Charlotte on Primary Teaching

Charlotte’s Journey

School Life

I completed my entire school education in rural Victoria at Ouyen Primary School and then Ouyen P-12 College. I enjoyed most aspects of school and was always keen to learn about new things. I was a pretty average student across the board academically. I usually got in trouble at school for chatting too much! In high school I found a passion for art and design and spent lots of my spare time drawing and re-decorating my bedroom. I had ideas of doing interior design at uni, but wasn’t too keen to live in a city for the rest of my life. I did my final work experience in year 11 at a primary school and realised that I would like to be a teacher.

After School

When I completed school I moved to Adelaide to study a Bachelor of Primary Education/Arts at Flinders Uni. I chose Art as my major because that is what I was most passionate about. I lived at Flinders on campus accommodation which was around a 10 minute walk to uni. Living on campus was the single greatest choice I made in my move to Adelaide. I met so many great people who are still some of my best friends today and it really helped with the transition from country to city living.

Working and Studying

While living in Adelaide I worked as a residential support worker on campus and did some nannying for a family. I also worked at a surf shop in Marion which I continued for around three years. I really enjoyed working in retail and chatting to new and different people all the time. When I graduated uni I wasn’t quite ready to pick up a full time teaching gig, so I continued to work part-time at the surf shop as well as working part-time for CEP helping to facilitate the first Youth Ambassador Program in South Australia. In the second half of 2020 I worked these two jobs as well as teaching part-time.

What Now? 

Now I am a year 5/6 teacher, teaching in an area school on the Yorke Peninsula around two hours North of Adelaide, SA. Although I loved living in Adelaide, nothing beats living in the country – especially when the beach is an easy 20 minute drive away. I still love art and I enjoy teaching my students about it. Although it is a trying career at times, I really love being a teacher and I enjoy building relationships with all of the students I teach.