Teachers Supporting Teachers
Welcome to 'Teachers supporting teachers'. The podcast sharing insights into being and becoming a teacher. I’m your host Narelle Lemon, a Professor of Education located in Australia and currently working at Edith Cowan University in Perth in the state of Western Australia. I’m curious and love to use this strength to find out more, so what better way to support others than to create this podcast series to be able to gain insights and perspectives from colleagues and friends. Make a cup of tea and find a comfy place to sit as you listen to various guests talk about being and becoming a teacher. Find out more by reading the podcast notes at http://www.exploreandcreateco.com/teachers-supporting-teachers-podcast
Teachers Supporting Teachers
S9 Ep4: Remote, Regional and Rural Teaching Experiences...Principals' Perspectives: Thriving in Regional, Rural, and Remote Educational Experiences Part 1
In this episode, Narelle Lemon, Teachers Supporting Teachers producer and professor based at the Mount Lawley campus at Edith Cowan University, and her series co-host Marnie Harris, a lecturer based in the South West Campus in Bunbury, engage in a thought-provoking discussion with three principals from the Kimberley region of Western Australia.
Eliot, principal of Derby District High School, shares his 27-year journey in education and his experiences working in regional and remote schools. Paul, principal at Looma Remote Community School, discusses his 35 years in education and his passion for rural and remote teaching, emphasizing the strong sense of community and belonging in these settings. Esther, principal at Kimberley School of the Air, shares her unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities of distance education in the vast Kimberley region.
The principals discuss their motivations for taking on pre-service teachers for professional experience placements, highlighting the importance of developing resilience, confidence, competence, and agility in a supportive environment. They also share insights on how their schools and communities support and assist pre-service teachers during their placements, including thoughtful mentor and supervisor assignments, social activities, and cultural immersion.
The conversation delves into the unique opportunities and challenges faced by pre-service teachers in remote settings, such as the School of the Air, and the differences between professional experiences in community schools compared to regional or metropolitan schools. The principals emphasize the strong sense of family, community involvement, and the life-changing relationships built with Aboriginal students and educators.
The episode also explores the support structures in place for pre-service teachers relocating from their home residence, including financial assistance, social networks, and professional development opportunities. The principals discuss the importance of community integration and the qualities or characteristics pre-service teachers need to thrive in regional, rural, or remote placements, such as reflectiveness, patience, resilience, adventurousness, and self-kindness.
Listeners are encouraged to consider risk and failure as stepping stones to success and to reflect on what putting themselves forward looks like in their own lives, moving beyond the "safe game."
You may also be interested in:
Kimberley Region of Western Australia
Derby District High School
Looma Remote Community School
Kimberley School of the Air