadvantage, showing the challenging nature and complexity of it.