By Kay Ansell
When Jo Pyke talks about teaching at the remote Aboriginal community of Willowra, she speaks of horizons where the ground touches the sky, of sunsets intensified by a scattering of clouds, of ghost gums lit by moonlight.
Then there are the cross-cultural learning experiences, the challenges of making the most of your resources when it hasn't stopped raining for weeks, and of adapting to the isolation.
It's a long way from Monash University Peninsula campus, where Jo's journey began. In 1994, she grabbed the chance for a taste of teaching in the Northern Territory on one of the teacher round placement options offered by Peninsula. It was an opportunity also taken up by her boyfriend, Andrew Simmons.
At a time when Victorian teachers face job shortages or short-term contracts, the Territory offered the pair job security and the chance to finish off their fourth year by correspondence while working. They thought they'd return to Victoria after a year.
Four years later, after a variety of teaching placements, both have benefited from fast-tracked career paths, placing them in positions that Andrew estimates would have taken 15 years to achieve in Victoria. And they have no inclination to return.
In July, both moved to Alice Springs to jobs that involve travelling thousands of kilometres visiting outback schools. Jo now offers in-service curriculum support to teachers, while Andrew is a project officer for teaching and assessment in the early years, responsible for about 63 schools.
Jo's first placement was at Tennant Creek, 550 kilometres north of Alice Springs, at a school with 600 students and about 30 teachers. While the posting was classed as urban, it was difficult moving to a town "where I knew absolutely nobody", she recalls. Fortunately, the community was very welcoming. "Everybody has been through it ... and professionally, I couldn't have asked for better support."
More isolated yet was Willowra, the Warlpiri community Jo and Andrew moved to in 1997. To reach Willowra, says Jo, you need to drive 200 kilometres north of Alice Springs and then head west for 120 kilometres.
Only two years after leaving Monash, Andrew was appointed the school's head teacher, while Jo became a teacher linguist, helping to run the school's bilingual program.
Jo and Andrew say that flexibility and open-mindedness are essential for teaching in remote communities, as cultural issues are part of classroom life. For example, when a death occurs, children may be required to be absent from school to observe 'sorry days' of mourning.
The communities have guided them, sometimes literally, on sensitive issues such as avoiding land that is sacred to 'men's business'. In the classroom, they work in partnership with Aboriginal assistant teachers.
Dr Barbara Clarke heads the Graduate Diploma of Education Primary course at Monash's Peninsula campus and administers the Northern Territory placements.
"It's a unique way to gain insights into Aboriginal communities in an appropriate way," Dr Clarke says. "It also provides a very challenging situation for students - it's often very isolating but it can give students a genuine flavour of what to expect. At least one of this year's visitors is planning to go back to the Northern Territory next year."
Jo Pyke and Andrew Simmons
on the job at the remote community of
Willowra.