Having completed a creative arts degree after school, Teigan Frazer embarked on her journey to teaching by completing a Master of Teaching (Early Childhood) at QUT.
Meaningful impact as an educator
My parents recall that when I was in year 3, I wanted to be a teacher. It wasn’t until my parents decided to build and operate their own early childhood service that I knew this was truly what I wanted to do. During my late primary and early high school holidays, I would always help the educators and teachers at the centre. I enjoyed assisting with programming and assisting the kids. From then on, I knew that early childhood education was the field I wanted to go into.
Since working in a school environment as an educator myself, I have made lasting and meaningful connections with families and students. I have been made to feel as though I am truly a part of a community. In the small Aboriginal Shire of Kowanyama, located in the far west coast of Cape York, it is important to develop these relationships to earn the trust and respect of your students and their families. If the students have your respect, they are more likely to thrive in the classroom and succeed in their developmental areas.
I have been fortunate to get many educational experiences where I have taught students from Prep to Year 6. I believe being in a remote school encourages you to be flexible and expand your behaviour management skills.
Real-world learning
For me I learn best in a face-to-face environment, so I always enjoyed the tutorials at QUT where I was able to put theory into practise. Naturally you learn a lot during placements, but I always enjoyed the practically of the tutorials as I was able to share and listen to ideas, as well as trial an idea before entering the classroom. I learnt a lot from my lecturers and tutors, and I was able to connect with many like-minded people from diverse backgrounds.
QUT also made sure we had the opportunity to meet industry connections such as KGTECE and TeachQLD who would come onto campus each semester for a coffee and a chat. I am still in contact with many of my fellow graduates to this day and it’s wonderful being able to bounce ideas and see their progress in the education industry. QUT was a fantastic hub for my educational and career goals. The tutors were extremely knowledgeable in their fields and wanted to share their expertise. With my prior experience in early childhood, my tutors were able to push me to expand my abilities in the classroom.
