Hello there! My name is Alison and I am a Primary School teacher in Victoria, Australia. After graduating in 2004, I headed to a small country town and taught Grades 5, 4 and Prep (Kindergarten) before taking my teaching journey to Northern California. I taught there for 6 months (at a Middle School), staying close to my father’s family, before transferring to Washington State where I taught 2nd Grade in Tacoma. I LOVED it! Teaching in the US made me realise a few things; how important routines are, the roll we can really play in a child’s future and how fortunate teachers are in Australia to be paid so well. What is it that people say? Sometimes you need to experience life outside your little bubble to really understand what’s going on inside it?
After a two year stint in the US, I came back home and taught at an International Baccalaureate school on the Mornington Peninsula (Grades 1 and 3) before moving up to the Victorian/NSW border, following my then boyfriend (now husband) for his work prospects. Teaching a multi-age Grade 3/4 class, I then wanted a change and went back to Prep (Kindergarten) for another year. 2015 brought a little bundle of joy into our life and I had a break from teaching. Now I am back doing relief teaching (substitute) while helping my husband set up his winery (which has meant another move for us – hopefully our last for a while).
All up, my teaching career has so far been 12 years, 6 schools, 6 year levels and let’s see what this new adventure brings us!
Our little cheeky monkey!
And fur baby!