Future Students High School (Secondary) Teaching Degree

How to Obtain a High School (Secondary) Teaching Degree

Teachers are crucial influencers and play an enormous role in the lives and development of young people. To have this kind of influence and become a high school teacher, study a Bachelor of Education (Secondary)

With your high school teaching degree from JCU, you will have specialised skills that make you highly sought after among employers. More importantly, you'll be ready to make an impact in the lives of individuals and communities.

Teaching is a uniquely satisfying and rewarding career. You'll help students with their academic development and stand by them as they progress through the high school system; but there's more to being a teacher than simply imparting academic knowledge.

Teachers are the number one factor in fostering an accepting classroom environment that honours people of all backgrounds and effectively prepares students for life. Learn how to manage the challenge of working with adolescents and become adept at developing lesson plans that make a difference in student outcomes through your secondary teaching courses.

One of the most rewarding aspects of being a teacher is being involved in changing lives. Your ability to communicate with parents, manage classroom conflicts to produce positive outcomes, and encourage those from marginalised communities will make an impact far beyond the four walls of the classroom.

As a teacher, you'll need to foster your own creativity so you can produce engaging lessons that reach your students where they are and take them where they need to be. Wherever you choose to work, your effective communication skills will be needed in the classroom, in interactions with colleagues, and as you work with parents and within the community.

Experience has no substitute, and to advance your career as a teacher you need practical, hands-on experience in the classroom. It's also needed to enhance your subject-specific skills so you can become an expert in your area, ready to help students advance. Choose a specialisation that you have a personal interest in or particular aptitude for so that your enthusiasm will inspire your students.

Through your courses, you will develop your holistic thinking skills. Your training will equip you to see the classroom, and your subject, as one part of a larger whole in the lives of your students.

Your rewarding career as an educator starts with a world-class education. That's just what you get through your Bachelor of Education (Secondary) at JCU.

As you progress, you'll work with people from different cultural backgrounds and from all different disciplines, learning from the best to become the best.

To gain experience, you'll work in some of JCU's many dynamic partnerships with schools throughout Queensland. You’ll study a course accredited by the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership and in partnership with the Queensland College of Teachers. Study alongside lecturers committed to student success as you master a broad understanding of professional knowledge and practice in the realm of education.

Be inspired through your experiences in practical placements as you see how what happens within the classroom affects life outside of it. Fuel your drive to make a difference as you learn about the special needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and communities. Your world-class education begins here, at JCU, with the firm foundation you need and the opportunity to use that foundation to develop your professional skills.

One key to keeping your professional passion through the course of your career is choosing a path that is particularly meaningful to you. As you pursue your high school teaching degree, you'll have the opportunity to work in a variety of settings. At times you may work in remote areas among some of Australia's most marginalised communities. At other times, you'll have the opportunity to work in bustling urban environments and large schools. You may find that you prefer overseas placements. Each area has needs, and through your studies, you'll find which of them is the right fit for you.

Focus on the specialisation that is meaningful to you and your secondary teaching courses. During the course of your degree studies, you'll choose a first and second teaching area. You may choose two areas that complement one another, such as English and French. You may prefer contrasting areas that open up more career opportunities for you or give you a broader scope of understanding on student needs, such as Information Communication Technologies, and Health and Physical Education.

Your specialisation is important, but even more crucial is knowing how to interact with your students in a positive way. You’ll understand how to build and maintain learning environments that foster respectful communication. Learn how social justice, diversity, and equity affect education. If your heart lies in helping communities develop legislative and regulatory frameworks to address pressing social issues, a degree in secondary education can make you a valuable asset in government and community development.

As the world goes digital, teachers must keep on top of the latest technologies being used in the classrooms. At JCU, you'll have the opportunity to use these technologies firsthand and learn how to leverage their power to make your classroom teaching more effective. As you teach your students how to use technology in their own learning, you'll be helping to prepare them for their own higher education and future careers.

You want to make a difference, and you can make the most difference when you are equipped with a degree that employers are looking for. The combination of foundational knowledge and practical experience you gain at JCU will make you valuable to future employers. As you study, refine your specialist skillset that will make you qualified to work in cities, urban, rural and remote communities and with people of every background.

Teachers sometimes have a difficult job, and it's important to have a robust support network of professional connections. As you pursue your high school teaching degree, you will make connections with some of the leading voices in the education industry. You'll also build a network of peer connections that will serve you throughout your career.

Your future begins today when you choose a Bachelor of Education (Secondary) course at JCU. If you're changing career or are a school leaver, at JCU there is a pathway for you to become an educator.