Early years teacher Rachael Richardson found personal and professional fulfilment through Graduate Research at Monash Education.
Graduate Research allows students to make a difference by exploring today’s educational problems and finding resilient solutions.
Mrs Richardson first began working as an Early Childhood teacher in 1997. She was enjoying a fulfilling teaching career but felt she needed a new challenge.
“I wanted to take part in something intellectually stimulating and useful to me professionally,” she says.
Mrs Richardson studied for a Master’s of Education specialising in Early Childhood Education, and was then offered the opportunity to continue on to a PhD, furthering her passion for education through graduate research.
“As a PhD student, I now work with two talented educationalists who have supported me through my first year of study, improving my theoretical knowledge and preparing me for the fieldwork stage of my research. The combination of excellent teaching and discussion from diverse viewpoints has provided a thought-provoking and rewarding experience.”
She encourages people of any age to consider further education.
“I first enrolled at Monash Education as a 46-year-old mature student,” she says. “Monash provided me with the opportunity for further study on a flexible, part-time basis, which allowed me to continue with my teaching career.”
Study should not only be for professional development but should also give personal satisfaction and a sense of achievement, she says, and she found all this at Monash.
Monash Education offers a range of options in Graduate Research including a Master of Education Coursework / Thesis and a PhD.
Students may choose to focus their research on curriculum and pedagogy, early years, language and literacy, education psychology, inclusive education, maths, science, technology and more.
With a multitude of professional development options, including seminars, workshops, international exchange and conferences, they will work with highly qualified, dedicated supervisors who will enrich their learning experience.
As Mrs Richardson’s story shows, it’s never too late to pursue your passion. Her experience echoes many of Monash Education students’ journeys from passionate educators to passionate researchers.
For more information about Graduate Research at Monash Education, visit monash.edu/education/passion
