THREE inspiring young mothers have launched a website, Teach Outback, to unite parents - who teach their children through Distance Education in rural and remote Australia - with qualified teachers and child caregivers.
With 11 young children between them, Natalie Kenny, Anna Appleton, and Kristy Heelan, all live on remote cattle stations in Queensland and know firsthand how difficult it can be to find a qualified teacher prepared to step away from mainstream teaching into a remote, homestead schoolroom to teach children through Distance Education. Equally, it can be difficult to source experienced caregivers for young children.
All three women have experienced the time consuming and frustrating task of trying to find that suitable someone willing to give teaching or childcare in an outback location a go – even for a short period.
Natalie Kenny said without a nearby school, families needed to teach their children through Distance Education.
“They deliver the national curriculum to their children with the assistance of lesson plans, resources, tele-conference, the Internet and video conferencing.
“Some parents take on the vital role of home tutor, while others choose to employ a governess.”
The aim of Teach Outback is to provide a portal for rural and remote families around Australia to access qualified, primary education teachers to live-in.
Natalie said teachers who take the leap find they gain so much by stepping aside from metropolitan teaching, even if only for 12 months, to experience work in an outback classroom.
“They become part of the family and eagerly immerse themselves in an exciting, new way of life.”
After six months living and working in Brisbane, Irish Primary School teacher Shellly Ralph, 25, wanted a change of pace.
She recently began teaching for Graham and Kristy Heelan at a cattle station they manage, west of Alpha in Central Queensland.
“While the prospect of leaving my friends and city life was daunting, once I had read blogs and testimonials from other nannies and teachers, I was convinced an outback experience was the right choice,” Shelly said.
“I felt immediately at ease with the Heelans, and as well as coming to grips with a unique school curriculum, I’m eager to experience and embrace all that bush life has to offer.”
Aoife O’Mahony’s Australian adventure is coming to an end – with 18 months of her two-year stay spent with the Heelan family.
“After six months of living the city life in Sydney, I accepted a job as a nanny with the intention to stay for three months. I knew within eight weeks of arriving, three months wasn’t enough to fully experience the way of life, so I stayed an extra 15 months.”
After working in a day care centre in Ireland, and in Sydney with more than 16 pre-schoolers in her care, Aoife, 26, wondered how she would pass a whole day with just three children in her charge.
“I soon learned the role was very different.
“You become part of the family. I developed a close relationship with the kids and they taught me about bush life - from mustering and boiling a billy, to bush walks and sleeping in a true Australian swag under the stars.
“Along with Graham and Kristy, they have helped create some wonderful memories. I am sad to be leaving soon for my trip back to Ireland.
“This job helped me save and travel as much as I wanted - something I couldn’t do when living and working in the city. So far from shops, bars, and cafes means weekend shopping splurges and nights out to drain my income just don’t happen.
“I will be telling everybody at home to try life in the Australian bush. It’s off the beaten track and is a proper adventure into a completely different way of life.”
With so many metropolitan teachers finding it difficult to secure teaching jobs, Natalie said taking a placement in a rural or remote area was a practical option.
“We have all, at times, welcomed trained teachers or nannies into our homes, and find having committed professionals help educate or care for our children is unparalleled.
“We want to encourage more teachers and nannies to step away from the urban lifestyle and embrace our part of the world by giving teaching or child care giving in the outback a go.”
She said the ability to employ teachers to help deliver the national school curriculum, or nannies to help care for under school-aged children, was vital for many families who faced teaching children through distance education while trying to run busy stations.
“A service like Teach Outback is not only long overdue, but in great demand by outback families in all Australian states,” she said.
“Until now, there hasn’t been a service in Australia to link professional teachers with rural and remote families for longer-term placements.”
* For more information visit www.teachoutback.com.
