Quality teacher to be

Wants to make positive difference in lives of her students

Zoe Clair wants to see her children—and others—succeed in the classroom. She is invested, studying a Master of Teaching (Primary) at Avondale University, where, according to The Good Universities Guide 2024, postgraduate education courses rank number one in Australia for skills development and teaching quality.

The master’s degree is for people like Zoe who already have a bachelor’s degree and want to become capable, compassionate and job-ready teachers in as little as two years.

“At 38 years of age, I’m at a stage of my life where I want to feel satisfied with my job and make a positive difference in someone’s life. So, I’m changing careers.

“I never thought about teaching as a profession until my own children went to school. Now I value quality teaching.

“Teachers help our children grow academically, but they also play a pivotal role in personal development, particularly in those early years. I can see how with the shortage of teachers, the pressure to do both these things well increases. I can also see that when teachers feel supported and love what they do, that positivity will rub off on students.

“I want to see children succeed in the classroom. I’m a graphic designer, and I studied visual communication. I’m planning to use this knowledge and these skills to create an experience that will engage all students by meeting different learning needs. I’m looking forward to teaching a range of subjects, too.

“I studied at a larger university, so the size of the classes at Avondale is smaller. Because of that, you feel part of a community that cares. Your lecturers know you by name and your peers become friends. And I absolutely appreciate the support for students. The desire to see us succeed is genuine.

“Avondale is a faith-based university and lecturers unapologetically integrate that into their classes. They foster a sense of freedom that encourages openness—you can share what’s going on in your personal life and if you want prayer, you can ask for it. If I’m privileged enough to do so, I’ll be integrating faith into my teaching. You just don’t know how much of a positive difference that may make in a student’s life.”