She’s studied the art of teaching for four years, completed 80 days of professional placement at Brisbane primary schools, and will graduate this weekend. Now Meg Chester is ready to head to London in the new year to experience English classrooms.
Meg is one of about 3000 QUT students who will graduate over the next six days in QUT’s mid-year graduation ceremonies.
On Sunday morning, she will officially receive her Bachelor of Education (Primary) with her proud parents and partner there to support her.
And with QUT teaching degrees recognised in England and many other countries, Meg will be heading to London in early 2027 with her partner to live and work in the UK.
“I feel like every young Aussie does a stint in London at some point, so we're excited to have our turn!” Meg said.
“We’re really looking forward to experiencing life overseas rather, than just visiting for a holiday, and we hope to travel throughout the United Kingdom and Europe and experience a different lifestyle and culture.
“I plan to use my teaching degree while living in London by relief teaching. It’ll be a great opportunity to experience a different education system and work with children from a wide range of cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
“I think those experiences will help me become a more adaptable teacher and give me new ideas and perspectives that I can bring back to Australian classrooms when we return.
“Graduating feels like a milestone, but it also feels like the starting point. I'm excited to keep learning, keep growing and hopefully make a positive difference in lots of children's lives – whether that's in a classroom, overseas, or wherever my career in education takes me.”
Meg said she had wanted to be a teacher since she was a young child.
“There is actually a photo of me at the end of Prep holding a sign that says: When I grow up, I want to be a teacher,” she said.
“Now I am teaching Prep students myself, which feels quite crazy and very special.”
Despite her early dreams of being a teacher, Meg – like many Year 12s – wasn’t 100 per cent sure what she wanted to study when she finished high school.
She enrolled in a different degree when she started studying at QUT back in 2021, but quickly worked out her heart lay in teaching and switched to a Bachelor of Education (Primary) in 2022, as an online student.
“Changing courses was one of the best decisions I made,” she said.
“Once I started my education degree, it felt much more aligned with who I was and what I wanted to do.
“I chose primary teaching because I just love the joy that younger children bring.
“They have such a natural curiosity and genuine excitement about learning. They’re willing to have a go, ask questions, make mistakes and celebrate the little wins.
“There’s also a real sense of honesty in young children. They’re not worried about being judged, and they approach the world with such open minds and wonderful imaginations.
“I think there’s something really special about being part of that stage of their lives and helping nurture their confidence and love of learning.
“I also love that, in primary school, you get to teach across so many different learning areas.”
Meg combined her online uni studies with several part-time jobs, including nannying and working as a teacher aide.
She also completed 80 days of professional experience placements during her degree, which saw her work as a preservice teacher at four Brisbane primary schools.
“At the beginning, even standing up to teach a lesson or give instructions to a whole class felt daunting,” she said.
“But with every placement, I grew in confidence. Through my placements and my work as a teacher aide, I learnt how to build relationships with students, establish routines and adapt when things didn’t quite go to plan.
“Now, walking into a classroom feels exciting rather than intimidating, and I feel much more confident in my ability to create a positive learning environment.”
Meg is currently doing relief teaching and short contracts across several schools – including the school where she completed her final placement – and will have her own Year 2 class full-time in Term 4.
“It’ll be my first opportunity to have my own class for an extended period, and I’m looking forward to building those relationships with the students, watching their progress over the term and continuing to develop as a beginning teacher,” she said.
And while Meg loves being in the classroom, she thinks her education degree could also one day take her in other creative directions.
“I have a long-term dream of creating something of my own that supports children and families beyond the traditional school setting,” she said.
“I’m really passionate about play-based learning and the importance of the first five years of a child’s life. Those early years have such a lasting impact on a child’s confidence, curiosity and love of learning.
“One day, I’d love to create a children's enrichment and creative learning space where families can come together to play, create and connect through experiences like art, STEM, sensory play, cooking, workshops, school holiday programs and community events, under one roof.”
Meg said wherever her career took her, she knew she would carry the learnings from her QUT degree with her for life.
“I think one of the biggest things this degree has taught me is that children remember how you make them feel long after they forget the lesson itself,” she said.
“Of course, we want them to learn to read, write and do maths, but just as importantly, we want them to feel seen, safe and excited to come to school each day.
“Something I always come back to is that every child is only little once. We have such a small window to nurture their curiosity, confidence and love of learning, and I think that’s an incredible privilege.
“If I can be the teacher who helps a child believe in themselves, or makes them excited to come to school, then I’ve done something worthwhile.”
Media contact: Mechelle McMahon, QUT media officer, media@qut.edu.au
