Itinerant teachers share knowledge in outback

Ron first started working as a teacher at SOTA in 1991, initially in Port Augusta via the radio, then on the road, based out of Leigh Creek.

He stayed in the role for 16 years, before returning after retirement for a few more stints, for a total of 20 years.

During that time he saw many of the big changes, including the switch from HF radio to online courses.

But he says the families and students involved were a big drawcard from the start.

“The sense of community is one of the first things I noticed,” he said. “The kids just support one another.”

From the day of his first school camp, held at Murray Bridge, he was impressed at how well so many of the families – often based hundreds of kilometres apart – blended together.

Present itinerant teacher Michael Kerin, who began the role in 2013 after working at a “face-to-face” school in Port Augusta, said he had similar reactions on his camp experiences.

“It’s a completely different camp to what most (students and teachers) experience,” he said.

The camp is made up of teachers, students, toddlers, babies, parents and governesses, all on site, but Ron and Michael say “it just works”.

Michael said he originally started working at SOTA for a six-month contract “to fill a gap”.

“I knew I’d love it, and it’s nearly five years now,” he said.

A major part of the life of an itinerant teacher is “going bush” every week, staying with a different family for a week.

While Michael said the chance to see some different parts of the country was a “bonus”, the real focus was the kids.

“It is so rewarding, you become part of a different family every week and different families every year,” he said.

Ron said he considered the chance to get out and visit the homes of these students as a integral part of their learning.

“Ideally every teacher should visit the home of every school student,” he said. “It really helps you to get perspective of where the kids are coming from.”

They say it is not necessarily an easy life, with a lot of time spent on the road or in other people’s houses.

“It is a way of life – you’re in Port Augusta for the first day (of the week), then the other four days, you’re out visiting and can be on-duty for long hours,” Ron said.

But Michael said getting involved with the families was part of the appeal. 

“If you wanted to do a job where you clocked off at 3pm and said ‘see you at breakfast’, you wouldn’t last five minutes,” he said.

Michael said the physical distance SOTA covered had expanded since he had been on the job, travelling almost as far as Birdsville, Qld.

He estimates he has travelled some 125,000 kilometres in the Far North.

Michael says he lives by one of the most important lessons he was taught when he started.

“Don’t argue with local knowledge,” he said. “If they say it’s going to rain, it’s time to leave.”