Growing up with both parents working in a school made the decision to become a teacher a logical step for Micah Wilkins.
But he didn’t choose his career solely on that account. He simply wanted to share his life experiences and knowledge with future generations.
The Mac.Robertson Girls High School teacher takes history and geography classes for year 9 and 10 students.
“School has always been a big part of my life,” Micah says. “I’ve spent half my time living overseas, and sharing those experiences with students is something I really enjoy.”
The experiences include a recent scholarship-funded trip to Israel as part of an intensive learning program for teachers.
“A group of 25 of us went to the Jerusalem Holocaust Memorial Centre and learnt from world experts on Holocaust studies.
“Last month I arranged for a lecturer from there to come and speak to students at my school. He talked about how humanity continues to make the same mistakes and that the world needs the best minds to work together and stop atrocities from recurring.”
The high school teaches girls from years 9-12 and has 939 students who have sat an exam as part of their entry.
“I work with some of the brightest girls and enjoy conversing with them,” Micah says. “They want to learn and have a genuine thirst for knowledge.”
While for many students the focus is on their ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank) score, Micah believes it’s important to look at the bigger picture.
“The ATAR score doesn’t say much about an individual except that they’re good at memorising information.
“It’s important to look at the whole person and for students to finish school open to life’s many experiences and pathways.”
Micah likes the idea of gaining as much life experience as possible to bring to class before becoming a teacher.
“Travelling, having a global perspective on life and being open-minded helps teachers relate to their students. It’s a rewarding career, but you have to want to work with young people. Don’t become a teacher just for the holidays!”
