Out-of-Field Teaching Toolkit Podcast

Out-of-field teaching doesn’t happen in a vacuum - and Professor Jillian Blackmore makes that crystal clear in this far-reaching, provocative conversation. A Distinguished Professor of Education at Deakin University and a long-time critic of education reform, Jill unpacks the systemic and political shifts that have weakened public education, casualised the teacher workforce, and deepenedinequality in Australian schools.

From neoliberalism and human capital theory to the failures of school autonomy and flawed teacher recruitment practices, Jill explains why out-of-field teaching is just one symptom of a system under strain. We also explore her new research on how race, class, and gender shape access to the profession and why ‘best fit’ hiring may be a proxy for exclusion.

Whether you're a teacher, policymaker, or researcher, this episode will challenge your assumptions and prompt deeper questions about what must change to truly support all educators.

Links:

In this bonus episode, I share details about my PhD research into how out-of-field high school teachers in NSW define and experience success when teaching maths or science. If you've ever taught outside your subject area, I’d love you to be part of this study. I explain what’s involved, how your input will be used, and why your story really matters.Links: 

To find out more about the research project – including the plain language statement and consent form, visit

What happens when you’re asked to teach a language you don’t speak—let alone teach? In this episode, I quiz Dr Christine Biebricher from the University of Auckland, whose research digs deep into the experience of New Zealand primary teachers tasked with teaching Mandarin out of field. We chat about courage, classroom strategies, professional identity, and why some teachers thrive while others struggle. If you’ve ever found yourself Googling “how to say hello inMandarin” five minutes before class (guilty), this one’s for you.  

Links:

Katelyn Mclaren, a public high school maths teacher based in far western NSW shares her inspiring journey from teaching Kindergarten to retraining in high school maths. She shares her passion and some of the challenges in teaching number and algebra, her strategies for connecting abstractmathematical concepts to real-world applications, and the importance of focusing on understanding rather than procedures. She explains how ‘slow maths’ happens in her classroom, when she’s learning at the same time as her students.

Links:

Graphing calculators

Annie Termaat, a PhD candidate at Deakin University's Art and Education faculty, shares her journey as a science teacher—from growing up in West Papua and Papua New Guinea to teaching in Turkey, Norway, and Malaysia. She reflects on thechallenges of teaching out-of-field, including behaviour management and working with diverse students, and discusses her experience writing science textbooks and researching metacognition. Annie offers valuable insights for teachers navigating out-of-field roles, highlighting the value of professional associations and staying open to new opportunities.

Links and resources mentioned:

Annie Termaat’s ‘Visualise Your Thesis’ video entry for Deakin University’s competition – she was a finalist in 2024

Associate Professor Mary Copeland from the University of Technology Sydney, Australia,  unpacks calculus, describing it as “a way of measuring change over time.” She explains its two core concepts—understanding rates of change and totalling small parts to find a whole—and connects these ideas to real-life applications, from speed cameras to retinal treatments.

Mary highlights the foundational maths skills of algebra, functions, and graphs, while sharing resources like Maths Inside to support out-of-field teachers. This episode offers practical insights and inspiration for anyone tackling advanced maths topics.

Links:

Dr Greg Ashman, an experienced maths teacher and school leader from Clarendon College in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia shares practical strategies for out-of-field educators. Drawing on evidence-based practices like explicit instruction and cognitive load theory, Greg explains how these approaches can help teachers navigate unfamiliar maths content while building student understanding and confidence.

With a focus on clarity, scaffolding, and the importance of professional collaboration, Greg offers actionable advice for K-12 teachers tackling maths teaching outside their specialisation. Whether you’re new to the subject or refining your methods, this ep offers valuable tools to enhance your teaching practice.

Links:

Heralding the 5th season of this humble, niche podcast. Find out about the theme for this year's Out-of-Field Teaching Across Specialisations international syposium to be held 7 to 8 February hybrid (online and in Belgrade, Serbia). And get an inkling of my ruminations for some (out-of-LEFT-field) ideas about which I'd like to present.

Link:

Dr Mauricière de Govia, a New York-based education leadership consultant, shares transformative insights for teachers stepping into unfamiliar subject areas. Drawing from decades of experience, Dr de Govia discusses the power of mentorship, the importance of consistent support structures, and the role of school leaders in fostering teacher and student success. Find out how ‘blackboard configuration’ consistency across a school helps everyone from students, teachers, leaders and parents. She also highlights strategies for navigating change, maintaining professional identity, and building resilience in challenging times. This conversation has useful strategies for teachers, education leaders, and policymakers committed to supporting out-of-field educators.

