Want great teachers in regional schools? We need to boost their success

In many rural towns like Cobram, the local school serves as an important cornerstone of the community. And our teachers and leaders often find themselves entrenched within it.

They frequently volunteer with local associations, lead community fundraisers, support the football and netball clubs on weekends, and often casually bump into students and their parents around town.

Joining the fabric of the local community in rural and regional towns is crucial for teachers’ success, sense of belonging and enjoyment, particularly in their first couple years of teaching.

As the Principal of Cobram Secondary College, I have seen firsthand the transformative power of having educators committed to not only enriching the educational experiences of our students but also integrating into the community.

In the Goulburn region, the challenges of attracting and retaining talented and passionate teachers have been well-documented.

Without great teachers, student achievement gaps are more pronounced for kids in regional and rural areas than for their peers in urban settings.

Students from rural or remote communities are less than half as likely to go to university and more likely to drop out if they do. Year 12 completion rates in the regions are also significantly lower than those in major cities.

To address this, it’s integral we prioritise educational equity, ensuring all kids – regardless of where they’re brought up or their parents’ occupation – have greater choice for their future, whether it be university or another career path.

This starts with attracting more passionate and dedicated teachers to the regions.

Our school is fortunate to partner with Teach For Australia (TFA), who recruit, train and support exceptional teachers from diverse disciplines and career backgrounds, all committed to advancing educational equity.

Since we’ve partnered with TFA, we’ve had an influx of resilient, solutions-focused teachers who arrive at the school determined to make a positive difference and are ready for the challenge.

To set them up for success, the program offers wrap-around support from various mentors, including from TFA, our school, and the academic partner.

This support system helps new teachers navigate everything from challenging classroom dynamics to managing administrative tasks and lesson planning. Cobram Secondary College helps them find safe and affordable housing with other early-career teachers, fostering professional connections and a sense of belonging. The school has also opened an on-site daycare to look after children.

Selected for their leadership skills and subject-expertise, TFA teachers often rise through the ranks of the school and stay well beyond the initial two-year program period.

The combination of helping new teachers to connect in with the community together with the program’s robust support system, goes a long way to creating the right environment for teachers to thrive in rural areas.

This also allows them to get on with doing what they do best.

I’m immensely proud of the incredible achievements of TFA teachers at Cobram Secondary College. They have consistently enriched our teaching cohort and brought fresh ideas and enthusiasm to the school, lifting aspirations for our students.

Our TFA teachers have run engaging stock market games, inspiring students to grasp economic principles and learn how to trade stocks and shares. TFA Alum and Head of Science, George Allen was also recently honoured with a CommBank Teaching Award for creating a high-abilities program which has exposed our year 7 and 8 students to a range of career opportunities.

These kinds of teaching innovations elevate the profession and help students see the practical applications of what they are learning in a fun and inspiring way. The results have been remarkable, with some students now aspiring to study biomedicine because of George Allen or economics because of that stock market game.

Teach for Australia plays a vital role in addressing staffing challenges in rural and regional areas. By recruiting teachers committed to educational equity and offering comprehensive support and community connections, we ensure effective and inspired education in wonderfully complex and vibrant regions, like Cobram.

Ultimately, the real winners of these efforts are our young people. Their learning outcomes and career aspirations are broadened by the profound and lasting impact of great teachers.

This Opinion Piece appeared in The Canberra Times on the 28th November 2024.