A teacher’s role is changing – and so is today’s classroom

Lucy Xu’s day begins in the classroom when she checks on the boys in her tutor group at Haileybury’s Keysborough campus. By 8.45 am, Lucy is in one of the teaching pods dotted around the school and she’s ready to teach her online Year 9 Humanities class.

Lucy, a former Haileybury student, has a hybrid teaching role. She spends part of her week in a bricks and mortar classroom, and the remainder of her week teaching students enrolled with Haileybury Pangea – Haileybury’s online campus. Those students join classes from across Victoria and the Northern Territory, and some will even be based overseas.

This kind of hybrid model reflects a broader transformation in education – learning is no longer confined to a single classroom or timetable, and students increasingly expect flexibility without compromising quality or connection.

“I don’t find switching from face-to-face to online learning hard, because engaging the students and planning and running a lesson is very similar,” says Lucy, a Humanities and Modern History teacher.

“I feel I’ve developed a lot as a teacher – teaching online was initially daunting and it challenges you to adapt. I’m a type A personality so I love structure and having a plan! Haileybury Pangea has made me more flexible.

Rich lives inside and outside school

“Teaching with Haileybury Pangea is rewarding because you reach students who may not otherwise graduate from high school. I also meet a diversity of students who lead rich lives outside the classroom – they might be an elite athlete or studying ballet in Europe for a month,” she says.

“I also enjoy the dynamic that occurs when I’m in a classroom with students. I enjoy building a relationship every day and saying ‘hello’ when I see my students in the corridor. Whichever environment I teach in, a good class is always when students all want to talk and be part of a discussion and when they’re almost fighting each other to answer a question. Then I know I’ve done my job.”

How teaching and learning have shifted

As a veteran teacher of more than 30 years, Maria has seen huge shifts in how teachers teach and students learn.

“Years ago, teachers delivered the information and students did as they were instructed. Now there is more two-way dialogue, which is good. There’s also no one size fits all anymore with teachers adapting to support the students in front of them,” says Maria.

“Teachers work more deeply with students and their families to get the best outcomes for every child. When students leave my class and they are happy because they understand the content and feel confident about their learning, that’s a good day.”

Finding fulfilment

Ned Doran’s professional life began in marketing and while he didn’t dislike the industry, Ned had a nagging feeling that it wasn’t quite enough for him. Coming from a family of teachers, going into the profession himself had always been a possibility and in 2023 he enrolled in a Masters of Education at the University of Melbourne.

The following year, Ned began working part-time at Haileybury, teaching computer science from Prep to Year 8. Today, he’s a Year 2 teacher at the City campus.

“Working part-time during my Masters was not only a fantastic learning opportunity, it reaffirmed that I was doing something I really cared about,” says Ned, whose school day begins at around 7.45 am.

In his early days as a teacher, he also called on his past experience of coaching basketball and cricket after he himself graduated from Haileybury.

“I liked coaching and working with students so I always knew that at some point down the line, teaching would be something I’d want to get into. I enjoyed marketing but I reached a point where I wasn’t fulfilled and I knew I had to think about my next career step in marketing or change career entirely,” says Ned.

He spends his day helping his students develop their writing, maths, reading, handwriting and spelling skills. At lunchtime, Ned will often take his class to Flagstaff Gardens, opposite the campus, for some fresh air and activities.

Asking great questions and connecting with the class

“The best parts of my job are seeing the growth of students across a term or a year. I watch their confidence grow and see them flourish. It gives me a lot of joy to see children enjoying their learning, being courageous and asking great questions,” says Ned.

“Each year I get a different mix of students and I enjoy building connections with each of them. Every day is different, every student is different and my aim is to find out what works best to help each student learn.

Ned also takes on extra roles to develop his teaching skills – he recently joined a school camp and is coordinator for the Junior School dance program.

“I was lucky to have amazing teachers at Haileybury who were passionate, interested and who demonstrated what is means to be a good teacher – I want to be like that for my students,” he says.

“It’s a great day for me when I see a student overcoming a hurdle or sharing something they are proud of or passionate about. Changing careers has been the right choice for me – without question!”

Across these classrooms, one thing is clear – education is no longer static. It is adaptive, student-centred and future-focused. Teachers are navigating greater complexity, while students are expected to think more critically, engage more deeply, and take greater ownership of their learning.

The end result is wide-reaching and powerful education that ensures classrooms are relevant and engaging and that students leave school with the kinds of skills that futureproof them for a rapidly changing job market.