Elizabeth’s full circle teaching journey

Long before she stood at the front of her own classroom at St Kieran's Primary School, Elizabeth Wagstaff was once a student there.

Two decades later, she’s a provisionally registered teacher at the Brighton school and continues to learn about the profession from a former teacher, now mentor, Fiona Frost.

“The only thing I ever wanted to be was a teacher,” Elizabeth says. She recalls spending childhood afternoons playing ‘teachers’ with her friends and always insisting on being “Miss Frost” – one of the many teachers who inspired her to follow the education path.

Elizabeth’s teaching journey began when she was still in high school: completing a Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care, a stint working at a childcare centre, and a Year 10 work experience placement at none other than St Kieran's in a Prep class.

“It made me even more certain that teaching was what I wanted to do, and that the St Kieran's community was still that same warm and welcoming place,” she says.

After studying a Bachelor of Education (Primary) from ACU, she worked as a school officer at St Joseph's in Nundah before she was offered a role at St Kieran's.

Fiona has watched Elizabeth grow across her journey, having first taught her in Prep and then Year 1. She describes Elizabeth's return to St Kieran’s as something that simply feels right. “It truly feels that Elizabeth is exactly where she is meant to be – back home as a valued member of our community,” she says.

Their connection has shaped their mentoring relationship in meaningful ways. Rather than a formal top-down arrangement, Fiona describes their work together as a genuine partnership. They connect regularly, often over morning check-ins, to problem-solve, reflect on practice, and talk through whatever Elizabeth is navigating at the time.

“Elizabeth plays an active role in directing her own learning,” Fiona explains. “She asks thoughtful questions, reflects deeply on her practice, and is driven to continually improve.”

For Elizabeth, one early conversation stands out. A month or two into her role, feeling uncertain about a spelling lesson she had taught, she asked Fiona to observe her and offer feedback. The response stayed with her:

“I still remember her saying that both she and [school principal] Ben were ‘very impressed’ with how I was going as an early years teacher. She reminded me not to doubt myself and that as long as I kept asking for help and support when I needed it, I would continue improving and growing as a teacher. That conversation really stayed with me and helped build my confidence,” Elizabeth said.

That reassurance helped Elizabeth realise that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness, and that the challenges she faced were not hers alone. “I've realised that many of the things I thought were unique to me are experiences that almost every teacher goes through at some point in their career,” she says.

Fiona has seen the results. “Elizabeth's growth since she began has been remarkable – truly like day and night,” she says. “She has approached her role with enthusiasm and confidence, genuinely hitting the ground running. Her willingness to reflect, seek feedback, and strive for continual improvement positions her extremely well for ongoing growth.”

When it comes to being a first-year teacher, Elizabeth says she’s been surprised about how much she genuinely cares about her students and the wider school community.

“I’ve realised that when you care about your students, you naturally want to put in the extra effort to make sure they have the best possible school experience,” she said. “I feel very lucky to be part of a community like St Kieran’s, and I love being able to help create positive school memories for my students – just like my own teachers did for me.”

As a provisionally registered teacher, Elizabeth will be eligible to move to full registration after she completes one year of teaching (200 days equivalent) and meets the Proficient career stage of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST).