What you need to before starting the Leadership Development Program

Thinking about making inspiring your day job? Our Leadership Development Program is a life-changing experience, but it can be a little overwhelming understanding how it unfolds and works.

We've compiled five areas of the program you need to understand to set yourself up for success before joining the program.

Watch the video and complete the quiz below to make sure you're in the know!

Test your knowledge! Complete the quiz.

If you are putting in an application for our Leadership Development Program, we request you complete the 'How well do you know the LDP' quiz.

It will help you know what to expect from the program, including key dates and how to increase your chances of getting a placement.

Hint: All the information in the quiz is available on this page, either in the video, or in the text below.

DO THE QUIZ

One: The Timeline

The first thing to know about the LDP is that we don’t just throw you in the deep end. Your learning begins well before Term 1, preparing you for the classroom.

The groundwork starts with the Summer Semester which begins in September or October, depending on whether you choose the flexible or standard pathway. This is 25 to 30 hours of mandatory self-directed Master’s coursework and assessments before you start teaching.

You will also participate in the National Intensive, which is either 6 weeks for the standard pathway or 10 for the flexible. This intensive is where you’ll cover about 20% of your Master's coursework and includes a compulsory in-school 2-week practicum that you may need to travel to and where you will observe and try out your teaching skills in a supportive school environment.

In January, you will also attend a week-long intensive in the area that you are teaching.

Two: The Placements

The second thing to understand is placements.

TFA places Associates in schools serving low socioeconomic and regional, rural and remote communities across Vic, TAS, WA, SA and NT.

While most people get their preference, it is a complex process finding a school in your preferred location that is also hiring for your subject area. Unfortunately, sometimes the stars don’t align.

To increase your chances of securing a placement, you may need to cast your net wide and be open to relocation, depending on your subject area.

And even though you start your study in September or October, you may not be placed at a school until December.

This is because while we typically start placing Associates in July, some schools only know their staffing needs at the end of the year.

While this can be stressful; don’t panic if your placement takes some time! Every year up to 25% of our cohort start the National Intensive without a placement. This is an unavoidable part of the dynamic teacher job market.

Three: The checks

Once you have received a placement, you also need to be prepared for the paperwork that must be completed before you can step into a classroom and teach.

You will be required to:

undertake a national and sometimes international police check and a working with children check;

apply for registration with the relevant Teacher Registration Board;

and some of you will be required to take English language proficiency tests.

These are compulsory requirements of our University partner and teaching regulators – so best to be prepared for some life admin!

Four: The Finances

Next on the list is finances.

You will earn a full salary and benefits of $62,000 to $72,000 per year from when you commence teaching and up to $12,000 additional financial support, depending on the state or territory you are placed in.

The first payment you need to make for your Master’s degree is about $3,000 and is due in early January.

If you are experiencing financial hardship in your summer semester, you can apply to our Access & Equity Fund, which provides supplemental support to Incoming Associates for English Language Proficiency Tests; cost of living; or relocation costs, up to $2,500.

E-mail apply@teachforaustralia.org for more information.

Five: The Commitment

Like anything worthwhile, the Leadership Development Program is a big commitment. The dynamic nature of teaching means no two days are the same and working from home is not possible.

You’ll be balancing 0.8 full-time equivalent teaching (which is equivalent to four days per week in the classroom) and the remaining 0.2 full-time equivalent for study (which is equivalent to one day per week.)

You will need to study after school, in your breaks and on weekends.

You will also be expected to attend intensives during some school holidays and may need to undertake other professional learning in your own time.

Remember: if you want to spread the academic load, you can choose to complete your Master’s across 3 years.

With all this in mind, for your own wellbeing, we advise where possible to postpone large life changes or long holidays until after the program is finished.

Because after all, participating in the Leadership Development Program is perhaps going to be one of the greatest and most rewarding transformations in your life. It’s important to give it your full attention!

We are excited to take this journey with you and we are here to help.

Reach out to apply@teachforaustralia.org and we will be in touch.