ABSTRACT
This vignette will examine how Human Society and Its Environment (HSIE) faculties often face unique challenges in teaching outside of original qualifications, using Rooty Hill High School in Sydney’s west as an example. In 2016, an Australian Council of Education Research (ACER) study outlined the extent of ‘out of field teaching’ in Australia. Five of the most impacted subjects were Geography, History, Social Studies, Media, and Religious Studies. Geography represented the highest rate, with 40% of Geography teachers having no formal qualifications in the area. These findings were no surprise to our team. University training does not prepare teachers for this reality. In 2013, our principal, Ms Christine Cawsey AM, pitched a call for faculty mentors for a ‘Professional Practice Mentor’ team to distribute leadership and further contextualise school and system professional learning. I responded, motivated by a passion for continual learning to develop team capacity across disciplines. From my own personal experience teaching outside of area upon graduation, I have since been passionate about capturing and sharing ‘out of field’ expertise. Four years later, this has contributed to a faculty that reflects on-going collaboration to better share professional learning and enhance our discourse across multiple disciplines.
