Before studying at the Faculty of Education, Airlie worked as a pastry chef. Now she plans to share her passion for food with secondary students as a teacher of Food Technology.
After completing a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Cultural Studies at the University of Melbourne, Airlie spent two years in London working in hospitality and events. Upon returning to Melbourne, she completed a Certificate IV in Patisserie, and worked for six years as a pastry chef before deciding it was time for a change of pace.
“In 2021, I made the decision to leave the hospitality industry and study at the Faculty of Education,” Airlie said. “While I am passionate about cooking and baking, I realised I wanted a different career that would use my other skills and strengths,” she said.
While studying her Master of Teaching (Secondary), Airlie has been working two part-time jobs that reflect her interests in both food and education: she works as a catering manager for a regional arts and music festival, and as an educator at a daycare.
As part of the Master of Teaching, Airlie completed multiple teaching placements: two at co-educational government schools in Melbourne, and one in Northeast Arnhem Land, which allowed her to “gain a better understanding of culturally responsive pedagogies, including ‘both ways’ learning.”
“Getting the opportunity to teach and, more importantly, learn from First Nations students in Arnhem Land was definitely a highlight of my degree. It was an extremely welcoming community, and I am so grateful to the people who shared their wisdom and cultural knowledge with me,” she said.
Airlie also completed a Work Integrated Learning (WIL) placement, which she found “very different to regular teaching placements.”
“It is largely observational and there is much less teaching involved. You are able to get a feel for the school and the students without the pressures of teaching,” she said.
Her Work Integrated Learning placement was at Green School in New Zealand, which appealed to her because she “wanted to experience teaching in a different setting, and witness sustainability education in action.” She added, “I also wanted to go to a school that would offer new perspectives for my capstone project.”
Some of the highlights of her time at Green School included “seeing a school with an operational garden (polytunnel, fruit trees, vegetable beds), receiving a traditional Māori welcome ceremony at the beginning of my placement, travelling around the beautiful region of Taranaki, and helping year 12 students trial products for their food van business as part of the Young Enterprise Scheme.”
The experience gave her ample material to draw on for her capstone project.
“My self-study research project is called ‘Reconsidering the potential of food education in Victorian secondary schools’”, she said. “The project explores food education from an interdisciplinary perspective, in the areas of sustainability, place-based and experiential learning, and intercultural understanding.”
Expanding on her passion for food education, Airlie said she “believes it's often an undervalued subject, yet its interdisciplinary nature, connection to critical thinking, and potential for social and environmental impacts make it a valuable component of the secondary school curriculum.”
“Cultivating food literacy in my students involves empowering them with practical life skills in cooking and gardening, while promoting an understanding of the relationships between diet, health, society, culture and the environment. By encouraging and implementing local sustainable practices, student-led action and projects, and community connections, I can hopefully equip students with essential skills and perspectives for navigating the complexities of the modern food system,” she said.
Airlie is also committed to “valuing and embedding First Nations knowledges within Australian educational settings”.
“I hope to decolonise my teaching practice and foster intercultural understanding in my students,” she said.
Looking back on her experience at the Faculty of Education, Airlie mentioned her “fantastic lecturers” and how much she had enjoyed “building relationships with other prospective teachers”.
For those who are considering a Master of Teaching, Airlie said “as long as you’re serious about a career in teaching and not afraid of a little hard work, then go for it!”
As her own graduation nears, Airlie can’t wait to get into the classroom. She’s already got a job lined up: “I have been accepted for a full-time role next year, teaching Food Technology at Darwin High School in the Northern Territory,” she said. “I am very excited to begin my teaching career up north!”
Learn more
Master of Teaching (Secondary) Explore all our courses