Australia

  • Final post in Canada!
    Travelling from experiencing highs of +30°C to lows of -3°C was tough! However, I’m happy to be back in my own bed. While I’m excited to be in the comfort of my home, it’s bittersweet to leave Australia’s beautiful beaches, nature, and cities, as well as the students I met during my placement there. I’m very thankful for the experience I gained over my two months abroad, and I plan to focus on how I can implement the learning strategies I observed in my field experiences. It was amazing to see theory come to life as I could apply real-world…
  • See you later, saltwater crocodile
    I cannot believe this is my final week in this beautiful country/continent! From snorkelling at the Great Barrier Reef to fending off cockroaches, this has been such an amazing experience, and I am beyond lucky to have been able to enjoy Australia these past two months. While saying goodbye to everyone I’ve met on this adventure (and to the warm weather) will be hard, I am excited to return to Canada and apply what I’ve learned during my practicum. So, as a final post (in Australia), the biggest takeaway of this adventure is: Take those trips, book those excursions, and…
  • Aussie Schools and Other Adventures
    Hello from Jill and Abby! We are soaking up our last few weeks here in Brisbane, and loving every second. At the beginning of October, we finally started our volunteering at Kelvin Grove State College. Abby has been placed in a Year 4 generalist classroom, while Jill was placed in Years 7-9 Art and English. Our partner teachers have been so welcoming, and we have enjoyed attending the school’s weekly professional development sessions for pre-service teachers. In the classroom our roles are mostly observational, but we are still gaining lots of practical knowledge to take with us into Field III.…
  • Butterflies and Bush Turkeys
    Spring has officially sprung here in Brisbane, and with it comes an explosion of beauty—along with a few creepy crawlers. One of the highlights of my daily walks has been seeing the city draped in trees covered with delicate, light purple flowers. It’s stunning how the landscape transforms. Even the variety of birds is amazing. Although I have to admit, the wild bush turkeys are not my favourite—they roam around so casually that it creeps me out a bit! On a lighter note, one of my favourite pastimes has been watching flocks of butterflies flutter by. It’s truly like nothing…
  • Six weeks into Australia!
    We made it to the classroom! The first three days have been amazing. The school staff and my mentor teacher have been so welcoming, and the students are very curious! The best part of this experience so far is that, although my specialization is in secondary education, I have been eager to experience an elementary school setting to see what it is like. Therefore, spending my TAB placement in a grade four classroom is a fantastic opportunity, especially for learning classroom management strategies. I can’t wait to learn more tips and tricks to add to my teacher toolbox! Key takeaways: