Season 3 - Episode 3
Moving to Australia as a skilled migrant is one thing. Moving to Australia and walking into a classroom of native English-speaking children as their teacher, nine months in, is something else entirely.
That’s exactly what Jeane did.
In this episode of Chinwag Tuesdays, Jeane, a primary school teacher from Indonesia, shares her experience of leaving a 10-year teaching career in Jakarta and starting fresh in a Melbourne primary school. Her story is honest, funny, and full of insights that go far beyond the classroom.
Why Jeane left Indonesia to teach in Australia
After a decade of teaching at the same school in Indonesia, Jeane started to feel like teaching had become a routine rather than a passion. She wanted growth, not just professionally, but personally.
She also wanted something else: a place that would value her for her skills, not judge her by how she looked or how she dressed. In Indonesia, she says, there was a very specific image of what a teacher was supposed to look like. She didn’t fit it, and she knew it.
Australia appealed to her because of its inclusive reputation and its philosophy of educating the whole child, focusing not just on academics but on wellbeing and student voice. She describes the decision as stepping out of her comfort zone in the best way.
What drove the decision
Jeane describes the feeling she had before leaving as a kind of internal restlessness. She knew something had to change. When she finally made the decision to move, it felt like more than a career change. It felt like looking for a place where she truly belonged.
The biggest differences between Australian and Indonesian classrooms
Jeane had ten years of experience, but nothing quite prepared her for how different an Australian classroom would feel.
Student voice and agency
In Indonesia, the teacher sets the rules. In her Melbourne classroom, Jeane discovered that students help co-create those rules. They’re encouraged to question, challenge ideas, and share their opinions, even about whether a rule makes sense. The first time this happened, she says, she thought: “wow, this is different and actually great.”
Wellbeing as a core priority
In Indonesia, the focus was academic. In Australia, Jeane’s school starts the day with a Morning Circle, where she talks with students about their feelings and emotions. Wellbeing sits alongside learning, not beneath it.
Assessment and parent culture
Back home, parents wanted numerical scores on paper-based tests. In Australia, assessment is performance-based and involves teacher judgement. When immigrant parents at her school asked for their child’s score, she had to explain the concept of progression points, which was just as new to her when she first arrived.
Teaching phonics and literacy in your second language
This is where Jeane’s story gets genuinely fascinating, and genuinely relatable for anyone who has ever had to learn the rules of English as an adult.
Teaching phonics to native English-speaking children forced Jeane to understand the rules of English spelling in a way she never had before. Growing up, she learnt to spell by memorising. In an Australian classroom, children learn by listening to sounds and understanding how those sounds connect to letters.
As she puts it: “You realise quickly that speaking a language doesn’t mean understanding its rules.”
When her students became her teachers
Jeane’s students have cheerfully corrected her pronunciation on more than one occasion. The most memorable was “giraffe.” Jeane said it with an American inflection. Her student looked at her and said: “Miss Clinton, the Australian way is giraffe.”
Rather than feeling embarrassed, Jeane turned it into a teaching moment for her whole class, explaining that English is pronounced differently all over the world depending on where you grew up and what you were exposed to. Her students began to understand that there isn’t one right English. There are many.
Australian vocabulary that surprised a migrant teacher
Some of the funniest and most useful moments in this episode are about the gap between words Jeane knew and the words her students used.
• A student asked if she had a rubber. She reached for a rubber band. The student wanted an eraser.
• Students asked about her favourite shapes. Jeane answered heart, thinking of mathematical shapes. They were asking about her favourite flavour of Shapes crackers, because they were planning to bring her a box.
• A student asked if she had marked the roll. Jeane looked at the roll of paper at the front of the room and wondered whether she was supposed to write on it. She wasn’t. They meant: had she taken attendance?
Jeane also noticed regional variation within Australia itself. Students from Queensland called the canteen a tuck shop. Students from New South Wales called the drinking fountain a bubbler. Even within one country, words shift depending on where you grew up.