Links:

Dr de Govia’s YouTube channel 

Former elementary school music teacher, Dr Guilana Conti, shares her insights into K-8 music pedagogies. She’s the Director of Operations and Equity at Music Workshop, a not-for-profit organisation. Dr Conti talks about the new hip hop curriculum launching late 2024 and shares how culturally responsive teaching can transform out-of-field teaching experiences.

Music Workshop was founded in the US by Amy Richter in 2012 and now offers free, culturally responsive music curricula and professional development to K-8 teachers, helping 6M+ children across 100 countries. Links:

This episode explores OOFT with Ebony Love, who has 15 years in education, now leads continuous improvement for teacher preparation in Texas and is tackling a PhD. She talks about how alternative certification, mentor programs, and new policies are changing the landscape for Texas teachers. Ebony’s story of moving from a chemistry background into debate coaching and gaining multiple teaching certifications highlights the possibilities of out-of-field teaching—and the hurdles teachers face. Draw insights on how Texas is leading efforts to support teachers’ growth and adaptability. She also shares her perspectives on how support structures can make or break the experiences of out-of-field teachers and impact their career longevity.

Links:

Tired of the blame-and-punish cycle in your classroom? Learn how restorative practices can offer a more effective and empowering approach to discipline and classroom management. Adam Voigt, a leading expert in the field, joins us to discuss how out-of-field teachers can implement restorative practices to create a positive and inclusive learning environment for all students.

Links:

Michaela Epstein, a former president of the Mathematical Association of Victoria (Australia), discusses her work with Maths Teacher Circles, an initiative she started in 2020 to offer professional learning opportunities for in-field and out-of-field teachers of mathematics. It’s all about collaboration. In this pod, Michaela highlights the value of making connections within maths and encouraging mathematical reasoning. She also emphasises the importance of helping students retain learned material, using cognitive science research and practical classroom strategies. Have a listen and check out her free resources, too.

Links:

Internationally renowned expert in science and sustainability education, Associate Professor Peta White, from Deakin University, Australia, shares her tips & insights for educators. Out-of-field teachers will learn about a range (and sequence) and super-practical pedagogies to enliven science and sustainability curricula in your classrooms, and how explicit teaching features as part of the mix. Sustainability is a cross-curriculum priority in Australian K-12 schools. Multi-award winner Peta explains how collaboration is her secret sauce to being a prolific research scholar. She is the co-director of the Centre for Regenerating Futures at Deakin. Be sure to check out the links below, including for the upcoming Australian Education Summit.

Links:

One of the75 notable British-Pakistani academics, Professor Nadia Siddiqui of Durham University in the UK offers comparative insights into Pakistani and UK education systems, but also the early childhood education sector. If you’re an out-of-field teacher in junior primary/elementary, it’s helpful to know the milestones your students should have reached before they started ‘big’ school. Nadia shares her expertise to guide you.

Links:

History curricula can delve into complex and potentially distressing topics. So, how can you approach these subjects sensitively using trauma-informed teaching practices when you’re teaching out-of-field? Cathy Baron, President of the Australian History Teachers’ Association, shares her insights on this challenging issue. Her top tips include seeking guidance from experienced history teachers in your school or beyond, taking the time to learn the content and complete worksheets before introducing them to your class, understanding your student cohort, mastering the skill of unpacking source documents (with her expert advice), and exploring professional development opportunities tailored for new and returning history teachers.

P.S. Current data on out-of-field history teaching is scarce. The most recent (2020) Australian figures show that 36% of humanities classes, including history, were taught by out-of-field teachers. In New South Wales, at least a quarter of history classes were led by out-of-field teachers in 2023. (See the AHA resource in the links below).

 Links:

The History Teachers’ Association of Australia

Update about the Out-of-Field Teaching Across Specialisations international symposium held 22-23 Aug 2024.

Links:

Official symposium website – scroll down to the ‘program and recordings’ to get the recordings

The pod takes a deep dive into a successful mathematics retraining and mentoring program for teachers in the Australian state of NSW. Cassie Portelli and Simone Richardson explain. 

Links:

Miriam Lees, a former engineer turned maths teacher, head teacher and now an educational consultant with the Mathematical Association of NSW, Australia, sheds light on one of her favourite topics: trigonometry. Typically introduced in Years 9 and 10 in NSW schools, this subject builds upon the foundation of Pythagoras' Theorem, taught around Year 8. Miriam believes trigonometry can be easy to grasp when taught step-by-step. However, she emphasises the importance of providing a broader context to prevent students from viewing it as a mere 'black box' of formulas. By revealing the trigonometric ratios as shortcuts derived from similar triangles, she helps students see the underlying logic and appreciate the elegance of the subject.

