ECU early childhood education student Kelly Russell teaching pre-primary school students at a professional placement.
The profession of teaching is a great example of this.
There is no substitute for practical learning.
Plenty of student teachers, including the ones we spoke to below, say they've wanted to be a teacher for a really long time.
But until you've walked nervously into a classroom for your first practical experience – and 'survived' it – you really don't know!
Practice what you teach
We talked to three teaching students about their practical experiences.
All were glowing in their support of the professional placements they’d had across a range of schools and in different stages of children's education.
Better still, those experiences helped them confirm they were correct in their initial choice of teaching as a career.
Let's meet them.
Kelly Russell, Early Childhood Education student
Early childhood education student Kelly Russell doing some problem solving activities with children in her prac placement class.
"I have loved all of my practicums and enjoyed being in the environment and experiencing it first-hand.
"Having experience in the birth to 2-year-old setting, a junior primary setting, plus kindergarten and pre-primary has given me a real insight into all areas of the Early Childhood phase of education.
"My greatest challenge and achievement has been building relationships with the children. It feels like a real achievement when the children warm to you and enjoy sharing their learning with you."
Harry Donnelly, Primary Education student
Primary education student Harry Donnelly on his prac placement at a Perth primary school.
"The work placement is by far the best part of this degree.
"Being able to go out into schools is really the best way to learn about the teaching profession and all its challenges.
"It's an incredibly rewarding experience and I have loved and learned so much from every placement I have been on so far during this course."
Tyler Pedley, Secondary Education student
Tyler Pedley in action on a prac placement with secondary school students.
"Part of my degree was going on 3 practical experience placements in years 2, 3 and 4 of study.
"It is such an important part of us developing as pre-service teachers, being immersed into the workload of a teacher and helping us develop our own teaching philosophy.
"We also learn how we want to approach our students and cater our teaching to best suit their needs. You really do learn a lot about yourself from other teachers."
Is teaching the profession for you?
The students you've just met are all learning to be teachers at Edith Cowan University, a place with a long and proud tradition of producing the next generation of educators.
If this has sparked your interest, start by exploring Teacher Education at ECU.