This kind of vocabulary and cultural nuance is exactly what Aussie English with Amanda covers, because language learning goes far beyond pronunciation and grammar.
Building confidence as the only Asian teacher at the school
Jeane is the only Asian teacher at her school, and she was very aware of it when she arrived.
Her mindset going in was simple: she was hired for a reason. The school chose her. That belief kept her moving forward through the uncertain early weeks.
She focused on what she could control: being prepared, being kind, and building strong relationships with her students and colleagues. Over time, she noticed something shift. She wasn’t the “Asian teacher” anymore. She was just their teacher.
One of the most touching moments she describes is from last week, when a student from her previous class came to her new classroom and told her current students: “You know what, Ms. Clinton can tell you different ways of saying a word. And that’s really cool.”
Her difference became her distinction. Her background became her strength.
Practical advice for migrant professionals starting work in Australia
Jeane’s advice is grounded and specific. She’s nine months in, which means it’s fresh and real, not polished in hindsight.
She says to be patient with yourself. You’re not just learning a new job. You’re learning a new culture. Mistakes are part of the process, not a sign that you’re failing.
She says to build strong relationships early, with your colleagues, your leaders, and your students or clients. Once people know you, you stop being a label and you become a person.
And she says to say yes to the coffee invite. Say yes to the after-work drinks. Even if you don’t drink alcohol, even if the food isn’t your usual, showing up is how you start to understand how Australians behave in social settings. It’s how friendships begin. And it’s how you start to feel like you belong.
She also makes a point that sits at the heart of everything Aussie English with Amanda teaches: don’t try to erase who you are. Integrate, but don’t assimilate completely. Your background is valuable. Your perspective is valuable. You just might need to make some adjustments along the way, and you get to choose which ones.
FAQ
Is it common for migrant teachers to face challenges in Australian classrooms?
Yes, particularly around curriculum differences, student behaviour expectations, and vocabulary. Australia’s approach to education, which prioritises student voice, wellbeing, and performance-based assessment, is quite different from many Asian education systems. Many migrant teachers find the adjustment significant, but very manageable with time and support.
Do you need to speak with an Australian accent to teach in Australia?
No. What matters is that you communicate clearly, that you’re open to learning, and that you can explain concepts in a way your students understand. As Jeane’s experience shows, students are often incredibly understanding and even helpful when they know you’re still learning the local way of saying things.
How do you build confidence speaking English at work in Australia?
Start small. Build relationships. Ask for feedback when you can. And don’t hide away. The more you put yourself in social and professional situations, the faster you’ll find your footing. Jeane’s advice: say yes to every invite you can in the first few months.
What is Aussie English with Amanda?
Aussie English with Amanda is a pronunciation coaching and accent training platform for skilled migrants and international professionals in Australia. The platform covers Australian pronunciation, accent clarity, and cultural communication through 1:1 coaching, a membership program, a podcast, and free content across YouTube and Instagram.
If Jeane’s story resonated with you, the full conversation is waiting. Listen to this episode of Chinwag Tuesdays on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. And if you’re ready to work on your Australian English, head to the Aussie English with Amanda website to find out what’s on offer.
Key takeaways
• Migrant professionals don’t need a perfect accent to succeed at work in Australia, but they do need to be open to learning cultural and linguistic differences along the way.
• Australian classroom culture, which centres student voice, wellbeing, and co-creation, is a significant shift from many Asian education systems.
• Teaching phonics to native English speakers as a non-native speaker is challenging, but it can also be a strength, because learning the language yourself gives you a different kind of insight.
• Vocabulary varies not just between countries, but between Australian states, which means even native English speakers are constantly learning regional differences.
• Building confidence at work as a migrant is a process of small wins. Strong relationships, preparation, and a willingness to show up are the foundation.
• Integrating into Australian life doesn’t mean erasing your identity. Your background is an asset, and you get to choose how you adapt.
📲How to Contact Jeane
1. Instagram : www.instagram.com/jeaneclint_
2. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeane-clinton-1ba3a0233/
3. TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@doryfishteacher
