Primary Teaching / Early Childhood

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Undergraduate Degree

Faculty of Education and Arts

Description

The Bachelor of Teaching (Primary)/Bachelor of Early Childhood program aims to develop the knowledge, skills and dispositions necessary for a highly successful career in teaching. Graduates of this program will be able to seek employment as Early Childhood and Pre-school Teachers (0-5 years) as well as Primary School Teachers (K-6) in and beyond the New South Wales (NSW) Government, Catholic, and Independent school sectors.

Early Childhood teachers are concerned with the crucial emotional, educational and physical development of young children. The program aims to develop graduates who are inspirational carers and teachers with the capability to act professionally, ethically and effectively in their various school destinations; insightful scholars with the capability to engage in rational enquiry into curriculum, policy and practice; and innovative leaders with the capability to play a constructive role in public discourse on and beyond education.

A teaching degree gives graduates a broad range of career opportunities within school settings and beyond. Further study at a postgraduate level can also be undertaken to expand employment opportunities.

Students in this program will undertake 3 x 20 day professional experience placements plus 1 x 30 day internship. They do one professional experience placement & the internship in a 0-5 setting as well as two professional experience placements in a primary setting.

Australian Accreditation

 

All states and territories except the ACT require school teachers to be registered before applying for employment. The regulatory authorities determine the qualification requirements and conditions for employment which may vary among authorities due to different schooling structures, curriculum and assessment approaches.

NSW Education and Communities - Early Childhood education

NSW Institute of Teachers

Queensland College of Teachers

Teacher Registration Board of the NT

Teacher Registration Board of SA

Teachers Registration Board Tasmania

Victorian Institute of Teaching

Western Australian College of Teaching

Private schools may have other criteria for employment eg religious education training.

For more information about Primary Teaching, visit the School of Education site.

Other useful information

Teach Outreach Program

View our Bachelor of Teaching (Primary) / Bachelor of Early Childhood Studies in the Program Handbook and the online prospectus What Can I Study?.

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Further Study Options

Some occupations require a higher level of completed study than an undergraduate degree, and for this reason it is worthwhile considering the range of Honours, Research Higher Degrees (RHD), Postgraduate Coursework programs and additional study options available. These options may also be useful for specialising in a particular area, or to stimulate career change. Some of the future options following a degree in Primary/Early Childhood teaching include:

Honours:
Students in this program may elect to complete a 40 unit embedded Honours program, assuming they meet and maintain the eligibility requirements. These requirements are determined by the Academic Senate, and can be found on the University website. For more information about this program, see Bachelor of Teaching (Primary)/Early Childhood Studies(Honours).

Post Graduate Study Options:
Research options
PhD
Masters

Coursework
After completing a degree there are a broad range of postgraduate options available in a variety of fields which can allow you to specialise in a particular area of interest or build upon your existing knowledge base. To explore such options please visit the Postgraduate Handbook at http://www.newcastle.edu.au/campaigns/postgrad/

 

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Sample Jobs

Graduates gain employment in a range of teaching and teaching related roles, however the knowledge and skills of teacher trained graduates means that they can gain employment in a very broad range of jobs. Below is a sample of job titles and descriptions that includes positions suitable for primary teaching graduates as well as positions that will require further study or experience.

Getting the Edge

Most employers seek to recruit people who have relevant work experience and an appreciation for their industry. Here is a check list of ideas about gaining experience and industry knowledge.

  1. Check the type of experience most employers in your field of interest expect. Don’t overlook the part time work you may be currently doing. Most employers understand that the skills are transferrable even if the work is not in their industry.
  2. Check your academic program for any courses that involve a placement or the opportunity to undertake an industry based project.
  3. Check your school for Summer Scholarships for research opportunities.
  4. Check vacancy sites for advertised traineeships, part time employment and vacation work opportunities in your field.
  5. Source and approach organisations directly about possible work shadowing or information interview opportunities.
  6. Source and approach organisations directly for paid work opportunities.
  7. Consider volunteering.