Links:

Mathematics NSW – MANSW

You won’t need to teach physics out of field by sitting on a bed of nails – the latter is part of the outreach science courses run by Ben Newsome, founder/CEO of Fizzics Education. As a former biology-and-physics trained high school teacher, he explains how you can leverage your in-field area to teach physics; that physics can be distilled into four main concepts and an empty shoebox is your go-to prop to demonstrate those concepts. Oh, and don’t teach physics in a silo – reach out to your network, peers in the staff from, Fizzics Education and preference authoritative websites (with .edu or .gov domains) for your resources. Learn more about bringing physics to life in your class.

Links:

Ben on Linkedin

Is a nationally consistent system for upskilling out-of-field teachers of mathematics in Australia possible? Professor Merrilyn Goos, from the University of the Sunshine Coast, and co-author of a major report reviewing upskilling initiatives, talks about the potential path ahead and why we need action soon.

Links:

An estimated two-thirds of primary and one-third of secondary school students in Australia don’t have access to music education. Out-of-field teachers of music can be part of the solution. Find out how you can upskill through professional development. Music education teacher, scholar, conductor & leader, Dr Jason Goopy, from Edith Cowan University in Western Australia, explains how to upskill your music teaching, even if you’re starting from a low knowledge/experience base. Teach students not just about music, but how to do it. And he shares lots of professional learning options to get you started.

Emeritus Professor John Hattie has perused meta-analyses based on a quarter of a billion students covering decades of peer-reviewed and scholarly studies (2400 of them!). His goal? To quantify the effect size (or not) of a diverse range of influences on K-12 student learning. Surprisingly, his synthesis suggests the effect size from teachers’ subject matter knowledge is close to zero. He explains why there’s more to it than just thinking that means out-of-field teaching doesn’t matter.

Links:

Namibia, in south-west Africa, may be the most stable democracy on that continent, but out-of-field teaching rates are “alarming”  and "negatively affecting the quality of education", says Professor Jairos Kangira from the University of Namibia. Learn more about what OOFT looks like in his country and what they’re doing about it. Links:

Luminary Aussie mathematics teacher Eddie Woo offers his tips on how to get over your and your students’ mathematics anxiety – tap into it, he says, to become a more empathic teacher. Eddie cautions teachers against just focusing on procedures and rules – you need fluency and understanding of mathematical concepts, too. If you’re looking to retrain as a mathematics teacher in NSW, be sure to check out the education department’s offerings, he says.

Links:

Leon Furze is a much-published author, high-school English teacher and school leader, now education consultant and PhD student delving in AI. He explains how out-of-field teachers (and schools overall) can use this emerging technology – and manage the risks, too.

Links:

And while we're on the subject of teaching English out of field, here's another perspective.

Chances are if you’re teaching English out of field, Shakespeare will be on your text list. Dr Duncan Driver, Assoc Dean of Education at the University of Canberra, explains how to bring the bard to life in your classroom. Get inspired to teach English well with his these and other strategies – there’s not just one way to teach English well. Duncan’s a wordsmith with a PhD in Shakespeare and has worked in academia, journalism, theatre directing and acting.

Links:

All Australian K-12 teachers should embed into their lessons the cross-curricula priority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people's culture and history. But, how to go about it if you’re feeling out-of-field? Proud First Nations woman, high-school teacher, union activist, and part-time law student Alex Leon demystifies what’s involved.

Links:

Alex Leon: Seeds of Change – Australian Education Union

A former Australian English high-school teacher, Carolyn Newall has taught across the globe. She’s pouring her expertise and energy into a running a new coaching program for those teaching English out of field. And she shares her tips and approaches to teaching English well. 

Links: 

Ruminating over the gigification of teaching is what Professor Lucas Walsh and his team at Monash University are doing right now. So, we’ve got in early to hear his thoughts on this hot research topic and I’ve offered my two-cents’ worth as a long-time gig worker in three sectors. In this pod, Lucas takes an ecological view of teaching – seeing it as part of a bigger system. He also touches on his significant work, updated yearly, on the Australian Youth Barometer, and how this could play into teaching as a gig.

Links:

Out-of-field teaching is all about ‘boundary crossing’ (Hobbs, 2013) and this interview with UK doctoral student and academic Fiona Yardley highlights that journey. She has experienced teaching maths out of field, then in-field. Fiona’s researching how out-of-field teachers conceptualise maths through a critical complex theoretical lens and YES, she’s challenging the deficit discourse. She’s the Director of Learning and Teacher for the School of Teacher education at Canterbury Christ Church University.

