Deakin's exceptional teaching talent tackles diverse schools

The cohort of 22 graduates have each completed the program as part of a Bachelor of Education (Primary) degree, preparing them for successful careers in some of Australia’s most demographically diverse primary schools.

Associate Professor Dianne Toe, Deputy Head of the School of Education and one of the Co-ordinators of the NETDS program at Deakin University, said the program aimed to place outstanding graduate teachers in the schools that needed them the most.

“Deakin became the first Victorian university to join the program, which is funded by the Origin Foundation and supported by Social Ventures Australia, in 2014 because we could see how perfectly it aligns with our commitment to narrowing the educational gap in Australia,” Associate Professor Toe said.

“We know that the most important factor in improving outcomes for diverse students is outstanding teachers.

“Many diverse schools struggle to attract and retain quality teachers, which means that thousands of struggling kids miss out on the potentially life-changing benefits of having great teachers.

“That’s where the NETDS program comes in. It creates an avenue for our best and brightest third and fourth year students in the Bachelor of Education to gain valuable hands-on experience in low socio-economic status schools and, hopefully, inspires them to launch their teaching careers at low SES schools.

“Students received extensive mentoring support from Deakin staff throughout the program, which involved 11-week placements at low SES schools in Geelong, Corio, and Werribee, as well as workshops and special tutorials that focussed on ‘real world’ issues related to disadvantage.”

Developed at Queensland University of Technology in 2009, the NETDS program has since been delivered at seven universities across Australia with approximately 90 per cent of graduates choosing to begin their teaching careers at disadvantaged schools.

“Our first crop of NETDS graduates are also proving to be in high demand, with 17 of our 22 graduates securing full time teaching roles for 2017,” Associate Professor Toe said.

Associate Professor Toe said the program’s unique mix of classroom experience and extra tuition also equipped graduates with a range of skills that gave them an edge in the graduate employment stakes.

“The combination of classroom teaching experience and extra studies specifically focussed on gaining a real understanding of poverty and disadvantage in school communities makes our students well prepared for careers in challenging but rewarding teaching roles,” Associate Professor Toe said.