Fiji Trip Transforms Aussie Teacher's Approach
A year ago, Patrick, a Bachelor of Primary Education student, returned from Australia with a new perspective on learning and teaching. The two-week teaching and community development program he participated in reshaped his approach and ignited a deeper sense of purpose. Patrick's journey began with an internship program at the Queensland University of Technology, which led him to Australia. During the program, he discovered the practical application of building student rapport and the power of conversations about culture with students. He also learned the importance of simplifying language and being clear and explicit in his teaching, skills he continues to develop in his school placements. The experience deepened Patrick's intercultural competency, reinforced academic theory, and improved his motivation. It also helped him become more adaptable and culturally intelligent, skills critical in the classroom. Patrick's relationship with the Australian community continued after the program, with a group from the Australian school visiting him in Australia. He earned academic credit for the program by utilising an elective and presenting on his overseas teaching experience to a first-year education class in Australia. Patrick's short-term learning abroad experience in Australia has had a lasting impact on his approach to teaching. It has equipped him with valuable skills and a deeper sense of purpose, making him better prepared for his future profession.