Links:

If you’re teaching mathematics outside of your qualification area in an Australian high school, listen up. A new highly subsidised part-time 12-week microcredential could be for you. Dr Lewes Peddell, a lecturer in maths and music ed at Southern Cross University talks about this new offering that kicks off in March 2024. We get under the hood to find out what’s involved in setting up this course, what it will cover, mentoring, and how it connects to the university’s other mathematics education programs.

Links:

Microcredential maths teaching course

Curious if mathematical word problems are easier if your native language is Chinese or English? Find out in this episode when I talk to an ex history/maths teacher, with an applied linguistics background, who has gone on to specialise in academia in mathematics. Professor Linda Galligan from the University of Southern Queensland in Australia is the Head of School and Dean of Mathematics, Physics and Computing. Some staff in her school teach mathematics content to pre-service teachers, and teachers who want to retrain in this content area; while the School of Education takes care of their mathematics pedagogy. While it’s an interesting division, good communication between the schools ensures it works.

Links:

What is the emotional labour of teaching, how is it different for out-of-field teachers and how can they manage it? Dr Saul Karnovsky from the School of Education at Curtin University in Western Australia, explains. 

After studying journalism as an undergraduate, Jennie Darcy went on to teach English in regional Australian high schools for20+ years. Despite her own background deficits in studying literature, this became an area of passion. However, it also raised many questions for her about the value and purpose of studying texts and how best to engage resistant readers in country towns. Fast forward to now and she’s finishing her PhD during which she studied primary-trained educators as they transitioned into high-school English teaching. Together Jennie and these teachers re-imagined the joys, pleasures and affective value of reading literary fiction as they breathed life back into text study in junior English classrooms.

Jennie Darcy, Casual Academic, Deakin University

John Southon, principal of Trundle Central School (K-12) in western NSW, Australia, takes this pod to a context we’ve not yet explored – what it’s like teaching out of field in a rural school. Once you travel 5km away from this site, the internet stops.

John left high school early and “functionally illiterate”, then took the long road to teaching.

He says OOFT is core business for teaching: “look at the title of the role – ‘teacher’”, he says. John explains how he supports OOF teachers and hooks into distance ed for expert teachers elsewhere. This is teaching done differently going by the school’s motto: ‘A challenging & learning environment’.  

Policies and national frameworks for teacher education, professional learning, teacher registration and more is the bread and butter of the Australian Institute of Teaching & School Leadership (AITSL). But all of that happens through a consultation process with the profession, education stakeholders and education ministers across Australia.

Danny Pinchas is AITSL’s General Manager – Teaching and School Leadership and explains how his organisation works with Australia’s eight educational jurisdictions, policy makers, professional associations, universities and unions and across all K-12 school sectors. AITSL is also collecting teacher workforce data and continues to drip feed insights, including about out-of-field teaching.

He also details how out-of-field teachers can tap into AITSL’s evidence-based resources, including ‘fly-on-the-wall’ videos from experienced teachers’ classrooms and how beginning teachers can be cyberly matched to an experienced mentor to help meet the professional standard ‘know the content and how to teach it’. And he notes that Australian universities are increasingly offering microcredentials to help out-of-field teachers upskill. Check out the pod for more.

Links:

AITSL Australian Teacher Workforce Data

Listen to a luminary researcher who did the first research on out-of-field teaching and was instrumental in getting policymakers to enact a law against out-of-field teaching in the U.S. In the early 1990s, using large-scale national data, Professor Richard Ingersoll from the University of Pennsylvania, began studying the problem of OOFT -- teachers assigned to teach subjects in which they have no training or preparation. His work shows that OOFT is a school management issue, rather than a lack of teacher preparation or expertise. It has been a serious, but hidden, problem for most of the past century. Professor Ingersoll highlights the need to professionalise teaching, by expanding teacher "voice" in school decision-making, along with key stakeholders such as parents. He says solutions to the OOFT phenomenon include changing the culture of education, pivoting off the promising results of teacher-led schools, and the pockets of innovation in initial teacher education.

EducationHQ is an independent publisher that covers K-12 education news and features for Australian teachers and school leaders across all sectors – public, Catholic and independent. Editor Sarah Duggan has been at the helm for several years and delves into Twitter, research journals and more to keep tabs on educational issues. She shares her insights into the OOFT phenomenon, how her publication has covered it and why. Sarah says a common misconception in mainstream media sees teachers instead of the system blamed for this problem. You can hear her bent on OOFT in this pod.