Note: Gaining experience may be important but not at the expense of your studies. Make sure you do not overload your timetable with unrealistic work commitments.

 

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Sample Employers

Below is a sample of typical employers of teaching graduates including school and non-school employers. Check employers’ websites for a section called Employment, Careers, Graduate Programs or similar titles. Some of these employers may offer vacation work opportunities.

Recruitment Timing

Some large organisations have specific graduate recruitment programs designed to employ the pick of graduates each year. You must be in your final year of study or recently completed to apply for these programs. The timing of these recruitment drives varies and may occur at any point in the academic year, in some cases starting as early as the first few weeks of the first semester or trimester.

Find out if employers in your area/s of interest have graduate programs, when they typically recruit and what recruitment methods they use. Check with the Careers Service .

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Societies and Associations

Associations and societies often provide relevant and up to date information about a variety of issues relating to specific industry sectors. These can be a good starting point to learn more about occupations through profiles, industry news, links to academic journals and information on research developments. Many also offer student membership, conference and professional development activities, newsletters and the opportunity to participate in projects.

 


Don’t overlook student societies and associations. As well as student chapters of professional associations, some faculties or schools have discipline based student associations. Check your school or faculty web site; perhaps you might start one if one doesn’t exist.

Some academic disciplines run Seminar Programs that involve regular seminars presented by University of Newcastle academics, visiting academics and postgraduate students. Check your schools website for the timetable.

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Job Search Sites

Searching job sites is a good way to gain an understanding of: industries recruiting professionals in this field; types of roles and the requirements or expectations of employers for these roles. There are many online job search sites, here are a few to start with:

Australian and International

  • CareerHub: the University of Newcastle Careers Service careers and job search site for enrolled students and graduates.

Australian

  • CareerOne: Australia wide job listings, all levels and industries including executive positions
  • MyCareer: Australian and international listings
  • Seek: comprehensive Australian job listings, also includes New Zealand and UK listings
  • The Big Chair: Management and Executive Jobs

International

Graduate Attributes and Employability

Graduate attributes for the Bachelor of Teaching (Primary)/Bachelor of Early Childhood Studies are the skills, abilities and knowledge that are required to practice in the teaching field. The attributes are highly sought after by an even broader range of employers. Below is the complete list of attributes that graduates will have demonstrated upon the completion of the degree.

Graduate Attributes

Graduates of Undergraduate Teaching programs will be:

  • Inspirational teachers who act professionally, ethically, and effectively through their:
    • knowledge of curriculum, pedagogy, learning and assessment;
    • critical insights into curriculum, policy and practice;
    • appreciation of, and respect for, student diversity and education’s important role in realising socially just and sustainable futures;
    • capacity to communicate effectively, for a variety of purposes, using a range of strategies and technologies; and
    • understanding of their legal, social and collegial responsibilities as members of the teaching profession. 
  • Insightful scholars who engage in rational enquiry into the theory and practice of education through their:
    • critical engagement with educational research;
    • critical appreciation of the historical, philosophical and socio-cultural contexts of education;
    • critical and creative reflection upon the aims and practices of the teaching profession;
    • capacity for life-long self-directed learning; and
    • commitment to the principles of academic honesty and integrity.
  • Innovative leaders who play a constructive role in public discourse within and beyond education through their:
    • commitment to continuous improvement in pedagogical practice;
    • capacity to respond creatively and effectively to educational change;
    • capacity to act autonomously and collaboratively in educational settings;
    • ability to communicate effectively about educational issues; and
    • recognition of their role as responsible participants and partners in local, national and global communities.

You will recognise these attributes in the selection criteria listed in the following job ads.

Sample Job Ads & Tips

Job ads provide useful information about the job and the required skills, experience and qualifications. Information like this is useful in career planning. Below is a small sample of job ads with tips on planning and job applications; explore further to gather more useful information for your planning.

Please note, the job ads listed on this page are not current and were sourced from a variety of websites in 2010.

 

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