Teaching maths or science out of area? Your story of success matters
Are you an experienced high school teacher in NSW who’s taught maths or science out-of-field? You’re invited to share your story in a new research project.
Hi, I’m Margaret Jakovac — that’s the name I use for my academic work as a PhD candidate at Deakin University, Australia. (Professionally, I go by Margaret Paton.)
I’m currently conducting a research study that explores how experienced high school teachers in New South Wales, Australia, define and experience success when teaching maths and/or science out of field — that is, outside their subject area(s) of qualification.
If that’s you — or has been you — this invitation is for you.
Why This Research?
Too often, out-of-field teaching is discussed in terms of deficits and statistics. But the human experience — what it’s actually like to walk into a classroom every day teaching outside your training — often gets left out of the conversation.
This study flips the lens. I’m not here to evaluate or blame. I’m here to understand. To listen. To centre your perspective.
How do you navigate out-of-field teaching? How do you define success on your terms? What helps you keep going — and what gets in the way?
What’s Involved?
This is a low-time commitment study designed for busy teachers. It includes:
✅ Two short Zoom interviews (up to 30 minutes each)
✅ Participation in a private, invitation-only Reddit forum
✅ Around one post or comment per week, whenever it suits you
Estimated total time: under three hours over six weeks.
Key Dates
📅 Forum opens: Monday 16 June 2025
📅 Forum closes: Friday 25 July 2025
You’ll receive full details and access instructions before we begin.
How It Works
The online forum is private and secure, hosted on Reddit but only visible to approved participants. Every participant will choose a Reddit handle that doesn’t resemble their real name. You can post anonymously via that handle and share only what you’re comfortable sharing.
I won’t collect your real name or school information. I’ll just ask for:
- A name you’d like me to use when referring to you
- Your email address to send the invite and keep in touch
Everything is de-identified, and any quotes I use in my thesis or publications will be anonymised.
The study has full ethics approval from Deakin University’s Human Research Ethics Committee — Reference Number: 2024/HE000079.
Why Take Part?
Because out-of-field teaching is real — and often invisible.
You’ve likely had to:
- Teach yourself content on the fly
- Navigate uncertainty while still managing behaviour, assessments, and reporting
- Find or create your own supports to survive — and maybe even thrive
Whether you’ve found your rhythm or still feel like you’re working it out, your experience matters. By participating, you’ll help shine a light on the realities of out-of-field teaching — so that indirectly policies, teacher education programs, and support systems can reflect what’s really going on.
How to Join
Head to the project webpage for everything you need:
- The Plain Language Statement (a clear summary of the study)
- The Consent Form (which you can fill out online)
If you know an experienced NSW teacher who might be a good fit — please share this with them. Maybe it’s a colleague who picked up Year 10 science last minute. Maybe it’s you.
Let’s make sure out-of-field teaching stories aren’t left out of the education conversation. Let’s make space for success to be defined by the people doing the work.
Thanks for reading — and for all the unseen work you do.
🎧 Interested in out-of-field teaching stories?
Check out my podcast, Out-of-Field Teaching Toolkit, where I speak with teachers, researchers, and education leaders about what it really means to teach out of area.
