Why did over 100 high school students apply to the Future Teachers’ Club (FTC)? The answer lies in the connections they’ve experienced with their own teachers. 

What is FTC? The Future Teachers Club is a school-based initiative run by teachers for public secondary students interested in pursuing a career in teaching and engages its participants in behind-the-scenes activities to understand the scope and depth of the teaching profession.lThe Future Teachers Club (FTC) has been running at Macquarie Fields High School for over a decade under the guidance of visionary senior HSIE teacher Perry Celestino, and dedicated MFHS former school principal Jan Dolstra. 

The conference, held at the Chau Chak Wing Museum on Wednesday this week, saw students come from western and south western Sydney, Dubbo, Armidale and Mussellbrook in regional New South Wales to explore teaching as a profession. 

Where does teaching lead?

They wanted to see where teaching would lead them. They’d already been inspired by their own teachers and now they had the opportunity to explore how teaching creates opportunities to form relationships and make a difference. It offered these prospective teachers a unique combination of inspiration, storytelling, and practical insights into the joys and challenges of a teaching career.

The conference, a collaboration between the University of Sydney’s Sydney School of Education and Social Work and the NSW Department of Education, created a space to delve into the essence of teaching – a profession built on connection, relationships, and the profound impact of shared stories.

From the opening remarks by Professor Mark Scott, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Sydney, to the workshops facilitated by expert educators, the event celebrated the intrinsic rewards of teaching. Professor Scott also acknowledged the daunting prospect of a four-year education degree but reframed it as an opportunity to develop new skills and forge a meaningful career.

The power of storytelling

At the heart of the conference was the power of storytelling. Dr Alison Grove O’Grady, Senior Lecturer and Chair of Initial Teacher Education, delivered a session on the classroom as a place for joy, connection, and shared talents. Drawing on her own experiences, Alison shared photos to illustrate her journey in teaching: one of which was from 1992, depicting her first Year 11 Drama class at Whalan High School in Mount Druitt.

The photo from Whalan High was a testament to the enduring relationships that define a teaching career. Alison spoke about the five students in the photo, recounting how their stories had shaped her life in education. In a touching moment, the niece of one of those students from the photo, who was present at The Future Teachers Conference approached Alison after the session to say, “That’s my aunt in that photo.” This deeply personal connection underscored the conference’s key theme: teaching is built on relationships. See photo. Yes permission given

Situated within the Chau Chak Wing Museum, the conference embraced the interdisciplinary nature of education, grounding the day in Aboriginal and First Nations histories and storytelling. The museum’s rich collection of Aboriginal artefacts and materials provided a meaningful context for exploring teaching as a way to preserve and share knowledge.

Forging connections

Speakers like Zoe Cassim, Program Manager for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, and Kylie Captain, President of the Aboriginal Studies Association, highlighted the importance of Aboriginal ways of knowing and storytelling in education. Their contributions reinforced the idea that teaching is about forging connections—not only between teacher and student but also between past, present, and future.

For experienced educators like Alison Grove O’Grady and Dr Catherine Smyth, Program Director for the Bachelor of Education (Primary), the conference was a chance to give back to a profession that has brought them long and joyful careers. “As we move toward the end of our careers, it’s important to share our stories and the enormous joys and experiences we’ve had,” Alison reflected.

What the students said

One student remarked in a post-conference survey:

“Teaching creates new possibilities, the career benefits your skills and allows you to make valuable connections to school and staff.”

Another shared:

“I used to believe teaching was draining, but today I learnt that the reward was more important.”

These reflections highlight a key takeaway from the event: teaching is not just a career but a calling. It’s about sharing stories, building relationships, and creating a sense of community – values that resonated deeply with attendees.

The conference wasn’t just about the attendees’ futures – it was about shaping the future of education itself. Murat Dizdar, Secretary of the NSW Department of Education, told students, “Teaching is the profession that creates all other professions,” and even shared his personal email, inviting them to contact him directly for job opportunities. His gesture underscored the importance of nurturing a new generation of teachers.

Students left the conference inspired, with one remarking: “This gave me an insight into behind-the-scenes of teaching.”

One message was clear

By the end of the day, one message was clear: education is a cornerstone of community and connection. As Alison summed up, “Teaching is about relationships, sharing our own stories, and creating moments.” Held in the inspiring setting of the Chau Chak Wing Museum, surrounded by ancestors and grounded in First Nations histories, the conference embodied this vision of teaching as a dynamic and deeply rewarding profession.

For those who attended, the Future Teachers Conference was an invitation to step into a career that shapes lives and creates possibilities, one relationship at a time.

Left to right: Alison Grove O’Grady is Chair of Initial Teacher Education and Senior Lecturer at the University of Sydney, School of Education and Social Work. Her research focuses on pedagogies of empathy, as performed and action-oriented methods, to develop teachers’ understanding of self, multiple identities and voices.

Kate Smyth is Program Director (B.Ed. Primary) in the School of Education and Social Work at the University of Sydney. Kate works extensively with initial teachers, alumni and other educators in supporting primary teacher professional learning collaborations in rural, remote and urban schools in NSW, and she has been co-leader of professional learning experiences in Vietnam and Indonesia. 

Thomas De Angelis is the Research Associate – Strategic Projects at the CREATE Centre, a research centre based at the University of Sydney that investigates the impact of the arts on education, health and wellbeing. Thomas also works as a lecturer and tutor and is currently completing a PhD and Academic Fellowship with the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.