Maggy on Becoming a Science Teacher

Maggy’s Journey

High School

I was very lucky to participate in almost every leadership opportunity available at school, from school captain to the Alpine School, to mentoring and the Energy Breakthrough. 

The Alpine School is a campus of the School for Student Leadership, which is an initiative of the Victorian Department of Education and Training (DET). It offers a unique residential education experience for Victorian year nine students that focuses on team learning projects and personal development.

Rural Youth Ambassadors & ABC Heywire

Both these programs introduced me to some amazing people; I definitely made some life-long friends. It gave me an opportunity to talk about my experiences and hopefully play a role in creating a better future for rural kids. 

While I got to tell my stories, so did many others which helped open my eyes to the lives and situations that differ from my own, and consolidate my feelings with those in similar positions. Both programs had a focus on personal growth, allowing me to become more secure in my own skins while being surrounded by the most amazing people.

Choosing Science

I did work experience at a primary school and I thoroughly enjoyed it, as well as being a camp counsellor  on several children’s camps. Although I don’t think I could deal with young children for more than two weeks, plus I wouldn’t be able to do any cool science experiments. I want to show high school students that it doesn’t have to be boring. I also wish to be a teacher that students can trust and confide in.

I’m studying a Bachelor of Science and Master of Teaching online while staying on campus. My experience has been messy due to COVID, which has been a bit of a lonely journey having been mostly online. I’m enjoying my course nonetheless though. 

Mental Health

I’m working on my mental health. I’ve been diagnosed with social anxiety, dysthymia and borderline personality disorder, so I spend time seeing a therapist. It’s not easy, especially balancing it with my study, but I’m getting better and working on not letting it get in the way.

Aspirations

In five years, I’ll be a science teacher at a rural school, hopefully teaching VCE chemistry and maybe maths methods. I might be showing my students my Heywire story and encouraging them to enter. Maybe I’ll have a girlfriend, and take her on cute picnic dates and sew her cute gifts.

Rural Impressions

In my experience growing up rural has been an advantage. There are so many people around that can help you. Every leadership opportunity has been a lot easier to get as I had less people to compete with. Naturally, I had to work a bit harder for certain things, but, in general, interpersonal skills and leadership are easier to gain when you are around lots of different age groups (even if there aren’t many people in total).