Thinking Allowed – Designing a Career in Teaching

In this issue of Thinking Allowed, SCEGGS Old Girl and staff member Maevie McEvoy writes about the joy of unlocking her passion and her journey to fulfilling her ambitions in teaching.

As a young person, the road to discovering the perfect career path is not always straightforward. I feel incredibly lucky to have somewhat stumbled upon my passion for education, which I am now in the process of turning into a career. 

I started my job at SCEGGS as the TAS Assistant in 2020. After completing a Bachelor of Media Arts (Hons) at UNSW Art and Design, specialising in animation, I was unsure which direction I wanted to pursue. I noted that most of my fellow graduates embarked on careers in the media industry, but that didn’t appeal to me. So, I tried my hand at freelance animation and design, but I found this experience unsatisfying as it didn’t provide me with enough opportunities to explore my creative side. This did not deter my drive to pave my own path!

Growing up in a household of educators (my father was a university professor and lecturer, and my mother was, and still is, a ceramics teacher), I had always thought about working in the education sector but was unsure exactly what that might look like. Fortuitously, I gained my first experience working with children whilst working with my mother who runs Ceramics in Schools. In this role, I was often involved with large scale projects such as creating ceramic murals depicting students’ work. This was the spark that ignited my passion for working with children and young adults. I found the act of teaching an individual a new skill, to the point where they could then create something completely unique and amazing, incredibly rewarding. So, I was set on gaining more experience working creatively with children. This led me to my current job as TAS Assistant, which has turned out to be the perfect stepping stone towards beginning my teaching career. 

As soon as I started working in the SCEGGS TAS Department I knew I was exactly where I wanted to be. Ironically, I did not study Design and Technology while I was at school, but it didn’t take me long to realise that it provided the perfect foundation to explore all my interests. I may be biased, but I do strongly believe that Design and Technology is the subject of the future! It is an incredibly well-rounded, versatile subject that teaches students valuable and practical skills and it encourages students to contribute to society responsibly and ethically through creative and innovative design processes. Being exposed to the content of the Design and Technology syllabus as well as working alongside the wonderfully creative teachers in the TAS Department cemented my conviction that becoming a Design and Technology teacher was right for me.

I suppose initially I was apprehensive about joining the teaching profession due to the reports of teachers being overworked, undervalued, and underpaid. But I soon realised, not only by virtue of working at a wonderful school like SCEGGS, that these fears were far outweighed by the delight of being a part of a student’s success in learning. In my current role, I have had incredible opportunities to help students with their creative projects utilising a diverse range of technologies, and have enjoyed witnessing the students unleash their creativity and helping them to develop practical skills to solve genuine, relevant, real-world problems. Thus, since gaining further insight into the teaching profession by working at SCEGGS, my passion for teaching crystallised and I came to the realisation that I would like to pursue a teaching career. 

In 2021, I was one of the incredibly fortunate members of staff to receive a SCEGGS Professional Learning Scholarship. This scholarship is assisting me in my career aim of becoming a fully-fledged Design and Technology teacher. I have just completed my first semester of studies and am enjoying every second of it. 

Through my studies and experience of working at a school, I am continuously reminded of how vitally important the profession is to society. To be able to provide a child or young adult with education, that will in turn empower their future, is a special opportunity which must be valued. It has become clear to me that teaching is not just based on having an area of expertise and a willingness to share it with others. I have been impressed by the wide scope and quality of knowledge and skills that teachers are required to have to become successfully qualified in Australia, further demonstrating the complex, multi-faceted nature of the profession. 

Teachers play a critical role in not only furthering an individual’s academic development, but they also influence the growth of an individual’s personal character. Successful teachers realise their ability to responsibly influence and shape the values and beliefs of the next generation. Therefore, it is essential for teachers to keep abreast of the innovations within the profession and maintain a dynamic approach to their practice. Teaching is a challenging, yet highly rewarding, noble profession, and I look forward to joining the profession with eager anticipation.

Maevie McAvoy
TAS Assistant