A teacher's sea change to teach remote bush kids in North Queensland

Meg Kerrison, 30, was working in Tasmanian schools when she started looking for her next adventure.

An online search on a late Friday afternoon sparked her interest, when a job at Mount Isa School of the Air popped up.

"I had worked in Tasmania for eight years. I started my teaching in a small dairy town at a school with 90 students (and most recently) I was working in a large school in Launceston.

"I thought that it would be a completely different environment/place from Tasmania and what a great chance to gain a different perspective.

"It was a time in our lives that if we didn't take a leap or change in direction it would just past us by."

Arriving in Mount Isa in May 2023, Ms Kerrison stepped straight into her new role as one of the Prep teachers, teaching students on remote cattle stations across North West Queensland and the Northern Territory.

"When we drove into town my husband and I just fell silent as we took in the imposing image of the mine in front of us. We knew Mount Isa was based on mining, but we did not realise the proximity of it to the town. It felt like we were driving straight into it," she said.

"I met most of my students in person at the Home Tutor Week in Mount Isa, when I first started. In my first official week at MISOTA I went on a station visit to help with an activity day. I was blown away with the beauty and also how long the driveway was!"

During the school holidays, Ms Kerrison and her husband took the opportunity to visit some of her students' stations to experience their day-to-day in person.

"We both were very grateful for the opportunity to stay and explore these places. It gave me a great insight into the worlds of my students, and I began to full comprehend the scale of station life.

"They provided us with amazing landscapes to explore and a sense of home. I loved being surrounded by people all enjoying a meal and a yarn around a table at the end of the day. I grew up in a large family on a beef/potato farm, so this was familiar to me.

"The biggest thing though was that I could see my students in their most confident self in their own environment which is very powerful. I also ticked off some bucket list items like going in a helicopter and riding a horse!"

While teaching her students Ms Kerrison has learnt a few things from her students.

"I feel like I have learnt a whole new vocabulary since starting at MISOTA, there have been many funny moments on-air when students have been teaching me about how things work in their worlds," she said.

"While my students might live in remote locations and their experiences are varied, one common thing I have learnt is that kids love to tell stories, laugh, make connections, play and learn. It is just finding ways for learning to be relatable and engaging in their context.

"The pros of this learning include it being such a personalised approach for each student. You get to know each of your students and families very well. It is truly a team approach to learning and it such a strength to have committed home tutors.

"My role is not only teaching but listening, supporting and communicating with home tutors who have great insights into students and how they learn. Students and families also get the flexibility they need to fully participate in both school and all that station life brings."

Ms Kerrison's first insight to School of the Air was on a family holiday through Longreach, when she visited a School of the Air campus.

"I was captivated by the environment and how kids accessed learning. I have always been fascinated by the online space and the power it has to connect people and when used effectively be a tool to inspire curiosity and build capacity.

"I was interested in seeing how it all worked. I had so many questions, how was the curriculum delivered? What platforms were used? Who was involved? What was the face-to-face contact like? Ultimately my own curiosity got the better of me and I submitted by resume."

Ms Kerrison was humbled to feel part of such a tight-knit community.

"I remember having one reflective moment on day two of my new job. We were at the athletic carnival day; I was blown away with how amazing it was to see and feel such a sense of community and commitment from everyone to be present and involved in their child's learning," she said.

"Everyone participated, everyone wore their house colours and it dawned on me that MISOTA history runs very deep and has played a huge role in many families lives. I thought it was pretty special to have an opportunity to play a small part in it.

"I am very grateful to have landed at MISOTA and love what I am doing, I have learnt and experienced a lot in a small amount of time. Mainstream (school) will always be an option but for now I am trying to soak up all that MISOTA has to offer."