Zoe Kelty: From law to the classroom

A year spent teaching English in Barcelona led Zoe Kelty to realise she wanted to deviate from the career path set out by her undergraduate degree in law and psychology.

“Teaching felt right to me,” Zoe said. “I knew I wanted to be in the classroom, not a courtroom.”

She was drawn to Teach For Australia’s Leadership Development Program because of the organisation’s mission to address educational inequity, something she deeply resonated with. The program creates opportunities for teachers to support students in areas experiencing disadvantage.

“Coming from a low socio-economic background myself, I think it’s great this program exists,” she said. “It’s making a real difference.”

As part of the Leadership Development Program’s 2024 cohort, Zoe teaches humanities to Years 7 to 10 students. The school aligns with Teach For Australia’s values, with a mission to provide quality education in a supportive environment.

“The school really values our opinions as teachers, and that creates an environment where we can genuinely help students succeed,” Zoe said.

Her teaching style is giving students autonomy and her passion is already making a difference. A Year 9 student learnt about Zoe’s background in law and psychology was inspired to study the same subjects.

“Seeing her now – working hard and succeeding – reminds me why I do this work,” Zoe said.

An autistic Year 7 student initially struggled with motivation and social cues. Zoe’s direct and honest approach, combined with her commitment to understanding the student’s needs, helped the student build confidence and improve both academically and socially.

“She didn’t really click with me at first, and I wasn’t sure why,” Zoe shared. “But once I understood her better and gave her the space to be herself, she started opening up and doing better.”

Zoe is also passionate about learning and teaching about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. She has dedicated time to studying Aboriginal pedagogy, specifically the NSW Department of Education’s initiative, eight Aboriginal ways of learning, to ensure her lessons are accurate and respectful of the culture.

“I’m still learning, but it’s important to me that what I teach is respectful and accurate,” she explained.

Zoe’s career path highlights the importance of Teach For Australia’s Leadership Development Program in fast-tracking teachers into schools where they are needed the most.

Through Teach For Australia’s employment-based pathway, Zoe and her fellow teachers are not only earning a wage but also completing their Master of Teaching Secondary while gaining valuable classroom experience.

To learn more about how to apply for the Leadership Development Program, please contact us at apply@teachforaustralia.org

Delivering the program wouldn’t be possible without the support of passionate donors aligned with our mission to give all young people the best chance of success in adult life, regardless of their postcode.

A special thank you to Jane Hansen and Paul Little from The Hansen Little Foundation for their generous donation to help teachers like Zoe in Humanities, Arts, English and Languages.

To learn more about how you can support us, please contact Olivia Oh, Philanthropy Advisor, on philanthropy@teachforaustralia.org